Have you experienced glimpses of your true identity emerging as shimmering discoveries? Perhaps these shimmering discoveries suddenly spring forth from somewhere deep within as you allow yourself to simply be present and still with the Holy One. You might sense a feeling of deja vu, familiarity or coming home.
"It is like coming home to a place I should never have left, to an awareness that was always there, but which I did not recognize." Thomas Keating, Open Mind, Open Heart
In my contemplative practices, as I allow myself to be open to divine action and formation within, I sometimes catch glimpses of my emerging and expanding self and story. Often these glimpses will call me forth into a new adventure which might require stepping into mystery and take courage. It is quite beautiful to take these faith steps leaning on and trusting the Spirit to be my companion and guide. These are spaces of flow, wonder, and grace where I feel fully alive and doors open along the way. However, more often than I would like to admit, I get stuck along the path and my mind ruminates on the what ifs and the voice telling me this journey is too risky. Rather than expand and grow I start to shrink and become stagnant. At times like these, and truthfully throughout my journey, it has helped to have a safe listening non-judgemental space to process my life story and receive encouragement and guidance from my spiritual director. My delight and calling as a spiritual director has been to provide a sacred sanctuary for my directees true stories to emerge. I listen for the divine story which is frequently hidden beneath the hardened soil of our life
path and help to tend that story.
"How are you tending to the emerging story of your life?" --Carol Hegedus and Frances Vaughan