Day 28 The Journey (My Sacred Life)

In Carla's Sacred Sunday post this week, she wrote of EGO as "edging God out" ... something I'd heard before, but forgotten. Coincidentally, the next Zen Card said:

"EGO
Those who say they know
do not know.
Those who SAY they do not know,
also don't know.
Therefore,
be quiet
and let your ACTIONS
speak for you.
They speak much louder
than your words
anyway."
--Daniel Levin--

Then the Daily Message from Renaissance Unity offered this quote:

“For thousands of years, the spiritual path has been shrouded in mystery. By demystifying your spirituality and taking practical steps in your growth, you will discover exciting ways to create measurable changes in your thoughts, attitudes and decisions. By utilizing Spiritual Power Tools, you will unveil the hidden knowledge contained within your soul.”
~Jane Hart

I carried these ideas with me as I moved through the day ... mindfully (before and after listening to Thich Nhat Hanh and posting about my ruminations at Small Reflections) ... and awareness of the amazing way things work settled upon me.

Returning to post here later, I drew two more Zen Cards ... and noticed a smile of recognition cover my face.

"FORGIVENESS
Forgive
yourself and everyone
around you.
When you judge others,
YOU
are the one who
feels pain.
Through forgiveness,
all pain disappears."
Daniel Leven

Exhaling here ... I remember discovering this truth first-hand while listening to Don Henley sing "It's about forgiveness, even if ... even if ... you don't love me any more" as I finally accepted the fact my marriage was over but life continued. Forgiveness was a gift I gave myself ... grudgingly ... yet blessedly.

FRIENDSHIP
To LOVE people
who love you
is easy.
Choose to be
everyone's friend,
whether they like you or not.
When you love
and ACCEPT others
as they are,
you will have friends everywhere.
Daniel Levin

Exhaling again (a habit I formed in those difficult years when I realized I lived life holding my breath all too often ... waiting perhaps for "the other shoe to drop" and wanting to be ready to run for cover) the most amazing lesson I learned was how to befriend MYSELF ... how to be as good to myself as I'd always been to others. Beyond that, I discovered that taking better care of myself allowed others to do likewise and everyone benefited. Who knew?

Simple ... though not necessarily easy.

I've read it's not about the destination. It's about the journey itself. I'm grateful to find others walking the path in front of me (opening doors & pointing the way), along side (companionship is comforting), and behind (offering hope and reassurance to those who follow). Many of my friends laugh and tell me I'd dig for a pony in a pile of dung, and maybe I would ... but even though I've been "there and back again" ... I'm convinced it's a wonderful world!
Blessed be ... and so it is.
Namaste