Happy New Year My Fellow Truth Seekers, Bloggers and Followers!
The year of 2011 has truly been a journey for me. As I look back on the experiences I've had and the people who have been a part of it, I'm truly grateful. 2011 was a year of new beginnings for me. It is the year that I truly began my spiritual journey; when I stopped searching and seeking and finally started doing. The search ended in 2011 and the journey began. At the beginning of the year, I was full of spiritual energy, full of life and motivation to do whatever I needed to do to know myself and God. I was excited to have actually met an enlightened master and even more appreciative and sincerely grateful that he accepted me as a student. I embarked on whatever sadhana he gave me with great enthusiasm and fervor. Like one of my fellow truth seekers and Elizabeth Gilbert have said, you know you are truly blessed if three things occur:
1. You are born a human.
2. You have a desire to know the divine, to know yourself.
3. To encounter an enlightened master.
In 2011, these 3 blessings were realized for me, but to my benefit not only did I meet an enlightened master but I also was granted the opportunity to learn from him, to be in his presence habitually.
I also started graduate school this year. Something I never thought I would be able to do; simply because I didn't think that I would get in. But I did. Not only that, I get to study a topic that I'm not only passionate about, but reminds me of my spiritual journey. I get to read about women and religion, women and religion on a regular basis. Who gets the chance to spend everyday surrounded by their personal interests. If this isn't an added bonus, this graduate program will allow for me to travel to India to conduct research as a part of my thesis!!!
Along with my spiritual path and graduate school, 2011 was the year that I began to mend broken bridges. And by that I mean reconnect with old friends, repair broken relationships with family. But I also maintained and strengthened new friendships. In doing so, I was able to take the first baby step in changing myself.
Which leads to 2011 being a year of trying. Trying??? You may ask. Yes. Although the beginning of the year could be characterized as "peaches and carrots," the latter half was not. After moving and starting graduate school, I began to see how hard it is to be spiritual in the world; not impossible just hard. I gained firsthand experience of the level of discipline and effort it takes in order to do so. Even though, I did my sadhana everyday it was hard to do it with the same level of energy.
I fell at times, but I kept coming back. I kept trying to get back to January 1, 2011. Even though, I thought I had fallen to the point of no return, I kept trying. Trying to change my habits, trying to be a better person, trying to be more positive, trying to be more disciplined, trying to be spiritual. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. You will fall, you will get mad, but as long as your trying...as long as you keep walking you will arrive at your destination.
Thank you 2011. Thank you for the highs, the lows, the struggles, the experience and the energy.
The year of 2011 has truly been a journey for me. As I look back on the experiences I've had and the people who have been a part of it, I'm truly grateful. 2011 was a year of new beginnings for me. It is the year that I truly began my spiritual journey; when I stopped searching and seeking and finally started doing. The search ended in 2011 and the journey began. At the beginning of the year, I was full of spiritual energy, full of life and motivation to do whatever I needed to do to know myself and God. I was excited to have actually met an enlightened master and even more appreciative and sincerely grateful that he accepted me as a student. I embarked on whatever sadhana he gave me with great enthusiasm and fervor. Like one of my fellow truth seekers and Elizabeth Gilbert have said, you know you are truly blessed if three things occur:
1. You are born a human.
2. You have a desire to know the divine, to know yourself.
3. To encounter an enlightened master.
In 2011, these 3 blessings were realized for me, but to my benefit not only did I meet an enlightened master but I also was granted the opportunity to learn from him, to be in his presence habitually.
I also started graduate school this year. Something I never thought I would be able to do; simply because I didn't think that I would get in. But I did. Not only that, I get to study a topic that I'm not only passionate about, but reminds me of my spiritual journey. I get to read about women and religion, women and religion on a regular basis. Who gets the chance to spend everyday surrounded by their personal interests. If this isn't an added bonus, this graduate program will allow for me to travel to India to conduct research as a part of my thesis!!!
Along with my spiritual path and graduate school, 2011 was the year that I began to mend broken bridges. And by that I mean reconnect with old friends, repair broken relationships with family. But I also maintained and strengthened new friendships. In doing so, I was able to take the first baby step in changing myself.
Which leads to 2011 being a year of trying. Trying??? You may ask. Yes. Although the beginning of the year could be characterized as "peaches and carrots," the latter half was not. After moving and starting graduate school, I began to see how hard it is to be spiritual in the world; not impossible just hard. I gained firsthand experience of the level of discipline and effort it takes in order to do so. Even though, I did my sadhana everyday it was hard to do it with the same level of energy.
I fell at times, but I kept coming back. I kept trying to get back to January 1, 2011. Even though, I thought I had fallen to the point of no return, I kept trying. Trying to change my habits, trying to be a better person, trying to be more positive, trying to be more disciplined, trying to be spiritual. At the end of the day, that's all that matters. You will fall, you will get mad, but as long as your trying...as long as you keep walking you will arrive at your destination.
Thank you 2011. Thank you for the highs, the lows, the struggles, the experience and the energy.
