| Know Your Self | | | | peaceful, joyful and loving you can be in all sorts of |
| Have you been wondering who you are beyond the | | | | situations. |
| various roles you play in life? Would you like the inner | | | | 4. Take heart. It is often said that it takes great |
| peace that comes from knowing who you really are | | | | courage to see the face of God because first you |
| at depth? Would you like the spiritual assurance, loving | | | | must look at your own. You can't fudge the facts. You |
| and joy that arise from being at peace with your real | | | | can't hide from yourself. Often, you may feel nervous |
| Self? | | | | (or even terrified) to look inwardly because you have |
| Points for Reflection | | | | buried old pain and judgments within. Not knowing how |
| The following points for reflection can help get you | | | | to deal with issues when they occurred, you stuck |
| started or move you forward on your journey of | | | | them in a back corner of the closet of your |
| awakening to spiritual Self-awareness and inner peace. | | | | unconscious. You may have labeled that back corner, |
| 1. Your first relationship is with your Self. Maybe you | | | | "Do not open, Terrible Awful in here." |
| have been so busy exploring your world that you | | | | However, as you look at the Terrible Awfuls you will |
| forgot. Most of us do. But eventually some of us learn | | | | see if you need to do something to make amends, |
| the importance of discovering who we really are. It is | | | | forgive yourself, make wiser choices, or simply let |
| never too late to remember and to explore the | | | | those old experiences dissolve in the light of |
| relationship you have with your Self. | | | | unconditional loving and self-compassion. In my |
| 2. You are on your spiritual quest. If you have ever | | | | experience and that of many clients, being willing to |
| asked, "Who am I, really?" then in my opinion you have | | | | look at those Terrible Awfuls in a neutral, accepting |
| already begun your spiritual quest. You might want to | | | | way brings natural healing to the personal level, and |
| make your process of awakening to inner peace | | | | creates space for greater spiritual inner awareness. |
| more conscious and purposeful by finding an authentic | | | | 5. You can create space for inner peace. Step by |
| spiritual teacher or wayshower, or by choosing to use | | | | step, gently and gradually, you can release many of |
| everything in your life as an opportunity to learn and | | | | the hidden pockets of pain, negativity and judgment |
| grow. | | | | that get in the way of your clear awareness of your |
| 3. Knowing your Self is the task of a lifetime. The | | | | Self. As you experience your true Self, your spiritual |
| more you know your Self, the more you can accept, | | | | Self with its nature of loving, joy and peace, you can |
| love and trust yourself in ordinary life, and the more | | | | let that larger Self guide your continuing awakening. |