What has your life trained you to be?
One of my teachers, author and priestess, Elaine Kalia Doughty,* posed this question on her private Facebook page last week. I was stunned by it. You see, I’d never quite asked myself this question before. I’d reflected on my Soul’s medicine, my life purpose, my initiations, but I never quite asked myself, What has my life trained me to be?
As I’ve pondered this question I saw that I could answer it by saying that my life has trained me,
to be vigilant
to keep my heart closed
to not reveal too much about myself
to not make people angry
to stay small
and
to play it safe.
In many ways, my life experiences passed on these burdens to me. Or said another way, my life could easily have trained me to be cautious, closed off, protective, and vigilant. But, even though I had those burdens and still feel them, now, at times. I also throughout my life heard the loving voice of my Soul, even if at the time I didn’t recognize, that it was my Soul’s voice I was hearing.
Because of my Soul’s guidance I have opened my heart. I have been transparent and vulnerable. I have definitely made people angry and I have taken many risks. I was scared as I followed my Soul, but I did it anyway.
So I see now that my life trained me to be courageous. To say yes to my Soul even when the inner voices told me it was too risky, and the outer voices tried to talk me out of hearing my truth.
My life trained me to be compassionate with myself, and hence, towards others as they struggle with their own burdens.
My life trained me to grieve. To witness my wounds, my trauma, my losses and not belittle them or dismiss them, but to lovingly witness them.
My life trained me to let go of what no longer serves me–old relationships, beliefs, outdated patterns. In other words, to let those things that needed to die…die.
My life trained me to accept what is, not with a sense of defeat but the wisdom of knowing that before change can happen acceptance must be there.
Of course, there are times when I forget all of this, and I am cautious, closed off, protective and vigilant. But that is not my truth.
What did my life train me to be? A healer? A medicine woman? A teacher? A priestess? All of those things? None of those things? I am still exploring this profound question. And maybe I always will be.
But I have been surprised, as I’ve done all this reflection, to discover that, despite all of the challenges I have faced, the disappointments, the pain, the loss, the ugliness that I’ve experienced, my life trained me to be hopeful. Not a “head in the clouds” type of hopeful, but a grounded hope that comes from a deep belief that love is really the most powerful force in the universe.
My life has trained me to know that.
Blessings and love,
Lisa
*Author of the wonderful book, The Sacred Call of the Ancient Priestess
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Follow- Up
First, create some sacred space. This can be as simple as imagining a circle of light around you, or you can play some beautiful music, light a candle, hold a crystal, or whatever feels sacred to you. Remember that your Soul wants to help you and will give you the guidance you are seeking. So trust that it will come at the right time, which may be now or at a later moment.
So lets begin.
Bring the palms of your hands over your heart center and take some nice cleansing breaths. Then ground yourself by visualizing beautiful Mother Earth underneath your feet. You can even imagine strong roots of light going down your legs and out the bottoms of your feet deep into the earth. Then say something like this:
Beautiful Soul,
Show me what has my life trained me to be?
What has my life trained me to be?
What has my life trained me to be?
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
Just listen and be open. And if your receive any guidance you might want to write it down in your journal. And if you did not, trust that the guidance will come to you at the right time and in the right way for you.
Blessings and love,
Lisa
Audio of Follow-Up