Benefit of Hindsight
Have you ever noticed how years after some tumultuous life event, hindsight allows us to see the silver lining that was present in the midst of our life storm?
Somehow, we managed to make it through whatever it was. Now we can see how it made us wiser, stronger and more able to cherish the good things, big and small, in the present moment. Sometimes those current moments happen during periods of upheaval in our lives.
Grandparents Have Experience
Grandparents are particularly good at doing this because they have a long history of traversing life’s storms. They have had decades of experiencing the good (positive), the bad (negative) and everything in between.
They have had the benefit of an extended stay at the “Earth Motel” and can better put things in their appropriate perspective. They know that the intense, heart-pounding traffic accident or tragic heartache of loss of today will be seen through a different lens in the years to come when the benefit of time and perspective have had a chance to enter and weave their way into our consciousness.
All Things Come to Pass
It is not that our elders are insensitive, it is quite the contrary. They are able to recognize that the pain, suffering and challenges of the present situation are both real and intense, but they also know that all things come to pass.
They can simultaneously have caring and compassion for others in the moment while possessing the grit of having “been there, done that and got the t-shirt.” They know how to push through the immediate challenge or crisis to the calmer seas that await.
Storms and Sunny Skies
Time and time again they have seen the storm of today subside to be replaced by sunny skies of tomorrow. They have lived long enough to know that out of the travails of life’s immediate challenges comes the wisdom and insights that will serve them the rest of this life, and into future lifetimes, as well.
How Can We Benefit?
So, how can we benefit from this longer perspective, especially when we haven’t been around long enough to have gained that viewpoint for ourself?
Learn from our Elders
One obvious example would be to talk to our elders and learn from their life experiences.
Sometimes they will share a “Happily Ever After” story from their life; while at other times their experience may sound more like a Greek tragedy. In either case, we can benefit from knowing the how, what, and why of the event so that we can gain insights from their life happenings.
Read the Classics
Then there are the classics – mainly books, not movies. Reading classic literature is helpful, but many people do not have the interest or wish to spend the time to trudge through these wonderful gems. It can be quite time consuming.
However, those who have read many of the classics have the benefit of seeing the patterns of worldly and life events beyond their own years. I am particularly fond of The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1,001 Nights, Canterbury Tales and Fairy Tales of Brothers Grimm as just a few mixed examples.
Utilize our Own Spiritual Connections
Then there is the most potent, insightful source of information we all possess, which is the connections we have to our Higher Guidance.
This includes the Divine, which is our shorthand reference to each person’s unique connection to whatever aspect of God they relate to. It might be Yahweh, The Father, Brahman, Jesus, Allah, etc., and even Buddha or some other spiritual or cosmic being. Even our High Self is part of this mix.
We also may have angels, archangels, light beings, and those souls who have had earthly lives (or other planets) who act as our spiritual counselors and are part of our Higher Guidance.
Nudged by Higher Guidance
Our Higher Guidance is with us all the time, silently nudging us to make better decisions in our life. This Guidance knows every detail of our entire Life Plan, the nature of our current life path, and all the possible avenues we may choose to explore in life.
The beauty is that even when we cannot hear them during meditation, prayer, or deep reflection, we are receiving guidance and information from them energetically, or spiritually, depending upon which way we view things.
Manifested Events of Life’s Choices
They also know that all the events of our life are their because we have drawn them there, to loosely paraphrase Richard Bach. However, it is how we choose to respond to those events manifested by our life choices that is the key. Let me use one of my past lives as an example of what not to do.
My Past Life Lessons
In my lifetime centuries ago in England I was a specialized soldier for the King. This was an intense, sorrowful and tragic life for the most part. Yet, cumulatively through all the events of that life, I learned that my (literal) combative approach to solving problems only created more problems for myself and others, and occasionally for the king.
The lesson for me from that lifetime was this: The more combative I became the more of it that I experienced in life, over and over. And it took me an entire lifetime to figure that out.
Wiser for the Experiences
Now, in this lifetime, I merely have to experience one challenging event or situation to glean the higher lesson of love and to let go of any hurt, anger, or resentment that may have been buried within me (emotional baggage). It no longer takes a lifetime of focused negativity for me to change course and move toward more positive, uplifting focuses.
Conspiring to Help Us
Knowing that, if we can recognize that the Universe and our Higher Guidance are always conspiring to help us grow to greater heights in life, we learn to respond in our present situation in heart-centered love so that our life can unfold in a different, better and higher way than before.
Loving Response, Better Outcomes
Have you ever noticed how some people just respond uncharacteristically positively in the most challenging situations? Things just seem to get better much faster for them, and on a more permanent basis.
Because they choose to respond in love instead of anger, the situation seems to improve all by itself. They live from the knowing that the higher pathways of their life are just around the corner. And for them, sure enough they are!
Choosing Our Response
Now, some people respond to life’s challenges with anger, resentment, sorrow and frustration. Then they wonder why the same negative things keep repeatedly happening to them.
With this in mind, it was Albert Einstein who said that the definition of insanity was to do the same things over and over again and expect a different result.
If we only focus on the negativity of a situation we can miss the moments of insight, clarity and joy that are inevitably mixed into all of life’s happenings.
My past life in Wales, England was a perfect example of that; I missed countless opportunities to make things better (and then blamed others for my choices).
Unable or Unwilling?
When I look back at that lifetime, it was clear that I desperately wanted things to get better, but was unable — mostly unwilling — to make the changes necessary to move into the light of love that presented itself over and over again during that lifetime.
Open Our Spiritual Heart in Love
Again, if we can accept the possibility that the Divine and our other Higher Guidance are using the intensity of life’s events to open us up and respond from our spiritual heart in love, then we will attract the joy, happiness and fulfillment waiting for us on the other side of life’s storms.
All is Well!
It is with that perspective that we say, “All is Well!” knowing that it may not seem that way in the moment.
Dead Sea Scrolls and Gnostic Texts
When we say that “All is Well!” it is to see it from the deeper perspective found in the Gospel of Thomas in the Gnostic texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls. In that writing Jesus said to the disciples “The Kingdom of The Father is spread upon the earth, and men do not see it.”
It is with that insight we are reminded that whatever arises in life hidden in the backdrop of the challenges and tragedies is the Love of the Divine that is always there, if only we can learn how to listen and respond in love in that moment.
Responding in Love is its Own Reward
Yes, this is easier said than done. But love is a response that provides its own reward!
The famous pastor Robert Schuller wrote a book titled, Tough Times Never Last, but Tough People Do! Which is to say, that if we can see the Divine Light pouring through challenging and tragic situations, we can experience our bliss in life, both in the midst of chaos or calm.
We Are All Guided
At Shays Holistics, we know that those on the spiritual path seek to be guided. We believe that our Higher Guidance uses our being’s natural spiritual connection to gently shepherd us, even when we are unaware of that invisible hand.
Listen to One of Our Guided Meditations
With that in mind, we invite you to listen to any one of the many guided meditations we offer on our website. Every meditation will first bring you to a deep meditative state where you connect energetically with your Higher Guidance.
It is through that connection that the Divine, our High Self and entire extended spiritual crew of guides, angels, light beings use to nudge us to our higher choices, even when we feel we cannot hear them.
Know In Yourself – All is Well!
As you stay connected to your Higher Guidance this enables you to know and feel in the center of your being that truly “All is Well!”
