Rejoice, Dear Creator!
We are away, today, to attend the wedding of a friend. And, what a lovely fall day it is – clear and sunny, not a cloud in the sky.
My deeper journey into Integrity is beginning. I’ve started Martha Beck’s (Do-It-Yourself) DIY Integrity Cleanse Kit (digital)
In the introduction, Martha describes an interaction she had with Byron Katie, one of Martha’s influences and the creator of The Work™. In their conversation, Martha comes to the conclusion that she’s been using The Work™ and her own self-help strategies with the mission of convincing herself to just be okay and accepting of everyone else’s actions and expectations. She has, in fact, been living a life out of integrity – in order to avoid conflict, the need to speak up for herself, and anyone perceiving her negatively.
Well, shoot! It’s powerful for me, and heartening at the same time, when someone like Martha has this kind of revelation. I am encouraged to examine my own assumptions and choices, and how they align with My Integrity. I begin to see where I have tried to “self-help” my way to just accepting things, instead of facing my fears of conflict, disapproval, and disconnection.
As Martha explains in the introduction, she asked Katie how someone knows when to adjust to something, versus when it’s time to change it.
Katie explained that when you “know to do” something, and it’s in your integrity, then you do it.
So, this journey to Integrity, for me, is beginning with the mission to understand Katie’s directive of “knowing to do.” This is the practice of presence and stillness, listening to that still, small voice from my heart.
A Prompt for Today:
Dear One, what do you encounter when you consider the notion that you might be using mindfulness and acceptance as a defense strategy to avoid facing your greatest fears?
It can be tempting to just dismiss this idea – after all, look at how hard you’ve been working, how challenging it’s been, and how far you’ve come to get to this point!
Still, can you taste the avoidance? Isn’t there duplicity in trying to convince yourself to accept some things, when, deep down, you really don’t?
Are you still living out of alignment with your integrity, like me? It does not dishonor the work and effort we have made so far, when we identify work we still need to do, and aim our intention toward full integrity.
It is good work.
The Truth is the truth, and I’m grateful to see it. Onward, Dearest Loving Guides!
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