Ideas For Soul Growth In 2009
(A Collage of Images That Were Taken in 2008)
I started the new year in 2009 in contemplation: How would I choose to live it? What are my plans? Do I even bother with precise calculations for goal setting, since 2008 turned out to be pretty unexpected? A review of my experiences in 2008 is in order.
A Review of Year 2008
While I worked hard last year, I also decided to slow down. I realized that the world did not collapse when I took my many breaks to reflect, meditate and renew myself. Instead, the hours spent in solitary helped me gain much wisdom and insight. I learned that the dial-up to divinity did not lie in a book or a seminar, but came from within. Knowledge arose via experiential learning.
I noted how it was with me that I would previously rush through life in the hope of making a living but never really lived. For many years, I was seldom in the “present moment” but placed much of my happiness in the happening of future events. When they did not happen according to my precise calculations, I was thrown into doubt, melodrama and worry. Then, last year, I committed to building more awareness. I took time to observe the subtle changes of the wind, listen to the rustle of the leaves, catch a busy bee at work and note my breath in stillness.
Success took on a new meaning for me. It became less about how much I make from my online business but the lives I have helped through my site. I was encouraged by the warm support of readers who wrote to me about how my posts have helped them in their time of need.
Throughout 2008, I redirected my efforts from more profitable ventures to this site. I remembered being criticized for the lack of a solid plan, when I first announced my change in focus to some friends in January 08. Nonetheless, I proceeded in spite of what they said. I thought that for once, I would do things differently by following my intuition and not having all logical answers.
Success also took on extra meaning for me. Success was also about building deep connections with people half-way across the world. It was an amazing experience. Without social media, I would not have known there is a world out there, comprising of people who share similar thoughts, likes and values. And that other than talking shop about shopping, kids and make-up, it was very possible to connect with those who were open to discussing on past lives, out-of-body experiences and lucid dreams. I realized that I was not alone in taking a path that would not be considered conventional.
My guides provided me with opportunity after opportunity for life lessons. I chose to feed my ego with less anger, judgement and self-centeredness. In the process, I observed the peeling off in some of my darkest emotions layer-by-layer, lifetime-by-lifetime.
The World Around Now
The New Year started with gloomy forecasts of the world economy. There is much talk about tightening belts. Hardships are being predicted as companies report declining sales and jobs are being cut. Millions of dollars are at risk of being wiped out from the stock markets if the predictions come true. If there is one thing that is plaguing the world, it would be the word “worry”.
Perhaps it will be a good idea to take stock of our situation, lest we get too carried away with feeling depressed. It is funny how we now enjoy greater improvements in living standards in this day and age and yet feel poor. We cry woe to the rising food prices and forget that there have been good years when we stuffed ourselves in countless buffets. We live in bigger houses or apartments but have fewer children to fill its rooms. We have greater conveniences, supposedly to allow us more time to do what is more important and yet we choose to enjoy little time for our families. We have more buildings dedicated to organized religions but our fat egos have not lost weight.
We have no problems connecting with a stranger on Facebook but face difficulties saying hello to our next door neighbor who takes the same lift. It is easier to acquire a new relationship than to work on an existing one. Divorces are on the rise and commitment on the fall.
Truth is measured by lab tests and statistical data, and seldom by our own experiential learning. We choose to place our faiths in overall consensus rather than personal observations. If we cannot see it, we have no trust that it exists.
We stand by our PCs, handphones and handheld Nintendo games but have no time to study the relationships between the winds, trees, birds and boundless nature.
Years to life we have added but not life to years. We prize Botoxed-appearances over the etched lines of wisdom. We are more educated but not necessarily wiser. Medicine is more advanced but has well-being improved at the same rate?
On the other hand, I also detect hope. A growing level of consciousness is sweeping Earth. It recognizes how our world is ailing and how starved it is of love, peace, light and hope in the illusion of separateness. The aim in the messages is clear: to raise collective awareness that we are truly One, and in so doing, re-connect us back to the true essence of Love and Divinity.
7 Action Intention Ideas for Soul Growth
Many would have set New Year Resolutions for exercising twice a week, hitting sales goals by 150% or to cutting down expenses by 20% by now. My question is that these aside, how about setting an intention for greater soul and spirit growth in 2009? Jenny Mannion wrote about setting intentions and not New Year Resolutions. In the context of soul and spirit growth, I’d prefer to adopt the same approach.
For myself, I set an overall one in continuing where I have left off last year. I have no doubt that I will continue to encounter many choices but I am also asking my guides to help light up the path that is in greatest alignment to my highest path and purpose. I have every intention to know experientially my Divine Self.
Additionally, I set some specific action ideas to guide me in my overall spiritual journey:
1. Spend quiet time in meditation everyday.
2. Repeat “cancel cancel cancel” every time I find myself criticizing or judging others.
3. Dial up to heaven with a gratitude prayer every night.
4. Say my daily affirmations twice-a-day.
5. Commit to inner emotional work every once a week for half an hour.
6. Reconnect with nature by spending time in the park and watching less violent movies.
7.Practice more compassion for the people around. A note to myself is that it is easy to forget that sometimes our closest ones are those who need our love and kindness most.
I am pleased to report that I’m off to a great start so far 🙂
Make An Intention for Spiritual Growth This Year
If you have not made any plans for soul or spiritual growth, it will be a good idea to choose one particular way or theme. Reflect on what the biggest stumbling block to greater happiness that you faced last year and pick it as a subject to work on. Actionable ideas include to judge less, set aside ego, seek inner wealth, spread more love, slow down, show more kindness, place others before self, self before others, etc. I encourage you to set an intention not just for the conquering of your outer world but also your inner realm! In fact, the secret lies very much in the conquering of your inner world first, for the manifestation of your outer reality.
Any thoughts on my post? Do share at least one intention or plan that you have for soul or spirit growth for the year 2009.
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