Work of the Soul

 If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself, if you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all  that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have  to give is that of your own self-transformation. ~Lao Tzu

The journey of self discovery is the most important journey you will ever make. By choosing to look within we offer a gift to self and others.  This journey takes courage and requires that we come to know and transform our thoughts and let go of many familiar and often outdated beliefs and perspectives. This process is often confusing, intense and not always smooth. Although there are breathtaking vistas on the path of transformation there are also pitfalls and dangerous detours.

Having a guide who knows the way and the terrain can help the inner traveler keep moving in a positive direction, speeding the work, and reducing the dangers. When a person can release and get free from their past they can live more fully and begin to align their inner spiritual life with your outer life.

When you learn to follow the inward call of your soul, you begin moving and acting from a more intuitive, inner-directed place.

By changing your perspectives you begin to change and your outer world changes as well. If you want to see your life dramatically change and get better it can, anything is possible when we commit to listening to the wisdom within and take responsibility for our own inner journey. When we take our life back and begin to claim responsibility for our own inner systems we significantly add to the healing of our larger systems. When we chose to face into and challenge our own limiting ideas, biases, judgments and perspectives we begin to see ourselves and others more clearly.  We begin to end that which separates and look towards the places where we are connected. The place where hope can live.

We all have such an impact on one another and our thoughts and emotions are energetic and they impact others. We offer everyone around us a gift by doing our own work.  What if everyone would choose to be kind, to be filled with peace and to clean up their own thoughts? We would create more peace. Peace comes from within, period.  If you want a more peaceful world become more peaceful. What you see around you is based on your beliefs, your judgments.  True perception does not create separation.

Transformation at the level of the individual is one of the most necessary social actions one can take at this time on the planet. If you put the intent out to live in a certain way you will begin to change but you have to trust and surrender to the not knowing, to the mystery. When the seeker is ready The Way, will appear.

                                                                                                                                                                ~Mary Elizabeth Hoffman