We live in a very appearance-oriented, externally focused world; consequently, it makes sense that most of us place a lot of value on how our lives look, sometimes to the detriment of noticing how our lives really feel. It’s easy to get caught up in examining our actions instead of really deeply examining ourselves. This can be deceiving because while our actions may be very spiritual, we meditate, take care of ourselves and others, yet, we may not be delving into the issues below the surface. It’s as if we’ve washed and polished our car without taking the time to check under the hood. We may appear to be in great shape, but if we aren’t engaging in the deep, inner work of self-examination, the chances are good that we are not deeply aware of the real substance of our lives. When we get too caught up in what we are doing and lose track of our core, we sometimes begin to feel dissociated, as if we are not grounded and fully awake. This is a sure sign that it’s time to engage in the hard work of heart work, going deep within to rediscover the foundation of our lives. Without the substance that comes from looking deeply at ourselves, and working through the difficult things we find, our spiritual lives can begin to feel hollow or shallow, as if there’s nothing at the center holding it all together. The peace that comes with meditation and spiritual practice is an essential part of our development, but it serves us best in conjunction with the less settling, more difficult work of probing below the surface to see what needs to be healed or released. Then our actions are more than just an attempt to keep everything looking nice and pretty, because the energy of a life in transformation becomes expressions of courage and faith.
Moreover, our own inner work inspires those around us.
Heart to Heart,
Rev. Addae