Loving our Shadows

I notice today how easy it is to love my beauty and how challenging to embrace my darkness. Sometimes I behave badly. I make choices that hurt myself and others and then the consequences of those choices leave me with myself, my character defects, my shadows and my darkness. I am grateful that I learn to share these dark places with others that love me and with a Higher Power. Humility is the great outcome of surrendering all of who we are and allowing ourselves to be loved when we feel we deserve it the least.

Learning to love the most hidden and shameful parts of ourselves requires great courage.

Wisdom of Mary Magdalene

“Yes, this is true. We are able to love you, to see you, to know you in ways you are unable to see and know yourself. This is the great gift that we offer and the gift that you resist most.

Learning to love yourself and the places hidden deep within, of which there is the most fear and shame, is the greatest challenge of the spiritual life. It requires great courage. It requires admitting those parts are there. It requires clearing off the cobwebs and digging them out of the cellar and attic and exposing those parts to light.

In the light, there is remembrance, there is pain, there is self-loathing and there is self-hatred. There are tightly wound memories of the painful loss, anger, fear and shame we carry within.

Coming to us means coming to light, and coming to light means peeling off the ways we have kept hidden. It requires loving a part of ourselves we have wanted to forget. It means honoring a part of ourselves we want to keep in the dark.

The courage, willingness and commitment you have to come to us will be rewarded. Bringing to light all the places of hidden pain and woundedness will reap great and lasting rewards.

Your courage will reap freedom. Your willingness will reap great compassion and your commitment to serve will bring healing to the masses.

We love you. Trust your darkness to our light.”

Honest Self-Reflection

There are many times when I want to blame someone else for what I am feeling, thinking or why I am behaving as I am. There are other times that I blame others for the circumstances in my life or for my dissatisfaction of the circumstances. While I do believe that I am responsible for my feelings, thoughts, behaviors and the circumstances in my life, it's still challenging to assume the level of responsibility for it all. For me, there is some payoff for looking outside myself for why it is as it is and something dysfunctionally comforting about believing that I am a victim to someone or something outside of me.

My honesty about this pattern is the beginning of transforming it and fully embracing the emotional and spiritual power that I have to create my life as I desire; without blame or criticism of anyone or anything else.

Next I must surrender myself to a spiritual practice and Higher Power that can assist in healing and changing me from the inside out. Awareness is the first step and surrender is the second.

Here is some writing from "Blessings From Mary" that support honest self-reflection and spiritual connection:

May 14^th

Honest self-reflection becomes the well from which Divine wisdom comes.

Wisdom of Mary Magdalene

“Each person’s journey is uniquely their journey. Connecting with a holy presence is the foundation of that journey and releasing all that gets in the way of this connection is the individual’s soul work to do.

Rigorous self-honesty and a determined will to serve and honor our Divine calling will fuel the journey of self-awareness and spiritual enlightenment. The easy part is receiving the holy blessings that come from Spirit and opening to its abundance. The challenge comes in honest self-reflection and the willingness to release what barriers remain internally.

This is the greatest challenge on the path, allowing complete healing and unleashing of the wounds, the poison and the remaining pus. This can be a painful process, but the clearing out creates space for the receiving of great mercy, wisdom and blessings. These blessings of wisdom give action to the passions inside waiting for full expression in life.

Come to us with your honest, open heart. Allow us to hold you during times of painful self-reflection as you allow for cleansing. We will fill you with Divine love.

This journey has many challenges along the way. You are not alone.”

Creating the Ceremony with Intention

June 15th

The power of your intention will attract synchronicity into your life. Wisdom of Mary Magdalene

The first step in the four step prayer and meditation practice from Blessings From Mary is CREATING THE CEREMONY WITH INTENTION. Our intention is more powerful than I think we often realize it is. When we sit down to do our prayer and meditation and begin with Creating the Ceremony with Intention, it alerts our mind and our spirits of something sacred happening. How we do this is up to us. Here are some suggestions for this initial step:

1) Find a place in your home or yard that you enjoy being. Be sure you are comfortable either on the floor or in a chair where you can relax.

2) Have candles, sage or incense to burn as part of the ceremony. You can also use items such as small totems, photos, rocks or special statues that hold significance for you as part of the sacred space.

3) Once you light the candle or sage or prepare the area, begin to breathe deeply and methodically. Connect with your breath and notice your thoughts, how easy or difficult it may be to focus. Allow yourself to be just where you are and enjoy the space.

Once you create this space for yourself, you will begin to feel the sacredness of it all over time. Our brains begin to experience this consistent time and rhythm as self nourishing and soon you will find yourself relaxing into the space.

Step 2 in the four step prayer and meditation practice will come easily. You will be surprised at what you discover. Stay turned for more information about Authentic Journaling® the next step in Creating a Unique Prayer and Meditation Practice for yourself.

Blessings and love to you on your journey,

Sally