BEING UNIQUELY YOU
Own Your Uniqueness
"Know Thyself" is written over the Temple of Apollo at Delphi, one of the most sacred ancient sites in Greece. Knowing oneself seems to be at the heart of most spiritual traditions, for when we know ourselves deeply, we know what is ours to be in the world. Only then can we fully step into our power to be that gift. We are all unique and every single person has something important to offer this world that no one else can. When we recognize this then we can give up trying to fit in, trying to be like someone else and dismissing our own inner voice. When you are aligned with your truth, with your gift, then you will have fulfillment and joy in who you are, and what you do, and the world will be that much richer because of you.
There are ways to align yourself with your truth energetically and spiritually that can help you understand yourself in a deeper way. Knowing your primary element(s) from the Five Element perspective, understanding your main sensory type, aligning with your Power Animal from a Shamanic perspective, learning how to ground and stand in your truth, and connecting into your Energetic Core are all ways to help you on this path. A quick exercise is to Zip Up your central meridian with the affirmation "I stand in my truth and knowing". Slowly trace from your pubic bone up the centre of your body to your bottom lip, saying the above affirmation, three times.
There is NO One Way to Live
Recently I have had clients express concern and confusion about the many opinions they hear about what is best for them. Should they be vegetarian, go on a paleo diet, be gluten free, meditate or do yoga? And often they seem so surprised that I don't believe there is a right answer that applies to everyone. How could I when every person is unique? My 'opinion' is to be suspect about strong opinions and to find out for yourself, for your own particular energy system, what is best for you. Some people need to eat meat, some really benefit from meditation, other need a daily walk in nature. Some people need to take supplements, others need to stay away from certain foods. Part of the joy of living is to listen deeply to your own body, your own energy system, and honour that. When you eat something or take that supplement, what does your body feel like after? Ideally, you can be energy tested for different foods or supplements by an energy medicine practitioner and they can teach you how to energy test yourself. You will find that your body will need different things at different times. Some days I need certain supplements and the next day will be different. Opinions can be interesting, even entertaining, but ultimately, your own body's opinion is the one to listen to. And be light about it all - energy moves so much better when you are!
The Truth About Truth
Your truth is your truth; it is not necessarily the truth for someone else. I see people continually getting tied in a knot arguing their version of the truth and actually being disrespectful of another person's inner knowing. We are all spectacularly unique. Our inner knowing, our inner wisdom, is meant for us individually. It is vital to pay attention to that knowing as that will guide us well in our life. But others need to follow their own wisdom. When we help our friends and family listen closely to themselves, and not impose our own truth on them, then we are truly supporting them to live full and joyful lives. In Energy Medicine, it continues to amaze me how each person's energies are so unique and beautiful. As one of my teachers says, never abdicate your authority - listen to yourself. You are your wisest teacher!
Never Abdicate Your Authority
When it comes to your health and your life, 'never abdicate your authority'! Adyashanti stated this in regards to a person's spiritual journey but it applies to every area of a person's life and certainly does when it comes to your health and your healing journey. Often clients will come to me thinking they need to start a ketogenic diet, take magnesium, start a certain exercise regime or do a cleanse. These all may be great strategies for some people but remember, everyone is unique. What is right for one is not right for another. Yes, there are some common threads...eating more vegetables, avoiding sugar, getting outside, doing a daily energy routine will all help support your heath. However, you need to listen to yourself, to your inner voice or knowing. Be honest with yourself, does it feel 'right'? Just because some diet, a certain healing practitioner, a specific spiritual practice is helpful to some people does not mean it is right for you. When you start to take responsibility for your health and well-being, you start to really heal. When you listen to yourself, not another, then you are on the right path. This does not mean that you do not get advice or go to a healing practitioner. Of course you do. Just listen to yourself to see if it rings true for you right now. Your body knows what is best for you, so begin to develop that inner knowing by listening deeply to your own 'gut' feeling. Develop your 'spidey' sense as you take the sacred journey to greater health and happiness and never abdicate your authority. Trust yourself, you are your greatest teacher!
Your Inner Compass
It takes great courage to live from a place of joy! From an early age, we are taught to listen to others for guidance on what we ought to do and who we ought to become. Our parents, teachers, coaches, friends, community and culture all have a huge influence on the direction our lives take. This is not a bad thing except when we stop listening to our inner voice and lose sense of our own direction. The silencing of that inner voice is a great tragedy in most people's lives. Our voice is the true compass for living a life of joy, vitality and real contribution. Of course we will learn from people around us; but ultimately, it is our heart's knowing, our own inner wisdom, that will guide us to the lives we were meant to live. When you sense a spark, a feeling of joy and vitality, then you know that is your truth speaking and the direction your life is meant to take. Listen to that very carefully because your life depends on it! It takes immense courage because you will disappoint others when you start to live your own truth and stop living the life they wanted for you. But so what if you disappoint some people, just don't disappoint yourself. The world needs more joy!
Being Present
I find it interesting that when I really look at a tree or a flower, it seems perfect in its own unique way. There is no need for it to be other than it is. In fact it is joyful to just observe it and notice it's particular expression of 'treeness' or 'flowerness'. Wouldn't it be wonderful if we were present to each other's uniqueness and just enjoyed how the person in front of us is expressing his or her 'humanness'.
