Shine Your Light – Page 11

“All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”~Francis of Assisi

All too often we choose to explore the darkness instead of the light.

Perhaps you just read that and said ‘oh no, not me’ and if that’s truly the case I applaud you because I do it all the time…. maybe it’s just me?

Here’s what I mean by exploring the darkness; Those times when you blame someone else without forgiving. Those times you ask why me? Those times you decide someone is doing something to you and you try to push them out.

Those times someone triggers you and instead of considering it a gift of healing and releasing the energy from your space, you punish them. Those times you decide to label the dark side of you as who you are i.e. looking inward to see why you’re depressed, anxious, fearful, invalidated.

If at any point you have”tried” to let go or been stuck in darkness, blaming others or punishing yourself you are exploring the darkness. When we focus on the darkness and continually ask “why” we are in effort and resistance. Each and every time we ask “why” we are looking at darkness straight on.

When was the last time you explored your light? You know, all those areas you are validated, certain, joyful and magnificent? We seem to spend more time looking at what’s wrong with us and the world than what’s right!

I was recently at dinner with 5 amazing women. It was suggested we go around the table and state out loud why each of us is a phenomenal woman. This suggestion prompted a reading of Maya Angelou’s Phenomenal Woman before we started going around the table.

What I found most interesting was how difficult it was (for all of us) to state out loud what makes us phenomenal BUT I’ll bet you a dime for dollar each of us could tell you what we feel is ‘wrong’ with us without hesitation. Yes, we are all eager, and oddly comfortable, exploring, and talking about, our darkness.

For whatever reason, we humans find comfort in constantly trying to figure out what’s wrong with us instead of looking at what’s right! Why are we so afraid of exposing our own light? Is it some great mystery (we think) lies in the darkness instead?

It’s interesting to note that at some point choosing to explore the darkness changes from choice to becoming a habit; AND because we’re so busy exploring the dark, we are no longer AWARE. We are bumping into walls, wandering down dark corridors and wondering why we can’t see.

We can’t see because we’re fumbling around in the dark trying to force the light in. You see where I’m going with this? Instead of feeling around in the dark constantly talking about the darkness whether it be within you or outside of you, turn on the light! Ignite the match. Light the torch!

The moment we light our torch to see the (limiting) cave we’re in, we are no longer in darkness. The light grows and even if it casts shadows, we can still see! We only need to shine a little teeny light to begin to begin our exploration. Most of the time, we’re just afraid of what we’ll find in the dark yet we seem not to consider the BEAUTY and grandeur we might discover in the light.

The way I see it, once we choose to see (yes it is a choice) and we begin exploring and validating our light, it grows. Exploring the light is about you “becoming” all you are by seeing and accepting who you are. Right now, state out loud one thing that makes you amazing, phenomenal, magnificent.

See how you feel as you are saying it then state out loud a second thing then a third and a fourth. Accept your light and allow it to grow. Take time to explore and validate your light each day. Allow the darkness to fall away and take notice of the light in others. This is how you transform and create change in yourself and in the world!

Consider the possibility it is not the dark but the light you are afraid of. Decide to explore the light. Your light. See yourself as the phenomenal, divine and infinite soul that you are. See it. Embrace it. Own it. Change the world~Shine Your Light Debbie

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Debra is a gifted Clairvoyant Reader, Energy Healer, Author, and Intuitive Business Consultant providing insight and guidance to clients around the world. In addition to her clairvoyant readings, business consulting and healing work Debra also offers one to one personal empowerment sessions and leads meditation workshops to help people heal and awaken to their own truth and spiritual gifts.

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”~Philip Pullman

Who doesn’t love a good story? We all have stories. Good stories, bad stories, sad stories, joyful stories and unfinished stories that are still unfolding.

We all have stories BUT are you so attached to your story that you cling to it with reckless abandon? Do you cling so tightly and identify so strongly with your story that you cease to move past it to recognize who you are outside of that story? When we are attached to our story, we have decided that’s who we are but here’s the thing, if that’s what we decide then that’s where we’ll stay.

Attachment can be based on many things but many times you’ll find an underlying pain picture. How many times have we internally told ourselves this story? How many times have we told the story to others and how many times do we embellish and change the story?

I recently took a story telling class to open up a new, vulnerable space and find more of my voice. There are many levels to story telling and I’m not going to go into all of them but I do want to talk about what happens when we are attached to our stories.

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.”~Gilda Radner

As I develop a story for the stage it fascinates me how I sometimes find myself attached to a word or a part of the story that feels important but really isn’t. What I get stuck on generally is a random detail that 1. I’ve placed more importance on the detail than the full story 2. generally makes the story longer than it needs to be 3. is something I’m afraid to say or think I shouldn’t say.

There’s also the part where, for whatever reason, I associate the images in my head with telling the truth in great detail in efforts to be understood. Regardless of the reason, the moment I become attached to a word or random detail I’m no longer telling the full story. I notice my energy is stuck in the tiniest of details trying to “fix” or “figure out” what to say and how to continue the story.

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who drones on and on and you’re not quite sure where they are going with the story? For sure I’m guilty of telling a story in such detail it drones on and on! I think we’ve all done this at one time or another and there’s actually a good reason. We, they, us ALL want to be understood!

What I have discovered in this early stage of story crafting (I have so much to learn!) is that I’m experiencing all those places where my energy is stuck in the past! Digging deep to tell our story on stage or even to a friend means we run the risk of being invalidated or judged.

If we are, as U2 eloquently puts it, stuck in a moment and can’t get out of it, a part of our energy is in the past securely attached to that story. If we are attached to a story we run the risk of identifying with and becoming that story instead of being who we are. We are stuck in the past.

YOU ARE NOT YOUR STORY.

Your story is important because it is yours. It’s something you went through. It was an experience, a memory and a part of your past but it is NOT who you are. If you are attached to “I grew up on the other side of the tracks” or “my parents never listened to me” or “He (or she) hurt me” you are attached and you will never be able to move forward until you pull your energy out of those pictures.

There is so much more to you than meets the eye. Embrace your story for what it is. A story. A great (or not so great) memory. It only has power over you if you give it power and it is not who you are.

The fact is that most of us love to tell and hear stories so tell your stories! There is brilliance and magic just waiting to burst forth. Just keep in mind, you are not your story. Always remember that if and when you find yourself attached to a story, it’s time to call your energy back from that story and leave it in the past.~Shine Your Light Debbie

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