Carry on my wayward son
There’ll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don’t you cry no more
Carry on, you will always remember
Carry on, nothing equals the splendor
The center lights around your vanity
But surely heaven waits for you
~ Kansas
You are already whole. The part of you that is manifesting in the here and now – the physical plane as you call it – is a much reduced, though still beautiful, expression of you. That expression may be functioning at physical and emotional peak, or it may be experiencing wear and lack of recovery. You may even be under attack.
However, no matter what is going on, only part of your spirit has come along for the ride. There is an aspect of your spirit – your essence (or higher self) – that never incarnates, and it is this essence that monitors and makes adjustments to the part of itself that is your soul. It is also your essence that retains its original wholeness no matter what you are experiencing. In fact, your essence/higher self extends all the way to Source, giving you the power to negotiate and endure even life’s extreme challenges. Because of its constant connection to Source, your essence always has access to limitless recuperative capacities.
That’s quite the claim, you may be thinking. How can anyone possibly believe that we are always connected to our wholeness given the depth and volume of unspeakable atrocities that are engaged in daily, and have been engaged in, for hundreds of thousands of years? Not to mention our own myriad personal sufferings! How does one summon the courage (or entertain the stupidity) to believe that we can still experience a state of wholeness at the hands of unmitigated evil? Or even more ridiculous – believe that we never left the state of grace, that we are still inside of it?
Let me spend a few moments reflecting on the nature of the human spirit. This spirit demonstrates a persevering quality of indomitability and resilience, and despite unbearable physical and emotional circumstances, asserts its vitality again and again. History is replete with persons of tremendous courage and spirited resilience. There is a great deal in our experience of being human that is beyond bearing, and yet, there are those among us who do not accept great pain or defeat as the ultimate truth of who we are or what our lives are about. A few examples of those who battled the demons of racism, oppression, and general disregard for life: Harriet Tubman, Susan B. Anthony, Martin Luther King, Jr., Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, and Mother Theresa. They did not surrender to despair, but to what they believed in. They pursued their truths despite the tsunami of opposition and a heaping plateful of personal sufferings of every conceivable kind.
How did they do this? What kept them going?
They accessed their eternal Spirit. They believed in a cause larger than themselves. They believed in the need to take action, knowing that if they did not take action, conditions would never change. They understood that they were here to act on their truth and that if they did not do so, their truth would never be made manifest. They remembered their original purpose, and even if they did not remember it in so many words, they were nevertheless compelled by the truth behind that purpose.
How do you keep going if it’s just you?
You cannot take on every cause that’s out there. You must follow your guidance and discernment. The strategy in dealing with the overwhelm of multiple causes is to stay on your own path. This is about manifesting your unique soul purpose – and that comes of following your dharma. As well, you are not expected to carry on solo! You cannot turn back the tide on your own. It is unreasonable to expect this, or to demand it. But you can join with the efforts of others. Seek out those organizations devoted to the causes that call to you. There you will find your mission mates.
How do I know what my dharma is?
What have you fallen in love with? What are you in love with? What do you care about? Look there for your dharma. Look at what your gifts are, and use them to everyone’s benefit. You were given these to assist with the unfolding of your dharma. What are you compelled to bear witness to? What is it that loosens your tongue to speak the truth? Therein lays your dharma.
To do the work of strategizing on how you can be of service to the needs of social justice, it is important to have a community that you regularly meet with to share ideas and reflections, and to encourage and uplift each other to be channels for grace. You cannot face evil without being in the field of Grace. Grace is active in the world through us, and through the Divine. How do you become a channel for Grace? Respect yourself as a sacred being on a mission from the Divine. See yourself as the Sacred Will of the Divine acting through you. Grace is the supplement from heaven that will support your spiritual immune system. It is the force and field of life that is the breath of God, and the mystical force that unfolds in service to your life path.
It’s all an illusion anyway.
Since we are already whole, is it correct to state that the horrors of the world are an illusion? Some new age schools of thinking have no issues with making the statement, “It’s all an illusion, anyway; everything is perfect as it is.”
Tell that to the Syrians who are being turned out of their homes and massacred.
Tell that to the victims of Sandy Hook.
Tell that to the 27 million women and children who endure bestial treatment in the enforced slavery of sex trafficking.
Tell that to the victims of the Holocaust.
Tell that to the Vietnamese who were decimated by the murderous ideology of “Kill Anything that Moves.”
Tell that to the women of India, who have been raped and murdered, many generations over.
Tell that to the Native Americans.
Tell that to the Native Americans who walked the Trail of Tears.
Tell that to the slaves of African ancestry.
