April 5: Day 95

STONE ONE CONTINUED
 
Assert: I assert that I am responsible for my own spiritual path.

Instruction: Do not give up your power.

Stone One is perhaps a simple statement that some might think too simplistic to bother putting into words, but the ways in which we give up our power can be subtle, and we are often unaware that we have given up our spiritual power in one way or another. When we allow someone to make spiritual decisions for us, we give up our power. When we decide to abide by a religious set of rules that don’t always resonate with our soul, we give up our power. When we overlook things that we sense to be wrong but can’t quite discern what is wrong about it, we, at least temporarily, give up our power. When we accept a religious authority without question, we give up our power. When we allow our emotions to overpower our thinking, we can give up our power. When we allow our mental abilities to override what our hearts are trying to tell us, we can give up our power.

This subtle, and sometimes not so subtle, release of our power is common. At times, it can also be useful. When our heads and hearts disagree, sometimes the best solution is to go along until we can determine what is bothering us. Once we have figured out why our heads and our hearts are in disagreement, we can make a better decision and take back our power again. If it is an issue that is not of grave concern, we can even decide that it is not worth our time. A word of caution is in order, however, because too many instances of overlooking what is right and best for us can steal away our abilities to discern the good, better, and best for our lives. Too many occurrences like this can steal our power and make us Stepford seekers following a person or path that might not be right for us. For years I went along with the teachings of the church I had been raised in. Questions and doubts were ignored. I relinquished my power until one day something drastic happened, and in time I started questioning once more.

Today’s Assignment is to take time to look at your religious experiences and consider if you, like me, have allowed your questions and doubts to go ignored for too long. Ask yourself if it is okay in your religious affiliation to disagree with their teachings. If it is not okay, can you remain comfortable with being at odds, or do you feel you have to conform?