How’s Your Spirit?

The voice of each individual’s spirit speaks to them moment by moment, hour by hour, day by day. What is your spirit saying to you? You may not think that the voice of your soul is in constant communication with your human experience on earth but it is. This is especially true for those suffering with anxiety and/or depression. It is the voice of your spirit attempting to alert you to your own suffering. It is calling you on the journey to create your own peace.

I know this because I have spent plenty of time struggling against the voice of my spirit. Its presence is so calm, so soothing compared to the voice of my inner critic. I know I have surrendered the struggle when the evil overseer (Inner critic) ceases to whip me into ego submission with its cruel tactics of constant criticism, predetermined schedule of how my life is “supposed” to go, and what I should be doing with my time. In those times, I am clear. I am free from the score keeping and the fears of the future and the hand wringing over how I’m going to accomplish all that I desire. I live differently. When I am not clear, there is a constant gnawing at the center of my being linked with my mind’s ability to generate 50 different scenarios of fear, usually linked to my relationships or resources ultimately resulting in a perceived lack of what I need.  All of this experience is based on a complete disconnect from the voice of my spirit.

I’m not saying that it’s easy to stay connected to the voice of your spirit. This world of illusion is designed to draw us away from Spirit through constant distractions of the ego. Concerns about what we look like, what other people think of us, measuring our so-called progress…the constant inner judgement and comparisons to others destroy the feeling of being connected to our souls. However, we can never be truly separated from our spirits nor can we ever be separated from the constant love and appreciation that Spirit has for us. Our perception can make it appear that way though. This is the most challenging trick of the mind. We can take ourselves so far away from our soul-self that we actually believe we are disconnected from Source, disconnected from love, from acceptance. If there is one thing you take away from reading this, please let it be that you are never, ever disconnected from the love and acceptance that Creator has for you. No sin can erase that love. No action. No lack of action.

I was raised as a Southern Baptist and taught that “all have sinned and fallen short of the Glory of God.” This was the perfect set up for disconnecting from God. My heart breaks that so many have forced the idea of God into such a small, confining, judgmental box. This is the ultimate blasphemy. God/Goddess is only love. That’s it. Whatever idea we have of God, Source, Great Spirit, the Divine, is limited by the condemnation we have been taught. All the condemnation and the judgment are simply man’s way of humanizing God into someone we could actually relate to. The infinite power of the omnipresent Source is greater than what we can possible imagine and cares more for humanity than we can ever truly know. You can begin tending to your spirit by affirming that there is great love and support for you and your experience here on Earth. Following is an exercise to use to silence the Inner Critic and help you align with Source Love.

Aligning with the Present Moment

Step 1: Awareness. When your inner thoughts are critical rather than loving and supportive, notice it. The act of observing the self changes the power the inner critic has over you. The more you can observe your thoughts, the more power returns to you. You can begin to manage these crippling thoughts.

Step 2: Say STOP! Out loud and mean it. Over time, you will be able to say it internally and it will have impact but for now, say it out loud. The purpose of this is to stop the habit, thereby eliminating the pattern of constant questioning that leads you nowhere.

Step 3: Narrate the present moment.  Pulling your focus to the present moment is easy. Simply narrate exactly where you are and what you are doing. “I am sitting in my office. I am typing on the computer. Music is playing in the background. The candles are lit.” etc. etc. until you have given your mind something else to think about. Rather than allowing unconscious negative thoughts that separate you from your spirit, you can consciously choose a different thought pattern. 

Step 4:  Breathe. Inhale peace, exhale peace. Continue to run a thought pattern that supports you. Choose a thought that validates you and your life. Examples: “I make good choices. I carry great wisdom. I am taking care of myself. I am connected to my spirit. I am connected to Source.”

My hope is that this helps you connect with the beauty of your spirit and the love of Source.

And so it is.