Fear…..not feeling comfortable or validated in a situation/culture of inauthentic relationships. This can be for example in our work environment where, because of the factors I’ve mentioned, we do not truely express/share our real selves and our growth is impeded.
How might I work through that???……it’s not easy……… especially if this culture employs you. This brings Carl Rodgers to mind for me and his person centred approach to counselling……… when I am my true self with another person, this creates the space/environment for and invites that person to be their true selves, and creates the opportunity for growth in both of us. This is one of his core beliefs.
I don´t know. To let go of aspects belonging to the persona, I guess. Like covered shyness, or easily feeling guilty for almost nothing, or the opposite as well, to find back to faith and trust as well in own capacities in order to give gratefulness the space. I feel is all there but often not adequately expressed, which is related intimately to the light shining.
What impedes me from shining my light? I think it’s too dim right now for me to shine it, and when I have, I have been misunderstood for being ‘too nice’, or being phony. I am not sure how I feel anymore. I’ve lost sight of my gratefulness, which is why I’m back. I’m grateful for a lot of stuff, but I lose this feeling too often now. I’m working on bringing myself back to center and feeling truy grateful again.
I am grateful tonight for you and your genuine voice.
There are those souls who shined a light for me when I also could not find my own. Now I, and other kind souls here, can shine a light for you until you find yours again. 🕯
I don’t shine my light because I am afraid of failure. I know that in order to grow one must fail and learn from it. I am what you would call over the hill and I’m afraid that my failures will show weakness, especially with my employer. I’m afraid I will lose my job. I guess in order to work through it I need to know my worth. I’m not. The only way to learn is sometimes through failure. It is definitely something that I need to pray on.
Fear is what impedes me from shining my light. I could remind myself that having the courage to push past my fears will allow me to shine my light and be the person I ment to be.
I think it is that I don’t deserve the success that would come with it. I have always held back, despite so many people telling me how talented I am. It is hard to take in, and even harder to act on.
Perhaps by coincidence, perhaps not, I was reading Jack Kornfield’s meditation on grief today. (I have not had a chance to practice it yet.) I was also thinking about some of my close relationships recently.
A pattern that I notice is the tendency to become defensive–and even combative–around vulnerable areas. I don’t want to absent myself from this. I know that I do it as well, but I also work very diligently to be forthright in my relationships. However, I have a history of others doing this to me, and I believe that I carry a lot of pain from that.
It prevents me from feeling safe in my relationships. It breeds a lot of resentment within me, like I am always in an argument with those around me, trying to fight back against what was said or done in the past. It is draining and isolating.
I believe that I do need to process my grief so that I can move through it.
I’m encouraged everyday by this precious life! I of course have suffered just like everyone has, but I’m amazed at how the universe knows exactly the right amount to keep me going. I work through my suffering by meditation. I repent many times a day and am amazed at how the light shines through more and more revealing more and more truth.
So I guess the only impediment to the light is my own human mind.
Letting go allows the the light to shine everywhere.
Thank you 🙏
This question could not have arrived at a better time in my life. The nature of my current circumstances make me feel as though this is the lesson hiding behind it. I believe that the fear of judgement impedes me from shining my light, especially if it comes from the people I love. As I try to take steps to discover my authentic self and embrace my light, many people are not shy in communicating their opinions towards the “new me”, which consequently, has dimmed my light. It is as though I am back where I started. Now ready for a solution, I believe I can work through the judgement by cultivating a strong self-image and self-confidence about who I am and what my mission is. When the foundation of a house is strong, there is no way it will fall down. When I realize that the changes I am making are to build this foundation for myself, then what the world has to say to my light should and will no longer matter.
Well, it’s mornings like this. I felt a bit stuck. So I read your responses first. Incredible. Thank you all so much for your very deep wisdom and fearlessly sharing of yourselves here. You are all shining your light on me. 🙏
I can get bogged down in the day to day stuff that is necessary for my survival, it can be overwhelming and it has the effect of dimming my light of kindness and awareness.
Taking time for reflection, my daily practices, and reminding myself, again and again of this life’s ephemeral nature, help to bring me back to a place of acceptance.
I absolutely love the last line, “Taking time for reflection, my daily practices, and reminding myself, again and again of this life’s ephemeral nature, help to bring me back to a place of acceptance.” Really well said. Wishing you much success on your journey!
