Resilience

November 1, 2023

By becoming conscious of the Divine, we manifest our higher self. Through our higher self’s qualities, we adapt to adverse circumstances that our egos alone could never do. So, instead of disintegrating into blaming others, crumpling under the Inner Critic, panicking, losing hope or going into despair, we pull from a treasure chest of spiritual capacities. These soul qualities, sometimes referred to as essential aspects, have been within us all along but are activated through our connection with the Divine.

Just think of a time when a profoundly traumatic situation incapacitated you. You likely felt cut off at the legs and didn’t know how you would carry on emotionally, physically or mentally. These “do or die” situations demand something we do not have. It may be courage, knowledge or the ability to hope. It may be deep peace, compassion or determination. It may be the ability to create new ideas or love someone when you do not have it.

These difficult times are when the lower self rears its head. It becomes attractive to the lower self to lash out or withdraw. Blaming others or seeking revenge seems the way to go. To become helpless and detach from reality is another way to approach these dilemmas.

I remember one of the first times I believed I did not have what it took. I was nineteen and, in sheer desperation, dropped to my knees. I was about to be drafted into a war I did not believe in. Caught between patriotism, the approval of others and my inner ideals, I was petrified that I didn’t have what the situation took.

Looking at the news, I saw the hundreds of body bags arriving daily from Saigon at US airports. It was clear this war was a losing proposition for everyone. However, I was still in college, and my fear of being one of those dead bodies traumatized and impaired me each day. I also felt guilty. I thought, “Why should I stay alive when these men and women, just like me, sacrificed their lives for our country?”

By dropping to my knees, I called on the higher power. Little did I know that this power would reveal to me that I am loved whichever path I took. I relaxed into the present and insights from my depths guided me through the tough months. Also, I received something that helped me to live each day without fear. It was courage. Courage and resilience are interwoven.

As circumstances unfolded, I was not called for military service. But this experience taught me that our higher self manifests when connected to the Divine. God does miraculously make us conscious of our soul qualities that have been there all along.

Inquiry: What soul qualities do you wish for? Do you think you may already have them?

Dear God,

I am truly thankful for the experience of, in my terror, coming nearer to you. Amen.

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