THE GLASS IS HALF FULL

In the sciences I was trained to identify the problem and solve it. This type of thinking runs throughout western culture in general; medicine, engineering, raising kids, or even dealing with ourselves. It takes the form of "if only I can figure out what's wrong with X and fix it, then it will all be OK".

We know consciously this isn't true, but the programming is deep and pervasive, much of it being absorbed subconsciously. Some of it comes overtly (as in schools), but much of it comes in the form of how everyone around us is doing things. It just is.

The subtle effect of this is that we focus on problems, often ignoring potential answers. The glass tends to be always half empty rather than half full. There is a valuable place for problem solving and the skills that go with it. It can be a place of creativity and genius. But if our focus is too heavily there, if our instinctual patterns are to look for problems then we will find them. Perhaps even create them.

I have seen this in myself, even when I am supportive of something I may fall into critiquing it. High school english anyone? Isn't it preferable to change our default to one of appreciation? It is vitally important that we never forget what is going right, what we already know, those things that make the glass half full.

When you are trying to manifest something, by growth or change, why not start from places of strength? Are there places in your life where it already exists?

Perhaps you are wanting to relax more at work, to bring in more joy and amusement. This can be challenging as workplaces are often not set for these energies. But there are probably other areas of your life where you have joy and amusement, where you can play and relax. Or there are people in your life that know how to do this. These are your resources. Identify these and build on them. Remember the feelings you want and then invite them into your workplace.

Perhaps this reflex problem solving is even genetic, a primitive survival mechanism, but it is not inevitable and we can choose to put it aside when its not necessary or useful. We simply have to train ourselves to remember that we have a different choice we can make.

The same thing goes for group and social projects or situations. Perhaps its just easier to list the faults and weaknesses? But to what extent is this really useful, especially if we neglect to list the strengths and positives. Perhaps these are not as "obvious", but take a little time to invite them to appear. Appreciate what is already there to work with. Releasing expectations about what it should be and seeing what it is can shift things powerfully.

In our personal lives this is the same issue as shifting from "Who am I supposed to be?" to "Who am I already, deeply, in my soul?" We know which of those questions is more likely to bare the fruit we all seek. Remember to remember that in Spirit you are always full.

To move beyond dreams and into action, we must claim the positives for ourselves, about ourselves, about all the aspects of our lives. Then we can have the inspiration, the energy and resources to manifest our dreams, bit by bit, walking forward with each other.

This is the time, the game is afoot, but choosing love and hope over fear and doubt is something we have to remember to remember over and over, until the old habits are worn away.

May you appreciate the shining brilliance of your half-full glasses, there you will find the resources to fill them to overflowing.

(© 09/09)[read the full version @ http://www.wholebeingexplorations.com/spirit/writings.html ]

WALKING THROUGH FEAR

Courage is not being fearless, it is acknowledging your fear walking ahead anyway.

When I was in graduate school homework usually consisted of problem sets. Sometimes I would procrastinate one as long as I could. The longer I waited the more the fear would build up and the less I wanted to get started. Even though I might suspect that it wasn't going to be a really big deal, the fear would keep me from even checking to see if it was going to be relatively simple, or take up half a weekend.

Often when I did finally get around to it, it would be pretty straight forward, and I would realize that most of the fear had little to do with the problem set itself. When we begin to fear something the fear builds on itself until there is a huge wall to even looking at it. In chemistry or physics this is called a potential barrier.

These potential barriers can also happen in doing our inner work. Sometimes there is a big charge and things are intense. It takes courage to forge ahead. Other times when we do finally create, or find, a space to tackle something it turns out to be a much smaller deal than our fears had built it up to be. We find that we are pleasantly relieved and full of the life force that no longer needs to hang out as fear.

Other times it is a long process, which can be challenging and our courage comes into play in the long run rather than just in the first steps. But often those first steps are the still the hardest.

In any case, doing our inner work rewards us with more space to be present as a soul having a human experience in the present, rather than being stuck in some part of our past. We have more life force and joy, more rest and peace. Our courage, in short, or over time, carries us through our fear and allows us to complete old karma so we can make new choices going forward.

This is a form of warriorship. I want to salute as warriors all of you that are walking some form of spiritual path. These days everything seems to move faster and faster, but take time to honor yourself in your process. Really acknowledge how far you have already come. Thank you for having the courage to walk your path. Whenever any one of us takes a step forward, exercises courage and is rewarded with life energy, the path becomes easier for all of us.

Even if you may feel at times that you haven't any choice. You do. Take your courage and walk through your fear. It is often less than you think, a potential barrier that fades as you step through it. Honor that at some level of your being you are ready to move forward and grow. A little bit, or a large piece, it all adds up.

Lastly remember you are never alone, however much you may feel so. Your spiritual Self is with you, as are Spirit and your angels. And there are more of us than we think, so it's often a friend or acquaintance who comes to support you, or who is grateful for your courage showing them the way.

With gratitude and many blessings, let us link hands and keep stepping forward.

(© 9/09)