Saturday, March 24, 2012

You are what you are waiting for!




We spend a lot of our lives looking for role models, mentors, teachers, and gurus to guide us on our path. There is nothing wrong with this and, in fact, finding the right person at the right time can really help. However, it is important to realise that in the absence of such a figure, we can very safely rely upon ourselves. 



We carry within us everything we need to know to make progress on our paths to self-realization. The outer world serves as a mirror. Or to use another metaphor, our inner world has a magnetic force that draws to us what we need to evolve to the next level. All we need to do to see that we already have everything we need is to let go of our belief that we need to seek in order to find. 

The path of the spirit is often defined as a journey with a goal such as the fabled pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. In this metaphor, a person begins a search for something they want but do not have and then they find it, and there is a happy ending. 



It is all within reach, just go for it. 
However, most of us know that getting what we want only makes us happy for a moment, and then the happiness passes until a new object of desire presents itself. Joy is a permanent aspect of our inner selves and is not separate from us at any point. We do not have to travel to find it or imagine that it resides only in the body of another. In fact, what the best teachers will do is point out that this very precious elixir is something we already possess. 

So when we find ourselves on our path, not knowing which way to turn and wishing for guidance, we can turn to ourselves. We may not know the right answer rationally or intellectually, but if we simply ask, let go, and wait patiently, an answer will come. The more we practice this and trust this process, the less we will look outside ourselves for teachers and guides for we will have successfully become our own.
 -- DailyOM



I believe I can fly





Monday, March 12, 2012

SOS: Asking for help is not a weakness.

Help! I am drowning. 
Asking for help is something that we all know and understand. Asking for help is admitting that we all co-exist to help, support, and even serve, each other. But how many people fail to ask for help while struggling because of fear of being judged? Or pride? Asking for help is not a weakness. It has everything to do with knowing that motho ke motho ka batho 
(I am ... because of others). 



I came across the below piece of information, relating to asking for help, on the site www.ivillage.com. I was even more attracted to it because of the picture (above) accompanying it. I found it quite catchy and really relevant. You need a helping hand when you can't reach, when you can't see a way forward, when you don't know how you are going to do it. That's when you need help the most.  
Studies show that getting encouragement and support from others is a powerful weapon for changing difficult behaviors. Ask your friends to provide encouragement and offer to do the same for them. 
Sharing your struggles with others can be a powerful motivator for change. That’s why groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Weight Watchers are so popular and successful. 
These groups can also provide information and advice. In addition, if you feel ashamed of your behavior, you may find it therapeutic to share your troubles with other women who are going through similar experiences.

 Go on, ask for help. And don't forget the magic word: please.