You may have noticed that the tagline of my business, Live Life Spiritual Direction, is “Live the song of your soul”. I truly believe that when we are living authentically, we experience more joy, abundance, and freedom than we could otherwise. This requires a balance of the head and heart. In today’s modern society, the heart and intuition have been unfairly minimized. Our inner knowing (vs analytical review) is the key to being free and happy.
Living your life on your own terms is not selfish.
When we live authentically, we inspire others to do the same. Shine your light proudly. Be bold. Take risks. You are doing more for others by living your genuine desires than by holding back and letting others go first. Be the example and inspire! Marianne Williamson has the perfect quote for this.
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
― Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”
Hacking the Matrix
Living your truth is a way to “hack the matrix”, meaning that society has placed many norms on us that do not truly serve us. Have you heard the saying “don’t get too big for your britches”? Yeah, well, forget that. Go big with your joy and purpose. Go big with your goals. We have this life for a reason. It’s not to fit in. I promise you. Because we were told by our family, our culture, and our teachers that something is true does not make it so. The chains we feel holding us back are typically not real. They are imagined, and once you shine the light of truth on them, they disappear.
Know Thyself
My most recent romantic relationship ended in July. Through that ending (which is also a new beginning!), it became very clear to me that you cannot make positive changes for others. It must be for yourself. My former partner had agreed to make changes, but they were for me, not him, so it didn’t last. And I’ve been looking at my own behaviors, false beliefs and core wounds that surfaced during this relationship. I want to be in a successful partnership. So, I am exploring where I still need to heal. How is this living from a place of authenticity? To truly live a heart-centered life, we need to know ourselves. Our busy world often keeps us from looking inward. There is always something with which to distract ourselves – TV, reading, videos, social media, alcohol, and more.
To truly live the song of our souls, we must find time for internal reflection. And guess what! That is what the energy is calling for this month – inner contemplation, forgiving ourselves and others, and listening to our hearts.
You can explore what it means for you to live your truth through many spiritual practices.
Meditation allows the mind to quiet so that we can hear the call of our soul. If meditation sounds hard, start with one minute and work your way up. Find your “sweet spot” in meditation. I find that 20-30 minutes of silent meditation is my best zone. But I don’t have time for that every day. So, I do what I can. Sometimes, I listen to guided meditations. I mix it up to keep it fresh. Research shows that even 5 minutes of meditation daily has worthy benefits. I use the Insight Timer app daily and I love it!
Affirmative prayer is a form of prayer (also called a spiritual mind treatment in some circles) that is focused on a positive outcome rather than a negative situation. For instance, a person who is seeking a solution to a challenge would focus the prayer on the desired state of clarity and wisdom and affirm this desired intention “as if it already happened” rather than identifying the confusion and then asking God for help to eliminate it.
Gratitude is the cornerstone of joyful living. When we focus on what we do have rather than what we do not have, we cultivate greater joy and satisfaction in our lives and create an energy and opening for more good to come into our lives. Consciously appreciating the different aspects of our lives brings into focus what we want more of and gives us a signpost for the way there.
Forgiveness is freedom. Once we can forgive others, we can live more freely and vibrantly in our lives. Let go of past hurts, disappointments, and even trauma. It will help clear the stuck energy within you and allows your truth to emerge. Letting go is an act of self-love, opening us up to greater love and abundance in our lives.
Visioning takes us from indecision to inspiration, guided by our own intuition. If you are you wondering which way to go with your career, healthcare, relationship, or anything else in your life, tap into your intuitive power for the answers. Visioning was pioneered by Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith and has been a helpful tool in my own life. How do you do it? In a meditative state, simply ask yourself the following questions:
- What is the Highest Vision for (project, decision, individual, situation, etc.)?
- What must I/we become to empower the vision?
- What must be released?
- What must be embraced?
- Is there any other information that is needed in this moment?
Record your answers using your phone’s voice recorder or journal during or after your visioning journey.
Similar to Visioning, Journaling lets you tap into your subconscious actively. Pro tip: Get in a meditative space first and then begin to write. Allow Spirit, your Higher Self, your intuition (whatever you want to call It!) to speak to you. Here are some journaling prompts to help you discern if you are truly living the song of your soul. And, if you are not, how you might get there.
- What lights me up? When do I feel truly present, joyful, and/or fulfilled?
- What did I do as a child that I truly enjoyed?
- With whom do I feel truly seen and content?
- Am I making decisions balanced between my heart and my mind? If not, where is the imbalance?
- What is one thing I can do today to live more authentically?
And if you would like to dig deeper, truly excavate your longings and desires, and help bring them into reality, schedule a spiritual counseling session with me here. I would love to be your guide to living the song of your soul!