November 5: Day 128

STONE SIX CONTINUTED
 
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: Accept the experience.

We handle some experiences better than others. Once while sitting in rush hour traffic, I decided to just simply enjoy the time alone with my thoughts, and I tried to be patient and let things play out. It helped. Of course, it also helped that I didn’t have any place to be or anything pressing to do, but it was a rewarding experience for me and one I hope I learned from. Perhaps part of the problem is that we give more importance to things than we probably should, and we miss opportunities that come our way, because we’re focused on something we want to get to ten minutes from now or an hour from now. When stuck in a situation where we don’t have control over our time, what good does it do to let ourselves get stressed? As difficult as it may be, these are moments in which we can turn our focus inward and learn to listen to our inner guidance, asking for acceptance, clarity of mind, and a new direction in our thought pattern. Trying to force things to be different will usually only enhance our frustration and lack of peace. Living in the moment and looking for opportunities to react differently can help us grow stronger on our spiritual path.

If we are in a place that is uncomfortable, awkward, painful, or unpleasant in any way, we can connect with our Higher Self and ask why. If we don’t sense an answer to the question “why,” we can try a different question. One of my favorites is “what now?” Quite often a situation comes our way to help us learn something. These are not punitive experiences but opportunities to grow. By examining the experience and looking for the lessons, we can move beyond them, and we will probably not have to repeat the lesson. When we ignore the opportunity to learn from the experience, we may find that similar experiences present themselves on a regular basis, almost as if our energy is attracting them to us. There are other great questions we can ask besides “why me?” How about asking, “What is the lesson?” or “Is this my lesson or someone else’s?” or “Does someone need my help?” There are more questions that could be asked depending on the circumstances, but the place to start is to accept the experience and try to learn something from it.

Today, if you encounter a “why?” situation, take a moment to ask a different question. Perhaps you can think of a current situation in your life that is a source of anxiety or strife. Ask yourself, “Is there a lesson to be learned?” “Am I missing something?” “What would be a better way to handle this situation that doesn’t entail misery, pain, bitterness, or strife?”