This is an easy one for me….it’s most often my ever-present fear and anxiety that has the potential to dim my light. I’d like to think however, that my light still shines through regardless. .
My daughters have often commented on my bravery….they see my anxiety and how hard I fight it and strive to be loving-kindness no matter.
Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem” comes to mind:
“Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering,
There is a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in”
And I would humbly suggest, “That’s how the light gets OUT”
Om Shanti friends 🙏
I love your take on the light metaphor, that the light never really does stop shining, and not only that, it continues to shine through. Beautifully said, thank you for sharing this excerpt. Wishing you much success on your journey!
I appreciate the comments people made about their light being their inner qualities. My first reaction to this question was that it felt to me as if it started from a place of ego, self-promotion, making sure others know I’m bright. That isn’t the kind of shining I need any encouragement for! And I’ve been working to make sure my light doesn’t shadow others or shade them out. An inner light of mindfulness, kindness, and other qualities I want to nourish requires that I stay aware of those aspects and embody them in my interactions with others. The only impedance is myself and getting caught up in doing rather than being and interbeing.
Yesterday I listened to a talk by Prentis Hemphill on the Collective Trauma Summit 2022. He spoke of how the song This Little Light of Mine was infused with ancestral wisdom gained through horrific suffering. A take away for me from this was how a song can inspire and motivate and empower the choice in our thoughts and actions to stay connected to ‘the light’: to stay true to our humanity in challenging times. So now I’m thinking about how a simple song can empower us: ‘Choosing belonging through a universal source over comfort within a human-created story’ reverse the question, how does letting my light shine help me to work through what impedes me.
Carol -yes, the human created story is a powerful way to look at things. From. The universe perspective it doesn’t exist. Humans do a lot with their stories. Thank you .
What impedes me from shining my light? I think the universal answer to that question is that the EGO keeps us from shining our light.
How does the ego do that? It does it through our emotions. It interprets feelings as facts. We then re-act instead of respond to life.
How might I work through that? There is only one way for me. I must be willing to grow in awareness and trust that life will show me the way. Open heart and open mind because everyone and everything is my teacher.
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Fear…..not feeling comfortable or validated in a situation/culture of inauthentic relationships. This can be for example in our work environment where, because of the factors I’ve mentioned, we do not truely express/share our real selves and our growth is impeded.
How might I work through that???……it’s not easy……… especially if this culture employs you. This brings Carl Rodgers to mind for me and his person centred approach to counselling……… when I am my true self with another person, this creates the space/environment for and invites that person to be their true selves, and creates the opportunity for growth in both of us. This is one of his core beliefs.
I don´t know. To let go of aspects belonging to the persona, I guess. Like covered shyness, or easily feeling guilty for almost nothing, or the opposite as well, to find back to faith and trust as well in own capacities in order to give gratefulness the space. I feel is all there but often not adequately expressed, which is related intimately to the light shining.
What impedes me from shining my light? I think it’s too dim right now for me to shine it, and when I have, I have been misunderstood for being ‘too nice’, or being phony. I am not sure how I feel anymore. I’ve lost sight of my gratefulness, which is why I’m back. I’m grateful for a lot of stuff, but I lose this feeling too often now. I’m working on bringing myself back to center and feeling truy grateful again.
I am grateful tonight for you and your genuine voice.
There are those souls who shined a light for me when I also could not find my own. Now I, and other kind souls here, can shine a light for you until you find yours again. 🕯
I don’t shine my light because I am afraid of failure. I know that in order to grow one must fail and learn from it. I am what you would call over the hill and I’m afraid that my failures will show weakness, especially with my employer. I’m afraid I will lose my job. I guess in order to work through it I need to know my worth. I’m not. The only way to learn is sometimes through failure. It is definitely something that I need to pray on.
Fear is what impedes me from shining my light. I could remind myself that having the courage to push past my fears will allow me to shine my light and be the person I ment to be.
The internal dialogue – it is always there but it is best as left as background noise rather than giving it any attention.
I think it is that I don’t deserve the success that would come with it. I have always held back, despite so many people telling me how talented I am. It is hard to take in, and even harder to act on.
Perhaps by coincidence, perhaps not, I was reading Jack Kornfield’s meditation on grief today. (I have not had a chance to practice it yet.) I was also thinking about some of my close relationships recently.
