Day 270 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - When it Gets Down to it...

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Lesson 270: When it Gets Down to it...

“When it gets down to it, all the philosophy in the world means nothing. What’s important is your own experience—what you believe. What you have learned, with your own heart.”

— Sara Wiseman

Today we are to think about what makes sense to you and what’s important. What have you learned and know to be true in your heart.

I have mentioned it before but I do live for experience now. I used to be controlled my an ex boyfriend and as I’ve been growing and learning in my spiritual path, I realised that I am also controlled by the systems society has in place. I’ve been told what my life should look like and how I should live it. I have done away with this… I live my life how I want to.

In my life I want to make sure that I have truly lived. I think it’s important to be both selfish and selfless. I think being selfish in the sense of self-care, self-preservation and self-love are important. Sometimes you just need to say no to someone in order to maintain your inner being. I also think it’s good to be selfless when someone is in need of your help. It doesn’t matter what others think as long as you think it’s right. I think we really need more compassion in order to be the best versions of ourselves. I have definitely benefited from this course because it has taught me just that.

I think as I go about my journey, I like to hear other people’s stories. I like to learn from their experience as well as my own. I like to know how people overcome their challenges as it helps me to learn. I like sharing my stories as it helps others to understand and learn. I think something that is important in the world is the exchange of knowledge. Knowledge is not only power but it is growth.

I think everyone needs to learn their own truth. I think everyone needs to ask themselves what is important in life but what’s important to them in living their best life. My truth isn’t the same as yours and it never should be. We all go about our own path in our own way and no one should tell us it’s right or wrong.

My only wish is that everyone doesn’t get so caught up in consumerism. I watched this short film the other day which really covered this happiness we chase which is force fed crap those in control hang over our heads.

I wish everyone could wake up to the world around them and want to believe and live in a better world. What would the world be like if we weren’t controlled?

Day 198 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - The Ability to Hold Your Own Thoughts...

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Lesson 198: The Ability to Hold Your Own Thoughts...

Do you have the ability to hold your own thoughts in amongst group thought? Can you maintain your high vibration even when group thought can lower it? Today is about going into a situation that you know holds low vibration and your job is to hold the highest vibration. Keep holding it for as long as you can.

I personally failed at this task today. I am really frustrated at work and I just could not rise above my anger and frustration. There is a bit of low morale and loss of direction. I genuinely find it hard to hold a higher vibration in this low space. I did however express concerns to a team mate who fully understood what I was feeling. I let out that I am finding it hard to really know my purpose when a lot of my work is duplication of other people’s work. I did feel better releasing this though. Just admitting that I’m not always strong was a relief. Finding the light in the situation is not easy. I am finding it difficult to really hold value in the workplace. I do my work but I don’t feel like I make an impact and I believe that’s what I’m struggling with.

What I will try and do from tomorrow is hold a higher vibration. I might not be able to hold it for long but I have to try. Even though it might be quite low at work, I should attempt to let it go in order to not let it eat at me. I will work on it.

Day 197 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - If You Do Not Feel...

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Lesson 197: If You Do Not Feel...

Today is about searching your mind. It’s okay to detach yourself from group thought as it might not be the right vibration for you. Everyone has a path, a journey, a learning, an experience and as you explore these parts of yourself, you may just find that the group collective thought is not your truth. Today is very much about recognising what it can be like to disconnect from group thought and what you are left with as a result from that disconnection. If you aren’t one to remove yourself from group thought, are you afraid to do so?

I think I have broken away from group thought mostly after a life changing volunteer trip in Thailand. Sometimes I am alone in thought, whilst others times when I have real conversations about life with strangers, I learn that sometimes my views are shared. I think it’s a self-evolution when you are aware that you break away from group thought. I don’t think we are to conform to a certain way and I think it’s fine if people do, but it’s exciting to know your own mind whilst also challenging it. I think as we gain wisdom and knowledge of the world, very much through experience, we alter our deep rooted group thoughts. I think it’s about being open to all walks of life that allows us to question group thought. I think it’s a gift to be able to have someone come up with a challenging perspective to your own, and you are willing to understand that viewpoint, not necessarily to agree, but allow it to be a consideration in your own opinions. I truly believe we can be the limit in our lives if we let it. We are the product of our environment so why limit ourselves if there is option to be open?

Day 196 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - From the Beginning...

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Lesson 196: From the Beginning...

We are taught with certain values from our family, friends, teachers and co-workers as we move through life. There is very much a group/cult thought based on our cultural values, societal values, family values and our immediate environments. We tend to navigate towards group thoughts based on our location also. Today we are to think about a time we existed outside group thought. It can be the smallest of changes that sparked a new thought for you but had profound effect.

