My journey so far

I thought I’d share a bit about me and how I ended up believing so deeply in metaphysical practices and the idea of going deep within ourselves to find the peace we are all seeking.

Throughout my teen years I’d been looking for something “out there,” a something that was greater than me. I believed there was a power that would bring peace and love “to” me. Something that would explain why we are here and what we are meant to do. I can’t explain it. It was some deep urging that never let up throughout my life.

For most of the years that followed I studied, and joined, different religions thinking this one would show me “the way.”

The sermons I heard seemed to teach lessons of an angry, disappointed “God.” It was during these years that I learned to do my own research in what I was taught. I became more convinced that the “Word” of God had been re-created through years of interpretations, in different languages, by men. While studying Catholicism, I was surprised to learn that women couldn’t be priests. I wondered where that had been written and why. It seemed peculiar since it was Mary Magdalene who Jesus asked to let others know he had arisen…he didn’t say “Mary, run and get Peter, he needs to deliver the message.” Personally, I don’t believe Jesus cares who delivers His messages. As long as they are of pure heart, let them teach.

(I won’t go off on a rant here, but come on!!...I mean, not letting women have a voice? Wow. These are mothers, sisters, wives, friends who are being silenced. The nurturers of our world! Who better to teach unconditional love! Ok. Perhaps that should be another blog post).

The point of all of this so far is to let you know that the word “God” became something uncomfortable in my life and I moved further away from it and any religious studies. I eventually stopped going to church. I believed they didn’t know any more than I did. I was lost.

For the next few decades, I read self-help books thinking I was the problem. Then, after I retired, I discovered metaphysics. I’m not sure what one book turned me on to this, but it seemed to be the moment that changed everything. For those of you who aren’t sure what metaphysics is, it’s studies into the mind-body relationship and connection with the universe, and discovering we are all ONE. That’s my extremely simplified explanation. Please look further into this for a better understanding.

Eventually, my studies led me to Reiki. I wasn’t interested in the hands-on healing part so much as I was in its Japanese philosophy behind it. I found this information through Frans & Bronwen Stiene’s books on Reiki and Mikao Usui (founder of Usui Reiki Ryoho). Through these books I learned that Usui’s original intent for Reiki practice was to find our “True Self.” I knew then that what I had been seeking wasn’t a God in the sky, but something within each and every one of us.

Later, after I’d taken Reiki classes with Frans, I learned about the Great Bright Light, Usui Sensei’s reference to our True Self. This True Self was the Universe, God, peace, unconditional love. It is in each of us. No one is left out. We all have this light within us. We are ALL this light.

We are born with this light shining brightly out from our core, but each of our lights are dimmed over time, as life teaches us right from wrong and judgment. These “conditions” / lessons separate us from each other and our inner light. This separation is called “duality” and it is what we try to unlearn through our lifetime, so we can rediscover our True Self.

Usui Sensei describes the Great Bright Light as being hidden deep behind the lampshades of life. As we become more and more conditioned to what is right/wrong, being told what we can/cannot do, who we can/cannot love, then more lampshades are placed over our Great Bright Light, our True Self. Over the years, we forget the light is even there and we spend the remainder of our lives searching for something we know is there, but we cannot see.

The “True Self” is also known as our Higher Self, the Super-conscious, Christ-consciousness, the Universe, Infinite Intelligence, Infinite Spirit, and more.

I think learning that we've forgotten this light is the most important realization anyone can have. In the end, it’s all you need to know. This light is within you. It’s within everyone. Our lifelong “job/passion/purpose” is to find ours.

You can do all kinds of trendy practices, lists-making, affirmation speaking, positive thinking, etc…but the one thing that will bring you closer to this little hidden spark within you is your time and meditation. No big fanfare here. Just simple time and silence.

That’s not what you wanted to hear, is it? There’s no super-terrific rah-rah, screaming, high energy, enthusiastic jumping around to do. I know… it’s kind of a let-down, right? We look for some external, BIG thing that will make us BE this inner power. We think it has to be a big celebratory thing! And I get it… I mean, it IS a big deal!

There it is though. A practice anyone can do. No money required. I’m not going to say it’s going to be easy. It’s a simple practice, but hard to follow-through.

Usui Sensei knew meditation would be difficult. He also knew that we learn differently. That’s why he gave us symbols, chants, self-Reiki, and different meditations to use. All of these are not substitutes for your meditative practice, they are simply ways to help strengthen it. Because, in the end, it’s when our minds are calm, we come closer to rediscovering True Self.  

Trust me. I know how difficult this is! My ego-mind becomes practically hysterical when I make any attempt to calm it. Afterall, it’s had a lifetime of being in charge. You might say it’s found its own inner peace via all the conditioning it’s absorbed and has become very comfy in its little world of duality. All it has to do is flip a switch and my mind is off and running on various fears and worries. So easy! Practically no effort required!

Even though I know meditation is the path to go…it’s difficult to get myself to put “butt to pillow” and sit (as Frans says). And yet, I know that some of my deepest revelations come from doing just that.

During these moments, there’s a Knowing-ness that reveals things I wouldn’t have otherwise discovered. (I’ve heard that this Knowing is your intuition and that it is direct communication from the Universe to you).

Have I found my True Self? I believe I’ve touched on the spark of it from time to time. When I’m deep in meditation, I sense its quietness. And I know that as I move further away from my conditioned mind of duality, that light will be blasting out from me! That inner light that Knows and IS peace and love and eternal calm.

Well, there you have it. That’s me for today. Just sharing and hoping it helps you in some way.

Sending love,debi

#trueself #selfdiscovery #enlightenment #beherenow #journey #path #reiki #mikaousui #usuisensei #fransstiene