As published in the March 2013 issue of Soulwoman eMagazine, which can be found at:
It’s easy to talk
about the positive aspects and outcomes of transformation. It’s easy to look at the before and after
pictures of our lives and recap for others what steps we took to get from point
A to point B. What is difficult to understand,
especially while it’s happening in our own lives, is that although deeply
gratifying, the path to transformation can be a long and arduous one. Transforming,
which, by definition means changing form, is painful and it’s easy to become
lost, lonely, and afraid along the way.
Whether you have
chosen to take on a life altering transformation, experienced some catalyst
that has landed you in the midst of it, or you are being led to contemplate the
journey, my biggest advice is to tune into your heart. Turn off the noise and fear being generated
in your mind by the ego and close your eyes.
Focus regularly on your breath and on the peace and silence that lies within
your heart. The capacity of the heart far
outweighs that of the ego. You hold in your
heart all the courage you need to move your life forward and listen to the quiet
rumblings of your spirit. Once you have
awakened to the voice of your spirit, you will develop a natural desire to grow
and expand. You will begin to realize
how unfulfilled you have become by the control, power, and material possessions
that define our Western society’s idea of success. Begin to answer the callings of the spirit by
paying attention to the things and people in your life who allow you to be
creative, vulnerable, compassionate, and embody the true essence of your being. With this new perspective, acknowledge and
accept the emotional attachments you hold to people and things in your past that
you are ready to release and welcome new, more gratifying relationships and
experiences into your future.
With the realization
that what you have in the present isn’t enough, comes the fun part of
brainstorming and playing with ideas about what you do want in your life and where
and how you want to do it. Think
Big. Maybe you’re being called to move to
a new city, try a new career, or kindle the flame of an artistic talent. Maybe it means calling in a new system of
spiritual support, developing deeper friendships, or pursuing a relationship
with someone who sees and respects the authentic person you are becoming. This fun and crucial part of the
transformation process is about creating this ever-evolving vision that will
become the reward for your efforts. Transformation
is about bringing change and renewal to your entire being and way of life and
purposefully molding it into something more beautiful, fulfilling and honest. This new vision for your life will be your
constant motivation. If you become uninspired
by your vision at any point along the way, it’s okay, even important, to evolve
that vision in to something even bigger, better, and more beautiful.
Now, from the
safety of your caterpillar body, you can see in your mind’s vision the
beautiful butterfly you were meant to become.
You see the potential that lies inside of you and are ready for the
season of transformation it will take to get there. You begin to build up the bravery and energy
it will take to fuel this evolution and there is no denying the amount of
dedicated work, effort, and courage it will take.
This is when the
real work begins. Throughout the course
of your life, you put down roots with every decision you make, with every
relationship you engage in, and with every task you take on. Transformation requires the laborious work of
digging up these roots and making sure they are replanted in a way and in a
place you really want to live. During
the process of uprooting, you will be severing ties that no longer serve
you. It will be difficult and emotional,
but from it, you will gain freedom from a life that is suffocating your soul. During your transformation, you are growing
in your capacity for love and acceptance.
You are welcoming the adventure of new and exciting prospects that you
have created room for and which will shape the beautiful being you are
becoming. Fortunately, along the way you
will begin to build the muscles for this work and it will become easier to see
clearly what you want to draw into your life.
With small successes, you will become even more motivated to find
happiness and fulfillment. Though you
will still experience highs and lows, anxiety and fear, eventually you will become
lighter and less attached to the previous state. It will become easier to make new kinds of
decisions, take new kinds of risks, and give yourself more time to gain new perspective
through travel, conversation, and ideas.
At some point, you
will come to the realization that the things you’ve drawn into your life are
things you can’t believe you ever lived without. You’ll realize that in the past you were
coasting along, just getting by in a world where existence was meant to be so
much more.
So during your
season of transformation, when you are feeling lonely and confused or like a
ship lost at sea, it’s important to dig deep and keep working to get yourself
to the other shore. There is no going
back for there is no room in your previous existence for the expanded, enlightened
being you have become. When you are feeling
anxious and afraid, tune into the heart’s peace and listen for the wisdom you
need to continue along this new path. Take time to reflect on how far you’ve come; from
the old cave of despair and angst to an outlook of passion, excitement, and
clarity at the future you are creating.
