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| 13. ( 79:39 ) Cosmic news. |
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| collective-evolution.com |
By all means, use external sources and information, such as this newscast or others, to guide you to information that will assist in your uniquely different, equally beautiful truth, but I gently advise against becoming too attached to any sources of external information as your only guidance, for there is no external source of information out there that truly has the answer that can only be found within the hearts of each and every one of you. Whatever your message is meant to be, or whatever your service is meant to be, for humanity and our planet, lies within you only, and no one else has the right to determine who you ARE, or who you can choose to BECOME in any moment of ‘now’.
We are all dealing with issues right now, myself included. It is important to deal with them and to avoid trying to repress them, which is what I have been guilty of in my past. They only keep coming up.
An article appearing on the Collective Evolution website by Milan Karmeli from mid-January offered information on the importance of understanding your dark side. The article writes that: “ In truth, much effort goes into repressing and hiding it from ourselves and others. It’s our dark side. The parts we are ashamed and afraid to show. But through denial, we fail to see that in the obscurity of darkness also lay our strengths.
For reasons originating in the past, we have decided to negate and hide this dark side without exploring it further. And so in return it keeps us distant from truly expressing ourselves.”
The article continues: “ In many ways, hiding our shadow can be considered the highest form of betrayal. By concealing this part of us, we are saying we don’t deserve to show our complete selves, thereby betraying ourselves. In return, secrecy, manipulation, and pretending take over large parts of our lives from fear of being ‘exposed’ and rejected for the part of ourself we are hiding.
our shadow can show itself as weakness or strength. Becoming aware of our complete self allows us an opportunity for expressing strength. Ignoring these qualities, however, will always produce a damaging result.
The more we repress these dark corners of our being, the more we face disorder in our personality. This can manifest as addiction, anxiety, intentionally failed relationships or jobs, or other behaviors that cause destruction to ourselves and others.
To become aware of our shadow is to shed light on our earliest wounds and to give ourselves a chance for healing and transformation. But as long as we choose to close our eyes to this, the wounds will continue to decay while emitting poison into our lives.”
Karmeli shares the journey of deepening one’s spirituality requires passing through the shadow. He writes: “ Solely focusing on finding our light keeps us away from places of shame, guilt, jealousy, greed, competition, lust and aggression. But it is these very emotions that must be worked through first before coming near our lighter sides.
As with all strong emotions, what we don’t want to look at always keeps us contracted and in rejection. Deep down we know these qualities and feelings reside in us, and hiding them leads us to a life of inauthenticity and sometimes incomprehensible self-destructive behavior.
If our shadow is not acknowledged and embraced, the depth of our spiritual and personal growth is limited. Denying to look at the darkness is rejecting ourselves the need to be received in totality by others.
There is a challenge, and it is a challenge that I am very much aware of in my own life. Karmeli writes that: “ The shadow should be met in a safe and loving environment. Otherwise, it is too afraid that its face will cause devastation and result in further isolation. When it’s safe we can start looking, seeing, and expressing what has been hidden from our awareness.
There are many unpolished diamonds of strength, creativity, and beauty, which we’ve kept limited so that others close don’t feel small, intimidated or scared. Speaking to our shadow is an immense step towards healing and self-love.
Initially, when we embark on this exciting and necessary journey, we may not be sure who we really are. But this is only because we are so used to our masks that expressing our true self is like meeting a familiar stranger. Soon new possibilities, choices and, perceptions appear.
Suddenly we can face the many question marks in our life from a place of strength and authenticity. We strengthen our capacity to be in this world more fully and completely.”
Another article supporting the healing of one’s shadow appeared on the Elephant Jouranl website in January by David Arenson. Arenson asks: Is there a root of our collective dysfunction as individuals and as a global society.
He offers that: “ It seems that in today’s world, selfishness, lust for power, hatred, violence and other unwanted dramas are still very much at play. The despair and separation seems to be reaching saturation point. It is an invitation to consider what historian Charles Beard said when asked what he had learnt from history, “when it is dark enough, you can see the stars.”
If now is the darkness before the dawn, what is the most powerful act we can do as individuals and as humanity to sweep away the conflicts of history? Where is the glimpse of light striving to shine forth?
There is never a time when peace can be resolved with hatred. If the past taught us anything, it is that conflict stimulates more conflict. So, too, forgiveness stimulates more forgiveness. We stand at a threshold of spiritual opportunity that can take us into the stratosphere of our radiance.
When we liberate ourselves, we automatically liberate others.”
He writes of radical forgiveness, stating that: “ Radical forgiveness is not sensible, rational, logical or “right;” it’s an invitation to open the heart to acting completely and unconditionally loving without a selfish motivation.
It’s not selfish, but we still get something out of it—essentially forgiveness is an act of self-love, offering a double gift by rewarding both the giver and the receiver. That’s why the choice to truly forgive is one of the most powerful ones we can make for ourselves and for humanity.
Practising radical forgiveness is allowing and accepting all that is happening in our world. It releases one to be present without trying to control others and the quality of our experience. Taking the “letting go” pill activates a deep surrendering. In this space of surrender, we glimpse a greater part of reality and who we are—that which is unconditional freedom.”
He also adds the following: “ The cosmic joke is that the very external world we judge so harshly, only reflects our internal world. What is seen in others is a projection that emanates from within. This mirror shows us who we are, it reveals exactly what is happening inside. There is no escaping from the self—one always suffers the consequences of what is occurring in one’s internal world. One who is able to accept and forgive himself (or herself) is also able to accept and forgive others.”
One example is the following. A Yahoo news story by Esther Crane on 03JUN about Hadley and Gentry Eddings, who chose to forgive the man implicated in the deaths of their two sons in a traffic accident. The article added that: “ From a spiritual or secular standpoint, grief experts say that forgiveness — the conscious act of releasing anger and vengeance toward someone who hurt you— is crucial when it comes to processing loss.”
There are different aspects of darkness that appear within us. That was merely one example. Hiding from our true potential because of fears or darkness in our past is another.
A pleasant Hallmark movie entitled ‘The Music In Me’, starring musical artist Debbie Gibson, touched me inside this past week, about denying who we are.
Links to all articles, the homepage for Radical Forgiveness and also the Hallmark movie, as long as it remains active, will appear in the show summary for the FINAL WORDS.
Create a fantastic week, until our next moment of ‘now’!
CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE - 13JAN Collective-Evolution.com : Why It’s Important To Understand Your Dark Side.
CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE - 03JUN Esther Crane, Yahoo News: Parents Forgive the Driver Who Killed Their Two Young Children. Could You Do the Same?.
CLICK TO VIEW ARTICLE - 11JAN David G Arenson, ElephantJournal.com : Practicing Radical Forgiveness.
CLICK TO VIEW WEBPAGE - Homepage for Radical Forgiveness.
CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO - YouTube Video: Debbie Gibson, ‘Promises’ - from the Hallmark movie ‘The Music In Me’.