Finding faith in today's world appears to be an interesting endeavor. It seems that each person is finding what works for themselves. For some it is putting faith in traditional religion. For others, information is gleaned from tarot cards, tea leaf or aura readings, psychics, astrology, sacred geometry, crop circles, tantra, healing rituals, indigenous ceremonies, studies of angels or archetypal energies, etc. There are even people who perform mini-rituals, or quote affirmations, every few minutes during their waking hours in order to feel they are doing the right thing, living spiritually. Most people have tried at least one of these venues; many more have tried several to find answers to their questions of existence or a higher power.

But, how do we know when we have found the right path, the right place to put our faith? How do we know when we have found "the answer?" When will we have found the one thing that truly makes us happy and complete? What does the phrase "happiness and wholeness come from within" really mean? Will we know we have found it on our own, or will someone else have to make that determination for us? Where, why and with whom are we placing our faith? Where may it lead us? How can we change all the problems in our world?

As a multidimensional, multifaceted being I realized several things from observing others and through self-discovery:

l. Each person has their own path, uses particular tools, and all people eventually come to the same place of understanding or finding one "truth", whether it be in this lifetime or the one that is our 2000th lifetime.

2. That understanding is something each person will discover on their own.

3. The tools we use and our present belief systems determine how, and when, we reach the same understanding.

So, you may ask, how can we obtain more self-awareness, self-empowerment, personal growth faster, more consciously, with focus and clarity? How do we know when we are on the right path for ourselves? I present the following response with guidelines which are always up to each person to decide if they agree with them or not:

1. We are always on the right path there are no mistakes. God doesn't make mistakes. (We're all created in God's image, right?)

2. When we become more fully conscious in how we wish to experience or understand our lives we may go further: We can know we are on the right path when we are in touch with our feelings, as our soul is communicating to us via our emotions and physical responses.

We are on the right path when we feel good about what we are learning, if we feel it is our deepest truth for ourselves, when we know that what we do effects the whole, and if, and how, we are able to put our learning into daily practice. Otherwise, what's the value of learning lots of information if we don't use it? When we are in touch with our feelings we can begin to feel compassion for ourselves, which then helps us feel compassion for others. When we are more in touch with our feelings we honor and love ourselves because we are not denying how we feel, who we are. We are being true to our soul, not fighting our real nature. Our love can then radiate towards others. We can create new paradigms in this way on a consciousness and cellular level.

3. When what we are experiencing includes the value and importance of self-empowerment, putting faith in divine selves first. In other words, knowing how to be in our personal power while being able to get along with others respectfully, knowing we are all equal and reflections of the one source (God), and not handing over our personal power to other icons, other people, or ideas that may have nothing to do with us or our welfare. After all, what would you prefer: To be following someone else's truth, or find your own?

People have wondered what some of the messages are inherent in religion. The messages all talk about God (in their own definitions) but the teachings are all pointed in the same direction: don't worship another for there is only one God, but follow the examples of masters throughout time; understand their teachings, practice them yourself and you will be equal to those masters, not less.

4. We are on the right path when we feel we are getting to the deepest core of ourselves, our own understanding that we are from, and of the same source. Then, live our truth of who we are. The result will be that each person can realize that our main focus has shifted from needing to fix or change other people's lives to respecting ourselves, being responsible for ourselves first, being more real, walking our talk and being a living example of heaven on earth thereby allowing others to do the same, and ultimately supporting them in their quest if requested. Then we can expand this to the entire globe.

So, how can we begin to find our source within? "Seek and ye shall find", or "Ask and you shall receive."

One of the easiest ways is by just being with ourselves, being quiet for ten or twenty minutes or more a day, or a few times a week. Close your eyes, get in touch with your feelings. Calm your thoughts, let go of all judgment, stress, expectation or demands. Know that in this sacred place you are creating for yourself you are safe, loved and worthy of receiving the divine abundance that is always available to you. Feel love for yourself (or anyone or anything for whom you feel great love). Feel yourself going to the center of your existence, the center of your body where you feel this love resides. It may feel warm in this place. Feel the love and expand on it to include all of creation. This is pleasure and ease.

Go with the flow of your feelings. In this way you are contacting, communicating, having an honest relationship with your true self, your true power, oneness, or beingness. This is one way of understanding that "God is One", for within yourself you feel connected to all life. The illusions that we are separate from God begin to disappear, replaced by peace. Watch, feel, listen, use all of your senses gently, easily (this is not a struggle) and observe what comes, what you receive. And don't forget to ask and believe that you will receive.

Practicing this exercise can afford you rest, peace, better balance in all areas of your life, clarity, energy, healing, more confidence, more love and connectedness to all life. You are becoming more and more your God self, a creator in the fullest sense of the word, your true nature. This is true power. And it is an on-going, ever evolving process.

We can use so many wonderful tools to help us open up to learning about our truth and self-empowerment, WITH the realization that objects, ideas, people may have valid points to acknowledge or utilize, but they only have power IF WE CHOOSE to give them that power. Energy is energy and it will go where we direct it. Keeping that in mind we can see how we can use our personal power, make our own decisions by following our inner guidance, rather than feeling the outside world impacts us without our permission. We are then being true creators, not victims.

If we can incorporate these ideas we can honor, create, change from the truth, faith, trust, increase love, joy and abundance, self-empowerment, autonomy, guidance, responsibility, compassion, peace in ourselves FIRST and then bring it to the outside. We can then make a real difference in the world, we can change and create the entire planet together. One planet, one people all from one source.

© Copyright, 1995 Nora Amrani
This article also appeared in the Universal Life Church's News

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