Contrast as a Catalyst

Published in Mindful Muze Magazine

The great poet Khalil Gibran said, "Your joy is your sorrow unmasked, and the selfsame well from which your laughter rises was often filled with your tears. And how else can it be? The deeper your sorrow carves into your being, the more joy you can contain."

The challenges, the hardship, the moments that bring us to our knees, become a ladder to gain strength on the climb of our expansion. Just as we plant a seed in darkness before it can reach the light, we can learn to embrace our moments of shadow in order to fully step into diving brightness. We are, in perfect timing, learning the balance of light and shadow, and how to become the greatest alchemist of our lives.

The definition of alchemy is a "power or process that changes or transforms something mysteriously or impressively." This can be our time to practice inner transformation and expand into our liberation. We don't always have to fully understand, analyze, or find the immediate solution, but be open to the idea that every second brings us closer to salvation.

Can we find the opportunity for growth and healing in the most uncomfortable of moments? This can be our time of alchemy, where we take our triggers and emotions, and use them as tools to guide us towards our most resilient and wisest selves. We can begin to move towards softening our hardest surfaces with compassion, and healing through kindness as a solution to soothe our tension and projections. We can start to relax through gentleness and understanding, cleaning the deepest parts of ourselves, and allowing that to reflect into the collective healing. We can choose to release the chains of our fears, break through limiting beliefs, and step into a higher frequency to raise the vibration of the planet. We are the beacon of light for a new world of wellness and harmony, pulling all those lost at sea close to the warmth of our hearts whispering, "I am here. We are in this together. I am listening. I love you." We heal together; We rise together.

Delicate words written by the poet Anais Nin state, "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." Are the shifts in our world an opportunity? As the rose takes time to fully open before we know of its fresh beauty, so must we patiently await the flowers of our newly planted awareness and desires to sprout. Instead of remaining closed in fear, let us open to a new state of being, holding ourselves and each other in our highest light, so we may grow together. Our eyes can open to what truly matters and the direction we would like our lives to unfold. Even through heartbreak, our hearts and minds can open to the possibilities of a new beginning.

Our wounds are like the crystals shining through thick granite that is the foundation of our society, and where our greatest gifts of life lessons settle. In the flickering light that bounces off of the stone, we can see the hope in the density. We realize that in our deepest despair, we are directly guided to what truly matters: connection. Each step forward, no matter how slow we walk or how heavy we drag our feet, can be in the direction of expanding faith toward our awakening. Chipping away at the block of heaviness that surrounds us, we find light, we see beauty, and we find hope.

We can anchor through presence and fully open to the here and now using our deep breaths. We can move into empowerment, rather than feeling defeated by our circumstances, and adapt and evolve to choose the path of alignment to our clearest vision and direction. The winding road is filled with curiosity and unknowns, and we will find our way. Let us find a way to equality, care for our neighbor, honor our planet, and find peace within ourselves and each other.

If we look back on our lives, memories will surface of times we felt lost or did not know if we could make it through another test, yet we prevailed. As difficult as life can be sometimes, those moments ultimately lead us to being wiser, stronger, and more aware. Pressure makes the pearl. There is a duality to this experience, a balance of bright and dark. We can fully embrace both so that we integrate these energies into wholeness and learn to live from a place of love. The stars never shone so brightly without the dark of night for us to appreciate them. May our darkest moments act as borders guiding us to the possibility and potential of a bright and unfolding future.

May we find respect and appreciation in the contrast that is here as a catalyst to our blossoming into our greatest and most aligned selves. We would not understand bliss without great sorrow. There are hidden lessons and blessings in every experience. The more grateful we can become for the opportunity to be alive and experience contrast, the more it begins to serve us in our awakening. We can ask ourselves, How is this feeling serving me on my path to awakening? What is this trying to teach me? Your intuition knows the answer. Close your eyes for a few minutes a day, hands on your heart, take a few breaths, and listen. Listen to your higher self and the wisdom of the Universe. You are guided, you are loved, and you are strong. Move forward with confidence that you can handle anything that life hands your way and find wisdom in the contrast. We may feel separate, and distant from each other by fear and uncertainty, but we don't have to allow that to affect our hearts opening more than ever.

Ask how people are doing, offer your support, and open yourself to the possibility that we are beginning to release the borders around our hearts that keep us separate. Remember how much we truly have in common and how, from the heart of Ram Dass, "We are all walking each other home." Small acts of kindness ignite connection and allow people to feel seen, heard, and valued. May we remember that are one human race, and that our strength is in us connecting in union. Though there are great spaces between us, may this be a time when we feel closer than ever, by awakening to our inherent relationship to each other. May we begin to realize that an old system was not working, that it was pulling us apart, and now this is our time to create a new way of thriving.

May our prayer, mantra, or intention, be commitment to keeping our attention and energy on the change we wish to see. Every breath we take becomes a silent song of gratitude for the beauty that we still choose to see in this time of transformation. There is always light at the end of the tunnel, and you have the strength within you to find the love that will move you through every step. We are in this together, and love is our greatest strength.