Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Befriending the Enemy



Get quiet and go within, whatever that means for you. You are among friends and family.

We share in the journey; we walk in similar shoes. We may seem very different from you. But we are also dealing with the stresses of life, just as you are. They may take a different shape, but they do their draining work upon us, just like they do to you. So, what secret stressor are you dealing with right now? What challenge faces you today, tomorrow, next week? Get a sense of that challenge, that stressor. Look it squarely in the face, just as it is.

I know… Some spiritual teachers suggest that we never look directly at the negative side of our life, just surround it with light and pretend everything is OK. But that is denial. And intuitively we know it’s denial. It is much better to see what faces us. And then, once we get a clear picture, we can begin to see a solution, an outcome that blesses all concerned.

So, as you remain in this gentle moment, see your challenge as it actually is. Feel the fear of it, if you need to. Acknowledge the anger, the desperation, the futility, the frustration. Don’t deny it. Knowing what faces you, standing up to it, will give you strength, clarity, courage, energy to do what must be done to resolve the issue.

And in this moment, you can take a powerful step, perhaps a first step, in taming whatever it is that seems to bind you or harass you. As you see the situation in your mind’s eye, begin to put a smile on your face, right now, physically. See the situation first as it is, and then see it playing itself out in the best and most beneficial way for all concerned.

It may seem so, but you are not facing this challenge in a vacuum. All of us face it with you. We support you. We have a vested interest in the outcome. Just as you do in our outcomes. There is no separation.

Here’s a wonderful secret to taming the beast that nags you: give it a personality, put a face to it, and call it by a meaningful name—to you. For instance, if you are dealing with a health issue such as cancer, see the cancer as a desperate, needy child, struggling to hold onto your tissues, afraid of dying, afraid to let go. Give it a frightened face. And then give it a name, such as Nell the Cell, or My Frightened Angel. Tell your challenge that you understand. You know that it really is trying to serve you in some way. Promise that you will remain open and available to all messages it sends to you, in any form. And you promise to take the necessary action it suggests. And it will, if you let it. Turn what seems to be an enemy into a friend. And see the frightened face turn into a smiling face.

Seem silly? Well, perhaps, but it helps to relieve a lot of the stress that accompanies your particular challenge when you no longer view it as the Enemy. Changing your mind about what stresses you, releasing the fear, the anger, the desperation, makes the challenge much less daunting and puts you back in the driver’s seat. And that is exactly where you belong.

By the way, when you have befriended your stressor, your challenge, thank that Inner Presence, Spirit, God for the gift, even if you haven’t discovered it yet. It’s there. It will show itself, once you make friends with your challenge.

Now, continue for a few moments in silent meditation.

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