by Ginger | Mar 1, 2020 | Blog
I recently finished watching the documentary Maiden, which tells the story of Tracy Edwards who skippered the first all-female yacht crew to race in the Whitbread Race Around the World in 1989. The race is long and grueling, taking many months to sail completely around the globe. Tracy formed the crew because she had a passion to race across the ocean and none of the male crews wanted a woman on board. They were young and relatively inexperienced, racing on a second-hand boat. Male members of the press took bets on whether they would even last out the first leg of the race. Others were patronizingly surprised the first time they won one of those legs.
Their path to the race was even longer than the race itself, and they ran into many obstacles finding an affordable boat, painstakingly restoring it themselves and spending 2 years canvassing hundreds of businesses to get the necessary sponsorships. But what comes through in their story is that they persevered and held alive their dream of racing no matter what. Closer and closer to the race date, things began to come together as funding finally came through and some final changes to the crew were made to create a solid, well-oiled team. They had built a momentum with their unwavering belief in themselves, and once it got traction, their support continued to grow.
Though they didn’t win the race, they did finish first in their size division for two legs of the journey and inspired thousands who rooted for them and acknowledged the enormity of what they accomplished against such odds and with so little initial support. Their successes had a huge impact for many women in sports to follow.
This story is a beautiful example of Divine Self Belief. When you know in your heart that it will be so for the highest good of all, then universal forces, or Source consciousness, are in alignment to support that vision beyond your wildest imagination. This kind of belief comes from within and takes us beyond our perceived limitations to create miracles. I have a mat inside my door that I can read as I walk out into the world and it reminds me that “all things are possible if you believe…” (quoted from a translation of Mark 9:23).
picture courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/sailboats-race-yachts-yacht-racing-1375064/
by Ginger | Feb 1, 2020 | Blog
I have been reflecting recently on the fullness and the miracle of the human experience and what it means to be an conscious spiritual being having a human experience. How do we hold that balance within ourselves of celebrating all the uniqueness and sensory aspects of human life while still maintaining our expanded perspective as one aspect of an entire universe? How do we heal our rejection of the parts of human life that we dislike or even fear and move deeper into understanding them and eventually to truly celebrating them?
I am guided to share this poem by the Sufi poet Rumi called “The Guest House”.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
Some momentary awareness comes
As an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
Who violently sweep your house
Empty of its furniture,
Still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
Meet them at the door laughing,
And invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
Because each has been sent
As a guide from beyond.
I have been focusing on making this my practice, to be grateful for whoever comes to the door and to invite them in wholeheartedly, even if I don’t think I know them. Because a stranger, or a strange experience, is simply a place where we haven’t recognized our Oneness, yet. Some day, they will all be my great companions in Unity once I know them for who they truly are- all aspects of the divine. Ask your Soul to help you see what kind of guest house you are being. Is there an area in your life where you feel comfortable throwing open the door? Are there still areas where you are hesitant or fearful of being that inviting guest house to new experiences? Ask to start clearing those limitations and begin to make a practice of welcoming those new visitors as dear friends because that is what they are.
Image courtesy of https://www.freeimages.com/photo/lacock-abbey-sun-streaming-thr-1555414
by Ginger | Dec 31, 2019 | Blog
As the calendar clicks over to another year, many are once again making a personal list for what they want to accomplish, experience, create. Crafting your vision is an essential step in manifesting, but it’s important not to get stuck in that phase, forever visualizing and not taking the steps. If you’re one of those who find themselves tripped up by taking your first steps toward creating something, consider a temporary shift in focus and just start doing it. Just take one step forward.
I’m not talking about letting go of your Soul’s vision completely and rushing into frantic action. I’m suggesting that you might re-evaluate your balance between the visioning stage and the action phase. The truth is that our vision, our divine plan, is fluid and is constantly shifting and re-adjusting as we shift and change. You may not be able to see the entire creation with everything in place from start to finish. The vision itself is created in the process of doing. So just do it.
Once you have your general vision from your Soul, ask for your action steps. Allow yourself to really embrace those action steps, free of fear that you don’t have all of the steps yet or that you might somehow “mess up” your creation. You won’t. Step forward with confidence and joy. We are still physical beings in a physical world and an integral part of our manifestations still involve physical aspects. The physical parts aren’t the sole aspects of our creations, but they’re still equally valuable parts as are the emotional, mental and spiritual components. Give each aspect the attention they’re due in order to keep that divine balance.