A pattern that I notice is the tendency to become defensive–and even combative–around vulnerable areas. I don’t want to absent myself from this. I know that I do it as well, but I also work very diligently to be forthright in my relationships. However, I have a history of others doing this to me, and I believe that I carry a lot of pain from that.
It prevents me from feeling safe in my relationships. It breeds a lot of resentment within me, like I am always in an argument with those around me, trying to fight back against what was said or done in the past. It is draining and isolating.
I believe that I do need to process my grief so that I can move through it.
I’m encouraged everyday by this precious life! I of course have suffered just like everyone has, but I’m amazed at how the universe knows exactly the right amount to keep me going. I work through my suffering by meditation. I repent many times a day and am amazed at how the light shines through more and more revealing more and more truth.
So I guess the only impediment to the light is my own human mind.
Letting go allows the the light to shine everywhere.
Thank you 🙏
This question could not have arrived at a better time in my life. The nature of my current circumstances make me feel as though this is the lesson hiding behind it. I believe that the fear of judgement impedes me from shining my light, especially if it comes from the people I love. As I try to take steps to discover my authentic self and embrace my light, many people are not shy in communicating their opinions towards the “new me”, which consequently, has dimmed my light. It is as though I am back where I started. Now ready for a solution, I believe I can work through the judgement by cultivating a strong self-image and self-confidence about who I am and what my mission is. When the foundation of a house is strong, there is no way it will fall down. When I realize that the changes I am making are to build this foundation for myself, then what the world has to say to my light should and will no longer matter.
Well, it’s mornings like this. I felt a bit stuck. So I read your responses first. Incredible. Thank you all so much for your very deep wisdom and fearlessly sharing of yourselves here. You are all shining your light on me. 🙏
I can get bogged down in the day to day stuff that is necessary for my survival, it can be overwhelming and it has the effect of dimming my light of kindness and awareness.
Taking time for reflection, my daily practices, and reminding myself, again and again of this life’s ephemeral nature, help to bring me back to a place of acceptance.
I absolutely love the last line, “Taking time for reflection, my daily practices, and reminding myself, again and again of this life’s ephemeral nature, help to bring me back to a place of acceptance.” Really well said. Wishing you much success on your journey!
This is an easy one for me….it’s most often my ever-present fear and anxiety that has the potential to dim my light. I’d like to think however, that my light still shines through regardless. .
My daughters have often commented on my bravery….they see my anxiety and how hard I fight it and strive to be loving-kindness no matter.
Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem” comes to mind:
“Ring the bells that still can ring,
Forget your perfect offering,
There is a crack in everything,
That’s how the light gets in”
And I would humbly suggest, “That’s how the light gets OUT”
Om Shanti friends 🙏
I love your take on the light metaphor, that the light never really does stop shining, and not only that, it continues to shine through. Beautifully said, thank you for sharing this excerpt. Wishing you much success on your journey!
I appreciate the comments people made about their light being their inner qualities. My first reaction to this question was that it felt to me as if it started from a place of ego, self-promotion, making sure others know I’m bright. That isn’t the kind of shining I need any encouragement for! And I’ve been working to make sure my light doesn’t shadow others or shade them out. An inner light of mindfulness, kindness, and other qualities I want to nourish requires that I stay aware of those aspects and embody them in my interactions with others. The only impedance is myself and getting caught up in doing rather than being and interbeing.
Yesterday I listened to a talk by Prentis Hemphill on the Collective Trauma Summit 2022. He spoke of how the song This Little Light of Mine was infused with ancestral wisdom gained through horrific suffering. A take away for me from this was how a song can inspire and motivate and empower the choice in our thoughts and actions to stay connected to ‘the light’: to stay true to our humanity in challenging times. So now I’m thinking about how a simple song can empower us: ‘Choosing belonging through a universal source over comfort within a human-created story’ reverse the question, how does letting my light shine help me to work through what impedes me.
Carol -yes, the human created story is a powerful way to look at things. From. The universe perspective it doesn’t exist. Humans do a lot with their stories. Thank you .
What impedes me from shining my light? I think the universal answer to that question is that the EGO keeps us from shining our light.
How does the ego do that? It does it through our emotions. It interprets feelings as facts. We then re-act instead of respond to life.
How might I work through that? There is only one way for me. I must be willing to grow in awareness and trust that life will show me the way. Open heart and open mind because everyone and everything is my teacher.