| Understanding our Pathways For most of us 2011 was an extremely difficult time. Yet in reality it was a wonderful opportunity. We were given the chance to release ourselves from the circular patterns of behaviour. A chance to free ourselves from making the same judgements, which no longer serve us mistakes and leave them firmly planted in our past where they belong. Giving us fresh hope and opportunities in the future. 2011 was a test bed for what 2012 will bring. It was an opportunity to disperse of limiting behaviour that has been holding us back, in order that we can move on and face the challenges 2012 promises to bring. Move on to what we ask ourselves? We would all like to know on a personal level how 2012 will affect us. Yet the value of an experience lies in ‘living’ or ‘being’ in the moment, not being told of it. In other words to work through and solve or resolve, not reading about it. There is a Chinese proverb that states ‘a wise man learns from other people’s mistakes, a fool learns from his own. Unfortunately most of us are the fools. We can learn caution by watching others and determine what we are not from observations of their behaviour. Be we cannot fully embrace many of the experiences unless we have been exposed to it and worked through it. There are no short cuts. One of our goals in life is to experience many different aspects of life, through exposure to different sets of circumstances. The lessons of life are not forms of punishment, but opportunities of growth. As we journey through life we hopefully become more learned or wiser as we gain understanding from this journey and the different adventures we encounter on the way. During our journeys there are times when we fail to appreciate the essence of the exposure. Life has the knack of remembering and somehow steering you into situations where this (or something very similar) is given back to us, again and again. This is not a form of punishment. Life is merely giving us the chance to explore the situation again, that we may truly understand and grow. Unfortunately the soul grows more from painful situations than laughter. This is why we find these scenarios so painful. Let me give you an example. Judy loathed confrontation. This had stemmed from her early childhood and the feeling of being caught between two parents, who barely saw eye to eye. All through life she appeared to be faced with confrontational situations. From her various bosses, to work colleagues, through to tempestuous personal relationships. It appeared to follow her everywhere. Judy slowly began to realise these situations were not that bad after all. It was her own interpretation and how she perceived them. Once she began to view these exchanges as differences of opinions, she began to feel different. At the same time the experiences appeared to fall from her life. Did they simply disappear because she had faced her fears or was it her perception that had changed? Why do some people have a harder time than others? Why do some people seem to sail through life? Why do the guilty go punished? How easy it is to lose the focus and vision by concentrating on unexplainable? Comparing against the incomparable? To understand the world we need to focus and view it in bit sized chunks. And those chunks need to relate to your own world, that which is close to you, not the wider picture. For once you try to understand the world in its entirety it is easy to become lost in the injustices in the world and to feel a victim of unjust. So try to see the tests and challenges in life as growth opportunities and as fortuitous chances for your soul to flourish. Learn not to flounder when faced with overwhelming circumstances, but try to keep moving forward. But most of all always remember that you are not alone in these battles. No matter how difficult the journey is, we are never alone. Behind the veil there are a multitude of beings waiting to help, assist and guide you during the difficult times in your life. All you have to do is remember to ask and help is always sent. They cannot remove your obstacles completely or take away your pain, but they can make the pathway much easier to walk.
| 