So, check with your Soul for your vision and go for it. Then, take a breath and check back in with your Soul to re-evaluate where you are and get your updated vision. In doing your action steps, you may very well have discovered more pieces to your vision or started identifying any blocks you need to heal in order to fully manifest it. Be okay with a stumble here or there while you expand your understanding of your Soul’s vision and get increasing clarity. The divine plan is a living, breathing unfolding of evolution, not some prophecy written on stone tablets. Spend the time you need in the stillness and silence, then allow yourself the time you need to get moving forward!
picture courtesy of Pixabay: https://pixabay.com/photos/beach-footsteps-sand-walking-woman-768642/
by Ginger | Dec 1, 2019 | Blog
The illusion is the false perception of ourselves as separate: separate within ourselves, separate from others, separate from God/Goddess/Source. Faith, Trust and Surrender are key resonances to coming back into Unity and Oneness.
Divine Faith is that deep inner knowingness free of the need for any validation or outer world proof of what you know. Divine Trust is the belief in your inner divine self. In Divine Surrender, we move beyond the limited ego-self perspective and step more fully into Oneness. Surrender is not giving up anything but becoming everything.
If I don’t have faith in what I can’t physically see and verify, if I can’t trust what I know within even if the outer world seems to reflect something different to me, then I am still in the illusion. If I can’t trust in my Soul as another aspect of my own consciousness rather than something outside myself with a separate agenda and power over me, then I am still creating from the lower self and I am still in the illusion. If I am unwilling to surrender my identity of separateness out of a need to maintain control, then I am holding on to the illusion.
These three energies have the potential to greatly uplift us into the remembrance of ourselves as fully expanded, multi-dimensional beings. When we truly know ourselves as All That Is and we function as Source, then possibilities for our creations truly are limitless. But this is not a pie-in-the-sky magic potion. We must be willing to do the work. We must be willing to identify the subconscious beliefs that are blocking us from remembering the truth of who we are. We must be willing to acknowledge where we are still in denial of ourselves as creators and still blaming someone or something outside ourselves for what we dislike or fear. We must have Faith in ourselves as divine beings, have Trust in our ability to fully manifest that divinity and Surrender to our greater Divine Will.
Today’s blog features excerpts from the recent class titled “Faith, Trust and Surrender: 3 Keys to Transcending the Illusion”, originally taught on November 16, 2019. For details on how to purchase the recording, contact ginger@iamstandinginthelight.com.
by Ginger | Nov 1, 2019 | Blog
We celebrate the many freedoms that we enjoy in this country: the freedom to pursue happiness, the freedom of speech, the freedom to vote, the freedom to protest. Today, I’m being guided to talk about the freedom to evolve, inspired by Barack Obama’s recent words about youth activism at the Obama Foundation Summit. He made some key points about our “call-out culture”, which is fostered by social media outlets, of posting criticism and judgment of someone deemed bad or wrong in their actions or opinions and then feeling self-justified for making a difference.
Mr. Obama suggested that there is more to social activism than just shouting down the other guy with whom you disagree. He reminded his audience that “the world is messy; there are ambiguities” and advised that simply being judgmental doesn’t equal activism. He also pointed out that it doesn’t solve much or create true change.
In order to do that, we need to dig deeper within ourselves. Why have we become so afraid to acknowledge that we are all works in progress? Why are we not allowing ourselves to be living, growing, changing beings? Why has it become so challenging to see the many shades of gray instead of needing everything to be either black or white, right or wrong?
Social media has a great potential to open us up to alternative perspectives. It is a great way to really understand another person’s experiences and see through their eyes. It can be the great equalizer and community builder, if we choose to use it that way. But we must make that conscious choice, rather than just joining in without deeper thought beyond what things may look like on the surface.
The world is messy, and we are multi-layered beings with many aspects. As Mr. Obama pointed out, “People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids, and share certain things with you.” We all deserve the freedom to evolve, to develop new understandings and change our viewpoints and choices accordingly. We deserve the right to gain wisdom through our experiences without being criticized for not having that wisdom 5 years ago. We are all divine children who haven’t yet graduated from this world experience, who are still expanding our consciousness.
None of us arrive on this planet having figured it all out. In fact, none of us will leave this planet having figured it all out because the universe is constantly expanding, and there is always something more to explore and learn. Let’s each dig deeper and call upon our humility and compassion within to allow ourselves the full, unconditional freedom to evolve.
picture courtesy of https://pixabay.com/photos/leaf-tree-young-seedling-oak-3369412/
