the Wilderness WITHIN!

"Who looks inside, awakes." ~ Carl Jung

In this human experience we dance between "nowhere" and "now here". The unique expression of who we are includes both our vulnerabilities and our (w)holiness.  The awareness is that we participate in it ALL. That in its simplest form when we're not reaching for tomorrow or reliving the past; we. are. present to what IS showing up in our lives. When we are not judging between one extreme or the other we can allow radical acceptance versus expectation and simply embody what shows up moment to moment. 

I am certain that we can all find examples where we have embraced our (w)holiness and pushed away our vulnerability. What makes one different than the other? It could be circumstance. It could be our current emotional state. It could be our own opinion & judgement around the situation. We think one is a weakness and the other a show of our strength; when with awareness we realize we ebb and flow between what is needed;  tenderness, softness & approachability or directed, tough & determined. 

Life happens by choice and by chance.  We make decisions to accept a job, move away, go to school, take a vacation, learn art, care for another, etc. that have us feeling in control of the direction in our life.  Then there are decisions that seemingly get made for us; death, breakups, illness, surprises, pregnancy, unexpected opportunities, employment promotions or endings. The gap between "nowhere" and "now here" provides an invitation into the Wilderness.

The illusion is that when we make a choice and it goes according to plan that we are more in control and less is unknown.  Whereas, when life unfolds by chance; outside our conscious decision making the unknown can make us feel out-of-sorts and not in control. The truth is that both provide an invitation for reflection of our interior; the Wilderness WITHIN!  This life creates endings so as to make room for the beginning of something else in our life. It is the opportunity to assimilate and align life both inside and outside. 

In our society we aren't shown how to honor and enter the Wilderness.  Coping can include avoidance, distraction, numbing, addictions, etc. that distance us from the unknown Mystery working within us.  This is precisely FAITH!  We must see unmet needs as invitations into the Wilderness. It is important to honor the call and enter the Wilderness WITHIN. 

There are others who cling to their vulnerabilities because it defines them; it provides a story that they can tell about themselves (or others) over and over and over again. They get stuck within the story and neglect the invitation to transform, move through, and find their (w)holiness on the other side. 

When we limit our expression, we limit our Light!

The beautiful opportunity here is honor our vulnerabilities as an invitation to enter and move through our Wilderness WITHIN!