The
Path of Illumination
by Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed.
Change is a mythological journey, where we
hear the call; go with uncertainty into unknown dangers, until we finally
find our way home. You can become what your spirit intended you to be—whole,
perfect and free. To free yourself, you must step into the light, be brave
and take action. Although you may feel safe in the dark because it is what
is familiar to you, the safety is within the light. Where there is light,
there is growth. Once you have stepped on the path of transformation, you
are well on your way to a new experience. You can no longer deny the
growth that is taking place within you. If you do, you will extinguish the
growth. You must honor the growth. It is like a growing tree, if you cut
the trunk, it will die. If you deny your own growth, you will kill the
light within you—the golden light of love, peace, and knowingness. You
must stay on the path of illumination.
You are where you are on the spiritual path
because of many things you have experienced and learned. You have
knowledge. But that is not enough, you must apply that knowledge by taking
action and making smart decisions. You cannot stand still. You must keep
walking on the path, progressing forward. The soul is a manifestation of
God’s power. Your soul (like all souls) is infinite, with no beginning
and no end. Each soul is an important part of the universal plan for
humanity’s growth and evolution. We all have the responsibility to
illuminate and enlighten ourselves. Illumination is the higher state of
consciousness. Higher consciousness is the constant, ever-changing
awareness of our psychological truth. It is an awareness not only of
positive, conscious intent, but also of negative, destructive intent that
may lie in consciousness. The spiritual person understands that they must
be aware of unconscious attitudes that prevent positive manifesting. They
know that in order to create a beautiful, fulfilling life the fears that
lie in the unconscious must be brought to the surface, looked at in the
light of reason, worked through and dissolved.
The more this process is done the more
conscious intent and unconscious intent come to unity. Once unity is
achieved it is possible to manifest exactly what one wants.
Just as the caterpillar struggles to break
out of its comfortable cocoon, stretching itself—getting blood to its
wings and body—enabling it to transform itself, you have to experience
some struggle and strain in order to grow. Having gone through the various
stages of growth and transformation, you now have a fuller understanding
of yourself and Spirit. You have shifted from what you are you going to do
to who you are going to be. You have a new perspective (a mental view of
aspects of a subject to each other as a whole) and a wider view of how the
universe works. You have hope, the feeling of being deeply assured that
what you desire is actively coming into existence. Your path is brightly
lit from your shining inner light.
Nancy Passmore once said, Awareness means
participating in your own evolution. When you are aware, you can easily
see the many sides of life. You have the capacity to be multifaceted. Just
as a crystal reflects the many colors when the light shines on it, so too
do we shine when light is put on those parts of ourselves that are hidden.
***This article was adapted from Life
Transformation 101 Workbook: How to Make Life Changes and Let Your Soul Be
Your Guide
____________________
Michelle L. Casto, M.Ed. is a whole
life coach, speaker, and author. She has written three self-help books and
a dozen workbooks on life empowerment topics. Her coaching practice is
Brightlight Coaching. She helps people come up with bright ideas for their
life and empowers them to freely shine their bright light to the world.
Contact her for a complimentary coaching session: coach@brightlightcoach.com
or visit virtually: www.getsmartseries.com,
www.brightlightcoach.com.
Sign up for her free monthly ezine, Get Smart! Live Smart by sending an
email to: Getsmarter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com