You’ve probably heard the old adage that it’s about the journey, not the destination. That is true for a lot of life and especially true for our healing journey. It’s good to remind ourselves that a journey has a lot of different components and doesn’t look or feel the same all the time. No one’s path is the same, they are as unique as we are. Too often I run into people who feel like if they aren’t constantly doing intense healing work then they’re doing something wrong or not pushing themselves enough. Not true. The one thing you can count on is that things will ebb and flow, don’t hold on to any one stage of your growth, allow yourself to enjoy the ride when you get the chance. Here are some of the places you may find yourself visiting along your path.The Work – This is the place most of us recognize the most and expect. This is when we are IN IT. We are in the struggle, the growth, the expansion, the lessons. It can be excruciating and glorious, exhausting and exhilarating. Breakthroughs abound. This is an intense and important period … and you can’t be doing this all the time. Don’t confuse The Work with The Journey. The Work is only a stage of the journey that you will revisit in different ways and times along way. Don’t worry – The Work will find you again. The Integration – This is often the most underrated stage. After the work comes the integration. It is only in the implementation of The Work into our daily lives that we get to reap the benefits of our labor. This is when change really happens. Where all those insights and breakthroughs grow roots and become a part of us instead of just a brilliant moment in time. Integration is all about creating new patterns, habits, thought processes, etc. It’s all about practice, practice, practice. Hence why we tend to want to skim over this part of the path. In some ways it is more work than The Work.The Cruise – Sometimes you lift your head up and realize – you’re cruising. You did good work. You integrated new programs and now… You’re feeling pretty good. This can be the moment when you think – Wait! Am I supposed to feel good? Is this a trick? Is it alright for me to be…alright? The answer is YES! It’s ok to enjoy life. Believe me, new lessons are on the way. So, enjoy your cruising time. Reconnect with family and friends. Get those projects started or finished. Get back to what you love doing but maybe haven’t had the time or band width for while you’ve been working and integrating. There is no need to go looking for more work. If you realize you can’t settle into the cruise because you’re only comfortable going 1000 miles an hour, all work and no play, it is time to practice slowing down and allowing yourself to Be Well. Congrats – more work just found you! (As you can see these stages can bleed into and overlap each other)The Pause – Sometimes we feel a shift from a good feeling cruise to the Pause. It feels like we are waiting for something. Maybe we feel like we are ready to make a shift but Divine timing doesn’t agree and so we get shunted into the Universal Waiting Room impatiently waiting for Spirit to call our name. This is a time of getting ready to be ready. It’s an opportunity to check our tools, polish our practices, clean off our mats and get our mental focus sharp and clear. No matter how “ready” we feel Spirit is saying “not quite yet” so cool your jets and continue to prepare. So much of life is about Divine timing. Let the Universe know what you want and then let go of how or when it will appear. In the meantime, be present to your path and keep on keeping till the new way opens up. The Celebration – Any time you can stop along the way and celebrate your journey do it! Life is worth celebrating. You don’t have to have “accomplished” anything. It doesn’t have to be a “special” occasion. The miracle of us, of our bodies, of our consciousness and beingness is miraculous. Every moment we have is special. Celebrate! You can celebrate during any stage of your journey. You can be neck deep in the work and take a moment to celebrate that you’re in it and you’re doing it. Or celebrate the changes you’re making during integration, no matter how small. Or really whoop it up while you’re cruising – just because. Or celebrate the pause because you know once the work comes around again, you’re going to be thinking back fondly and wishing for more time to just take a breather. Wherever you on your path – remember! You are exactly where you need to be, and everything is unfolding perfectly (even if you’re uncomfortable or wish you were somewhere else). Be present to the stage you’re in. Let go of your agenda and be open to the mystery of your unique and wonderous journey. Oh, and look up every now and then and wave to the other people who are also on their way. We may not be able to walk another person’s path, but we can certainly be journey-partners and support and cheer each other on. Good Journeying!
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