Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about faith. Not necessarily faith in a Higher Power (although that always helps), but faith in life itself. Faith in the people we love. Faith in ourselves. What does it mean to have faith that things will work out? Will they? Can we guarantee any particular outcome?
I’ve been considering that perhaps faith is really an opportunity in the present moment. What if keeping the faith actually means choosing to keep our heart open in the face of difficulty or uncertainty. Often when we are given major challenges, we cope by retreating into our heads. We try to analyze what is occurring and figure it out. We project our current circumstances into the future and spend a lot of time imagining how events could unfold in a positive or negative direction. We might even seek to blame ourselves or others for why present circumstances are so difficult.
Let’s embrace all these inner tendencies as a part of being human. We all do them and don’t need to feel shame about it. At the same time, many of us identify as being on the spiritual path. We are choosing moment by moment to grow from what life serves to us. We are seeking an expanded human potential and an elevated collective consciousness.
Thus, from a place of such compassion and love, is there another option?
Yes, says my heart. Yes, say my Helping Spirits.
It’s not easy or natural, but it’s a spiritual practice. And as one of my mentors once said to me, “What else are you here to do?”
So. Let’s return to exploring what faith is. I offer that it is a way of being, not a concept. We do not actually know how our big challenges will turn out. Will our finances grow in a manner that allows us the life of abundance we dream of? Will our primary relationships stand the test of time and thrive in an atmosphere of deep connection? Will our health give us the quality of life we desire?
We don’t know. Ugh!! It sucks!! It’s one of the most challenging parts of living in a limited time and space reality.
It’s also the greatest opportunity.
When we acknowledge that we don’t actually know how things will go, we have a couple of choices. We can push our own agenda from a stance of self empowerment and creative manifestation. We can also surrender to the flow, releasing our own intentions and trusting how the universe moves us.
Generally, it’s important to move back and forth between these two polarities. Sometimes creating with fierce abandon and sometimes stopping completely to look around and see what is already here.
Faith is a force that moves through both these polarities. It is always here. Faith is choosing to remain with our two feet on the ground, opening to the push and pull of each new chapter. It’s choosing to believe and trust that there is a Divine River of Energy moving through us— and our lives. It’s choosing to open to this River— and all the tumult it brings— because we believe that the River is a representation of our highest good.
I had a child a year ago, and my family has gone through massive changes that I didn’t see coming. I don’t actually know where this path is leading me. I don’t know when I should simply surrender to the flow and when I should enact tremendous power to push the tide in the direction I want it to go.
I don’t know.
And I’d like to stop trying to figure it out.
With my stopping, I feel the grief that I cannot control things. I also feel the freedom of letting go. I feel my energy returning to my belly and creative centers. I feel myself landing and grounding in the present moment.
I feel faith that I don’t need to hold the plan or the road map. I can breathe into each grand moment of now and trust the alchemy that is occurring in my own body. I can trust the growth and the movement of the River of Energy.
I can feel the faith that no matter what happens in this life, I will show up for it. With my two feet on the ground. With my heart radically open. With a sense of my own strength, capacity, and wisdom. And with a deep connection to the truth that I AM the River of Energy. Thus, following all of its twists and turns is ultimately leading me home.
May you too love and live with the faith and ground of being, following your River home.
Blessings,
Kelley