From Waking Up is Not Hard to DO,
a Collective Authors' Book by DM Book Pro!
"Waking up is Easy to Do; however, what you do once you're awake is what really matters! LIFE goes on around us and we do get caught up in it....Just look at ‘Time’ for an example. People everywhere are noticing and remarking that 'Time', as slow as it may seem, at times, is actually going faster. So what does that have to do with waking up? Actually, it has plenty to do with waking up. We go through Life, which traditionally has its "ups and downs". If you are a person who has set an Intent to "be the best person you can be" - waking up is inevitable! More than likely, one can awaken by watching all that goes on around us - in the news, in our own daily existence . Life just has a way of throwing 'curve balls'! Perhaps the Universe has thrown you out of a job or a relationship. Perhaps you’ve experienced ‘mishaps’ while driving or issues with health. Some people have been "put down" by the Universe....simply because they would never slow down on their own! Either way - something "familiar" stops. We are forced to take time and realize that the Truths we have grown up with - are no longer Truths. We’ve seen downsizing, stress and no loyalty for a job well done. Working hard does not pay off -- It is all part of the old paradigm. The injustices of Life eventually bring a person to look at what's working and what isn't in their own Life.
OK… So you're awake - now you have to deal! Time for a stretch of "taking stock" of what once was - which now - is no longer acceptable. We begin to realize where we're not happy or feeling fulfilled in Life. Make no mistake... once awake, it's time to re-evaluate and make a decision about what it is we truly want...i.e. in our personal life, real true Love that is honoring and balanced in both directions, etc. More than likely in your quest to be happy, you might, on a larger scale, want to see Peace in the world, see cleaner air, safer water and food....These injustices have already become enough to get one's attention! And perhaps it is our response to these issues that show up as a feeling of disgust, anger, sadness, depression - and/or a general feeling of overwhelming "helplessness" with the "unevenness" of wrongs in our world.
The fact that most of America lives paycheck to paycheck with rising costs, promotes the fearful reality that even one missed paycheck can leave many in that huge hole of rampant foreclosure and a journey that no one ever expects to take. And while there is so much to 'fix' in every area of our present system....how can any one of us change the issues that really matter to people and families? Issues with our healthcare system, our justice system, education and the cutbacks that we feel are so important for our children in helping them become well-rounded and fit. And, what can any one of us do?
OK, ‘awake’ was easy....Where do we go from here? Despite how you feel about it - or how you arrived at it - anger is a great catalyst. Honestly, it wouldn't matter WHO is in office, the fact remains that those who had a "hand" or a place in building this great country's industries, are sitting in an unjust state. Awake and looking around... at people still not getting the needed help years after Katrina, people in the auto industry, construction - Where are they now?...perhaps living in tent cities, praying for assistance in one form or another, still without income and so grateful to have any help from family, friends - even strangers - if only to have a roof over their heads. So what's the point? The point is that once awakened, we're almost hit with the reality that Life is hard and the floor feels like it has been "pulled out from under us". It's a process, no doubt!
Perhaps you've become awake and have said, "I'm done". Deep in your gut, you eventually come to a place that knows... You are so NOT done....because if YOU quit, all that's wrong "wins" and that just CAN'T happen! Awake? Yes. Done? No. We begin to look deeper and not only notice the fear...but how much we do fear. There's fear underneath every piece of the "What if?" game. What if: We take in one more big deep breath, give it our all and it doesn't work out??!! We'll be (fill-in the blank) homeless, on welfare, our dreams might not manifest... (“We'll really be done!!”) We begin addressing our fears, our misbeliefs and our personal choices for our Life - all while "society" is still knocking on the door wanting money for our bills and our responsibilities. Again, it's a process.
We look deep within ourselves and inevitably begin to see the misbeliefs that we’ve taken in. Misbeliefs from judgments expressed to us - which truly stem from someone else's eyes. We'll also have no choice but to honestly acknowledge the times we did not stand up for ourselves... Times we've chosen appeasement because it was easier to do it someone else's way - all in an effort to avoid conflict, emotional discord, etc. I, for one, have thought a lot about this. Looking at the bigger picture - How do we fight the giant corporations who are operating with disrespect and dishonor, who are continually polluting our air, our water and our food? Until we face our own fears and release them... Until we discard the limiting judgments we have come to believe about ourselves – judgments that, once explored, truly come from other people...Even the unconditional love we get from our own pets - rings a chord deep within us for change.
As true with any situation that we have no control over...the only place we do have control is in the amount of energy we choose to hold regarding any situation, event or outcome. That energy we hold that's within us first and foremost. We can change that. This is waking up....and taking responsibility for how we live each day in our own corner of the world. So much is being "shed" to get to the Truth of all that is truly good about ourselves and within our being. Awake now....maybe even angry...and now - and it's how the King of Pop wrote and sang it: "I'm starting with the man/woman in the mirror...I'm asking him/her to change their ways..."
And we realize that Integrity and Compassion are two key ingredients in building a new foundation for every broken system. Integrity to do what's right in our hearts – even when no one’s looking….and to move forward, building with compassion for the greatest good of all. One example: How can our Vets come home to conditions and/or lack of benefits that don't fully honor their sacrifices for our Freedom - our Country's Greatest Gift (despite what's wrong on so many levels!) Before you know it - YOU'RE AWAKE - EYES FULLY OPEN as we make personal choices for our own freedom and our own personal desires in Life.Time to trade "fear" for a deep knowing and believe - with Trust, that everything IS in Divine Order. It is no longer our individual "how" from the conscious mind - a "how" that pales in comparison to the "how" from Source. And we surrender in hopes of manifesting our dreams - This time, we must ALLOW it to happen....and then we begin to manifest in greater ways than we ever could have imagined.
Whatever that piece is that prompts us - again, a musical reference: "We're not gonna take it" (several artists), brings us to fully waking up! A new Truth is in order now. No matter what road or set of circumstances that brought you here, eventually brings you to detach from that story. Why? Because the story really doesn’t matter. ALL that matters now - is what you do right here as you step forward. Congratulations! You have awakened. It starts with adversity and the Courage to look around...and even greater Courage to truthfully explore what’s deep within your own Being and cast out what no longer serves you.
As I walked out of my Life, I didn't have one "how" to find my way out of a paper bag! I had no choice but to surrender, as it was all too big and too much to even begin to figure out. The road was paved by Divine "orchestration". Was it hard? YES! Was it worth it? ABSOLUTELY. The good news is that those who awaken - find each other and we build our intimate Spiritual family of friends for support. These spiritual "families" are everywhere and the support we give each other IS enough to get us through with Love and Peace. There is great comfort when we share from and within our hearts - no matter what the world looks like on any given day. Awaken, make decisions with - (Yes, one more musical reference from Kenny Loggins) with "Conviction of the Heart". Put on your seatbelts, we're heading for the Ride of Our Life - anchored now, in all the good that we really are. We are making changes within our being - to soon enough - take back our Earth and treat her – and all her inhabitants - with the freedom, honor and respect all deserves.
"To Awaken is to live by the Truths we know within!" ~ Andi Feinberg