Sunday, May 27, 2012

Past Lives: How They Can Affect Our Ability to Love Others and Ourselves


 After recently reading the book A Dog’s Purpose, it has made me look at my animals and all sentient beings differently. It captures the essence of past lives in the sense that we are all products of our circumstances, experiences and people that have generated “our” inner and outer life. Perhaps in line with what the Buddhists term “past lives” doesn’t necessarily have one strict meaning as though we once lived as someone else, but those whom lived before us have sculpted us like a fine multi dynamic piece of art. I have heard the term “sins of our past” and have pondered upon that deeply in an esoterical sense rather than one of a religious nature.( ie. Meaning to me, the attitudes as well as emotional deficits of our family members that lived before us.)

  It is those things of my past ancestry that I have thought of by listening to stories from my parents about our family’s personalities, spirituality and inherited traits that have helped me discover “who I am.”  I have most recently become aware that we each have our own life to live for ourselves. To take a hold of the reins and guide ourselves into the direction that is a best “fit” for our passion and purpose. I have also watched children lately from a distance and observed each of their talents and personalities and knowing or having a good idea at least what they are going to accel at and this is when it is so important to cultivate those gifts not bestow upon them any negative criticisms.  Now if I have lost you already by now, hang on, as I will attempt to explain further.

  It is when our life begins to feel stagnant, joyless or boring as some use very loosely that we are not honoring ourselves and our unique gifts. I have heard even adults my age say, “I don’t know what my gifts are”. To me that is sad, and a valid awareness that they have been living their lives for other’s expectations and not their own.  How many of you have said “if I win the lottery everything will be so much better?”  My guess is we all have  but, have we really walked through it in our minds and thought it out completely? Sure our bills would go away and we would have our cost of living needs met but our spiritual needs and our personal needs of living a life to the fullest capacity of love would still be there waiting for attention.  Clearly money cannot provide us with our core of purpose, which takes a lot of inner work and self-discovery. I have said this before but I must say this again. The most important thing in this life is TO LOVE AND BE LOVED, for that is when our hearts are lifted and the emptiness resides.  When our hearts are empty it is then we try to fill it with other temporary means that fulfill us for a brief moment only to find ourselves sad and lonely when the newness or stimulating affect wears off. Our dopamine levels will elevate but are short lived, but what keeps those levels at a sustained rate resulting in complete inner happiness is love. And that is real love not the “honey moon” phase but the preciousness of unconditional accepting love.

  It warms us within and comforts us inevitably giving our lives the fulfillment that we all desire and deserve.  It is those things from our past that can keep us stuck  not allowing us to be open to give and receive love. Even those attitudes of our ancestors that have been passed down from generation to generation can and will affect us if we do not recognize those patterns for what they are, stuck or closed if you will.  So, we must get to work on our inner lives and forget so much about donning on those exercise clothes and running shoes but really look at our spiritual and emotional fitness as well. To live a life of balance of mind, body and spirit and incorporate that into our wholeness and purpose. Most importantly value and appreciate all of our loving connections, as those are  the fibers that holds us  together……..live well, laugh often and love much……..

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