Tell that to the undocumented workers.
Tell that to women who have been subjected throughout history to violence against their gender.
It’s a worthless debate, isn’t it? It is most especially worthless when we are the ones in the midst of great suffering.
How can you be whole and maimed at the same time?
Your ultimate self exists in wholeness. The part of you that is experiencing life in the current dimension is the one doing battle and sustaining sometimes excruciating wounds. Connect to your Spirit Body and ask it to heal your Physical Body. Then ask it to heal your Emotional Body, and again, your Mental Body. You are ready to remember the promise you made, and your obligation to live up to that promise. Why did you agree to come here? Who did you come here to be? What service or contribution that is uniquely yours to make is not being made because you’ve forgotten your courage?
Now, use the tools that will bring heaven to your aid. You are already holding them.
What are these tools?
Grace. Prayer. Community. Friendship. Self-reflection. Self-care. Connecting with your heart. Remembering. Bending, but not breaking. Staying strong. When you have plenty of energy to draw on, it’s much easier to take on the devil.
Grace is what compels us to go out and live life boldly, despite the terrors. Will grace protect you? It cannot protect you from every encounter, but it is set up to protect you so that you can carry out the great measure of your soul intentions. The field of Grace is always present. Grace is in action in the world. You are still here, are you not?
What if you’re too depressed to take further action? What if you’ve given up in overwhelm? How do you transform your condition?
The real question is how do we transform the darkness?
Refuse to surrender to the belief that darkness is more powerful than light.
Refuse to surrender because you do not accept that darkness, no matter how powerful, how painful, or how savage, is the ultimate reality.
Refuse to believe that you have nothing of value to contribute.
Bear witness to your own suffering.
Continue to act on what you believe is the greater truth.
Connect to the eternal flame of the peace within, the peace that passes all understanding.
Stick to your dharma.
Know that your spirit has what it takes to be in this world. You would not have been put here otherwise.
Choose your actions based on what will serve humanity. You never want to say to yourself, “I should have.” It is always a good time to step into your higher self, to open fully to your Divinity, and take it on with everything you’ve got. The truth is this: you have the power to be and do what you came here to do if you set forth your intentions and follow them. This is a basic rule of life. Develop your talents to their highest degree and then use them to make the greatest contribution you can – you have no idea what you are capable of. You have the capacity to move heaven and earth.
On Grace: “I never know where I will find You or how You will speak to me. Some days it is through a new person and other days it is through a new experience. Each day I become more aware of something I did not understand or realize before. I knew I should be grateful for all that I have but now I realize I should also be grateful for all that I do not have. For I do not have traumatic war memories and I do not have scars from being a refugee and I do not have the fear of a homeless person. I am grateful for all I have and for all I do not have. If I am grateful for having been spared a suffering, give me the grace to help those who are suffering. Amen” ~ Caroline Myss
Did you enjoy this post? Subscribe to my newsletter
Copyright © 2013-Current | Gloria Constantin | All Rights Reserved |
Thank you for providing individuals with the opportunity to read your articles and blog posts. It is always very good to study this type of guidance.
“You never want to say to yourself ‘you should have.’ ”
This is wonderful. Do you mean that you should ask your self that question before you act? That is, ask yourself “Am I going to say I should have later on?” and then if the answer is yes, then do whatever you wanted to do. That’s the way I am thinking of it. I really hate thinking “should have” later on.
Daniel
Yes. That is what I meant. Thank you, Daniel.
Another great article that couldn’t have come at a better time. Thanks.
I like the valuable info you provide in your articles. I will bookmark your weblog and check again here frequently. I’m quite sure I’ll learn many new things right here!
I found this article while surfing. I love what I see. I look forward to seeing more.
This post is worth everyone’s attention.
It is pleasant for me to visit this website which has important Information.
Thanks to my father who told me about your website. This page is truly amazing.
I admire the time and energy you put into your website, and the detailed information you offer. It’s great to come across a blog that isn’t the same out-of-date rehashed material. Fantastic read!
I found this article while watching an episode of Supernatural. It was as if I was led to your page. Castiel (an angel) was extracting grace from Sam. I wondered about how we seem to often feel like we’ve lost that state of grace we once had as children. So I googled something about how to reclaim your state of grace. I wondered if anyone has ever written about this topic. I came across your site. I don’t think it was an accident. I’m also empathic, and am learning to listen to my inner voice. I felt led to your page. I love this article. I even shared it on my Facebook page, which has the same name as my website. Oh, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that my blog is called Living With Sense. I’d like to call you and set up a reading sometimes. Thank you so much for this gem!!! Namaste!