Seniority & Discernment

(c) 2009 Joan M. Newcomb

I am really enjoying Lola Jones' book, "Things Are Going Great In My Absence (How to Let Go & Let The Divine Do the Heavy Lifting". What I like most is that she's not interested in gathering a following. She wants to give people information that empowers them and then, gently, shoos them on their way. They can come back to her website, www.divineopenings.com and mosey around for new things, but their continued awakening is up to them and their own Divinity.

"Spiritual practices are meant to be outgrown," she says.

I followed a spiritual practice for twenty five years; a good twelve years beyond leaving my former spiritual community. I enhanced it along the way, but it was essentially the same practice. Apparently I outgrew it three years ago, when I expanded into Matrix Energetics www.matrixenergetics.com and Busting Loose http://www.bustingloose.com/. It's been exhilarating and uncomfortable, rewarding and challenging.

What was so interesting is that I created both of these to be spearheaded by characters that I initially judged. This was partly through my own Spiritual Teacher lenses, but also I believe a creation by my Essential Self not to give up too much space to either one. To retain my own seniority as I continued to expand.

It's a tricky thing, to discern whether you are operating from your own Knowingness and Wisdom, or whether you're viewing things through your Judgments, Assumptions, Perfect Pictures or Expectations. The way I've been able to tell is whether I have a lot of emotion around my opinions. If I'm feeling very strongly about them, then it's the latter. If I'm feeling bemused or neutral, it's my inner wisdom.

However my gut feelings can show me when I'm navigating into toxic territory. I don't negate them when I'm in a situation or with a person who's driving me crazy. Before I would have stayed until I figured it out. Now I know it's okay to leave.
Neither choice is good or bad, they're just different choices leading to different experiences.

Ultimately it's all about being Divinely guided, and that guidance is inward. It's not in another person, place or thing. Others can provide clues along the way (thank you Lola, Richard and Robert), but your connection with your Expanded Self is uniquely yours. Your path is your own personal road trip.

In my classes and my coaching, I'm all about empowering you to connect to your own Inner Wisdom. Your life is entirely created by You; you create all your experiences for your own growth. If you're reading this, then you created me to write it for you. If you're in a class, you created me or whoever is teaching it to tell you whatever you hear or learn. If you're being coached, you created me or whomever is coaching you to ask you powerful questions and inspire you moving forward.

Think of someone you give up space to, that you think knows more than you or has more than you. Realize that they're just a castmember in your hologram. You made them up. You wrote them into your script. Whatever they know or have, You Know and Have on a vibrational level. The Author always knows everything about the characters they're writing about.

As you align with your Expanded Self, you'll realize this more and more.

Start recognizing the difference between your little self, your personality, and yourself as Spirit, the Essence of Who You Really Are. Start identifying yourself *as* the Greater part of you, and watch how radically things change. Problems become smaller, enjoyment of life becomes greater.

Try this whenever you think of it this week, and let me know what happens! joan@joannewcomb.com