May 11: Day 131

STONE SIX CONTINUED
 
Be: Letting go of past hurts, disappointments, and abuses and letting go of future plans and expectations, I resolve to live in the present moment and simply be. Be present; be open; be available; be with Higher Self.

Instruction: Available to self.

When we suggest that we need to be available, we aren’t suggesting that we be available to every need that comes our way, especially if those needs are presented to us by individuals who would take advantage of us and make us a slave to their whims and desires. We read yesterday about being available to help a motorist in need, but balance in life says that we aren’t responsible for the needs of every motorist. Knowing when to help (placing the needs of others ahead of our needs) and when not to help (placing our needs ahead of another) is something that comes with discernment garnered through the practice of listening to instinct, common sense, and the voice of The Divine. Sometimes we simply know that we should stop, because we feel a sense of urgency. At other times, we sense the opposite action is the one we should take. At other times, we are left in limbo. Any decision we make is not necessarily right or wrong, moral or immoral. It simply is a matter of being present in the moment to sense the guidance of our Higher Power and our inner knowing.

Another caution we would give is to be certain that when we choose to become available in the present moment that we distinguish between being available to our higher self versus being available to the demands and wishes of our egos. Overcoming our egos is a problematic situation. On one hand, the ego must serve some purpose or we would not have one. On the other hand, the ego seems to be selfish and in opposition to our highest nature and calling. By seeing others as our equals and determining to treat all men and women the way we would want to be treated, we find that our egos have less power over us to make poor spiritual decisions. In time, we can find the positive ego and learn to listen to it and ignore the negative ego that is self-serving, because that ego would tell us we are the most important person in the universe and whatever we want we are entitled to. That ego will run us around in circles, enslaving us to every whim that comes our way in order to prove that we can’t please others, so we might as well please ourselves and forget about everyone else.

Today’s Assignment is to consider the positive and negative uses of the ego. Many people, and I think perhaps a lot of women in particular, have had their ego squashed by religion to the point that they don’t think they are entitled to anything. They need to know that they are just as worthy as anyone else, that they are divinely created just like everyone else, and that they are entitled to live a happy, meaningful, and satisfying life — just like everyone else.