The Power to Change
To exist is
to change, to change is to mature, to mature is to go on
creating oneself endlessly. --Henri Bergson
In the eyes of Spirit, each of us has the unlimited
capacity to change, grow and express our brilliance.
Spirit reminds us that if we keep doing things the way
we’ve always done them, we’ll continue receiving the
results we’ve always gotten. But by surrendering our
thoughts, perceptions and patterns to a power greater
than us, we enlist the assistance to redesign our lives
and manifest a new reality.
Hanukkah, Christmas and New Year’s are a wonderful
time to contemplate what we most need to change in our
lives. It’s a season to imagine infinite
possibilities, to stretch our imagination beyond what we’ve
known, to reach beyond our comfort zones. The power of
change always reminds me of the familiar Christmas story
of "Scrooge." The story line is a wonderful
example of how a man is motivated to change by seeing
his past, present and future. In the past, he is shown
how he once was; innocent, childlike and with an open
heart. His present life demonstrates what he has become;
rigid, materially oriented and closed hearted. His
future reveals the most frightening experience of all…what
he will become if he does not change. Scrooge has
lost touch with the love inside himself and it is not
until he is brutally honest with himself that he is
willing to change and be the person he was born to be.
People do change. Isn’t that a relief? I
remember one of the coldest and depressing things I ever
heard was from a former boss who firmly believed,
"People do not change." Well, if that we’re
true, then we would all be in trouble. Seasons change,
our bodies change, and we can change if we choose to do
so. Mary Manin Morrissey once stated, "If you're
traveling down life's highway and take a 10-degree turn,
there's not much change. But if you keep moving steadily
in the new direction, by the time a month or year has
passed, you will find yourself in a completely different
place from where you began."
Change begins with self-honesty and being willing to
surrender. And the true power of lasting change begins
with the feminine. For within the feminine aspect of us
all, exists the space where we consciously open,
surrender and receive. The yin, being the feminine
attitude, represents the forces of openness and
receptivity. In Christianity, Mary symbolizes the divine
feminine within us; she opens herself, surrenders and is
impregnated by the masculine forces of Love. When we
open ourselves to higher guidance and express the love
inherent within us, we cannot help but change for the
better.
What are you ready to change? You don’t need to
know how to change; you only need to be willing. A
Course in Miracles reminds us, "You can stretch
your hand and reach to Heaven." We are not healed
alone nor do we change on our own. In fact, it is
arrogant to think that we do. Rather, we need only be
willing to admit what is not working in our lives and
surrender to Spirit our attachment to outcome. The rest
will be taken care of. If you have doubt that you can
change, look back over your life and see how far you’ve
come. You’re not the same person you were ten years
ago, one year ago or even one month ago, for that
matter. And neither is anyone else.
"Charity," as a holy concept, means being
willing to see someone more evolved then they currently
appear. Or, in other words, it means being willing to
see the light and love in someone even when they are not
expressing it. Charity means having faith. Charity
requires having trust. For if you are willing to let go
of what you’ve known, of what has been
"comfortable," your limiting patterns will be
released and transformed for your higher good.
So, go ahead and imagine how you would like your life
to be. Dare to think big, really big. And finally,
remind yourself that you can handle anything when you
take it one step at a time….
© Copyright 2002
Laura Grace. All Rights Reserved.
Laura's Books:
Read Laura's Past Columns:
November
2002 Column - "Peace Begins at Home"
October 2002
Column - "Spiraling to Higher Ground"
September 2002 Column - "Cradled in Nature's
Arms"
August 2002 Column - "Recovering
Your Soul"
Laura Grace is Co-founder of Infinite Wisdom, an organization dedicated to the highest human capacity, and a national author and speaker. As a regular contributor for publications across the U.S. and Canada, Laura writes about human awareness and spiritual growth. Laura is the author of the widely acclaimed books The Intimate Soul and Gifts of the Soul, and the creator and teacher of various programs including the Self-Mastery Program, The Art of Compassionate Forgiveness, Wonderful Women: Reclaiming Our Power, Passion and Purpose, and Cultivating the Intimate Life. Please visit Laura's web site at:
www.LauraGrace.net.
As a spiritual counselor, Laura provides assistance in person and by phone. You may contact her for a free brochure at:
laura@laurahyde.com.
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