When I travelled to Thailand last year to do volunteer work in a remote Elephant village, it changed my life. I grew up in Western society. I was very much saturated with having this notion that by having all the latest trend outfits, gadgets, make-up etc, that this showed my success. If you weren’t on trend then you don’t matter. All those advertisements or social media topics that infiltrate our minds are consistently overcoming our minds. I always had to have anything and everything – even if I didn’t use the items.

I was going through a depression and a real life changing spiritual awakening. I needed to do something for me and that’s when I decided to go travel by myself, which I had never done before, and just immerse and learn. I had never really volunteered either or travelled overseas to volunteer. It was the most eye-opening experience. I learned what real community is – that people were out there sharing and helping each other out in this village. People were grateful for all the small things they had – they didn’t have much and lived simple lives. I learned that in comparison to Western society, people were more peaceful in their setting. There were days when we had no water until 3pm and I was told that sometimes the water could go out all day, though the people would just adjust. I didn’t know if I was going to shower that day but I accepted it. I took time out to just feel nature and the energy of the elephants. The elephant is worshipped in Thailand and it was such a humbling experience. I took for granted all the things I had in my life when I compared it to these villagers.

What really changed my perspective on life was that I didn’t want to live in the way of Western society. I want a minimal life with spiritual enrichment. I don’t need everything that is force fed to us and I in no way want to fit into that type of world. I want the peaceful, caring world that doesn’t have the stress and pressure that Western society places on us. It’s the society we built that leads to depression, anxiety and stress. In this village, I didn’t feel any of that. It was so freeing and made me want to be a better person. This is how I broke away from a group thought. I didn’t need all these things marketers told me I needed to feel good about myself. It’s why I live differently now and I’m loving the life I create, on my terms.

What was something you did that broke away from a collective thought or belief?

Day 195 - A Year of Spiritual Awakening - When You Understand How Little is True...

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Lesson 195: When You Understand How Little is True...

There has been a lot of focus on truth. Everything we have been taught or what we’ve come to understand, might not actually be true. Our thoughts are real to us and we come to believe in our truth. If we approach our thoughts with detachment, it peels back that truth. Today, we are to think about what’s true and what’s not, but also if it’s important or not. We are to look at everything we have been taught or told, to see if it’s correct for you.

You can really open up a can of worms dissecting your truth. To give a bit of background about myself: I was born in Singapore, I moved to Perth Western Australia when I was young, I was raised a Catholic, I was taught by my parents that going to University would get you a good job, I should always respect my elders, I was taught that animals are dirty and okay to eat, and that as a woman success includes getting married and having children. Obviously, there were a lot of things taught in school, friends and family along the way, but on this quick assessment, that’s what came to mind straight away. Many of things I have listed, I don’t actually agree with anymore but they were my truth and reality.

I don’t believe in any Catholic idealisms. I struggled with this for some time during my teenage years as I educated myself in the world and realised it didn’t really resonate with me. I am happy for those that believe in the teachings of the religion and build a way of life on it, but it didn’t really speak to my soul, so I just kind of renounced it.

I was taught that you weren’t successful unless you go to college or university and go find yourself a good job. This is simply not true. I think sure there are professions that need qualifications but I never really knew what I wanted to do in life until now. A lot of my work experience has been on the job. I didn’t actually need an education to have built my career in telecommunications. So, getting an education doesn’t necessarily take you where you want to go. The business I want to start has me learning a skill but not by formal education.

I don’t believe you should only respect your elders. I think everyone should respect each other regardless of age. In my Asian culture, there is this whole belief that you should always respect your elders and that they are right. I just simply do not find this true anymore. I used to very much believe it but I’ve grown into a thinking that everyone should be equal.

When I was growing up, my mum wouldn’t let my brother have certain pets because animals were considered dirty. I believe there was some religious belief that animals couldn’t be brought into the home. I guess there was that notion that animals are less than us or are a food source. I used to not like animals and didn’t like touching them because I had this belief that they were dirty. I have done a complete 180 on this though as I am a vegetarian and love animals. I don’t even care if an animal is dirty, I will pat and hug it. I don’t think like I used to.

The other truth I used to believe is that women are successful by getting married and having children. Again, this is deep rooted in my Asian culture. Last year when visiting family, one of the family friends asked me when I was getting married, like that was my only purpose in life. There was no point in trying to educate this person that I can be happy in other ways of my life because they had a very much old school style of thinking. It is so deeply rooted that trying to explain just wouldn’t make sense to them. I mean, when I was younger I thought how nice if I could be married and have children. Now that I’m 34 this year, and I don’t have a partner nor do I have children, I can tell myself that it’s okay that I don’t have either of these things, and it doesn’t define me either. I tolerate these people with this type of thinking but I just don’t believe in that limited reality.

There are my truths that are no longer my truth anymore. I think the most important thing I do for myself is really look educate myself or learn about other ways of thinking to expand my truth.

Take a look at your truths and see how you’ve evolved from it, or even accepted it and continue to keep is as your truth.