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In the Flow
Welcome back to the final of a ten week series in which I have shared my own journey from fog to flow and challenged you to actively engage in your own process. Truth be told, ten weeks is a blip on a screen, hardly enough time to make a significant dent in a very dense fog. But, you know what? The moment the fog lifts, clarity appears; don’t give up five minutes before the miracle!
If you have been following along and engaging in the exercises and visualizations, I do hope they have been helpful. You are always welcome to revisit articles, journal prompts, or visualizations and other exercises.
I’d like to revisit a question from week 1: What is flow? Flow is an alignment of the personality self that is you (or me) to the higher self and Christ Consciousness. This alignment results in your life always moving toward its lessons and its highest purpose with less friction and more ease. And your awareness of this alignment leads to rich moments of learning, gratitude, and joy. When one is in flow, one floats on a river untethered and light. Along the way it takes its winding path, sometimes over the exciting rapids, sometimes into a slow, circling eddy. Allow. Allow. Allow, and you will feel that you are being supported rather than drowning.
Wonderings
This week, I encourage you to take inventory of your own learning and growth. Frame your growth in whatever way feels appropriate for you.
Here are some questions to spend time with:
When have you noticed flow in these past weeks? What allowed for the flow to happen? What might have blocked it?
Who were you? Who are you?
On the continuum of fog to flow, where were you? Where are you?
On the continuum of heaviness to lightness in your being, where were you? Where are you?
What valuable insights (or lessons) have come to you?
In what ways does a daily practice or emergent daily practice support you?
What’s next for you?
In the spirit of sharing, here are my own final reflections.
When have you noticed flow in these past weeks? What allowed for the flow to happen? What might have blocked it?
In these weeks that have passed I have literally floated on the cold water of Lake Michigan, letting the tide take me toward shore. Beyond what I could wish for, the move of my second son to college was incredibly smooth in part thanks to volunteer students. And just today the spirit of generosity arose again when I was the recipient of the kindness of an acquaintance who used his amazing skills to fix my dryer. Flow also has come through happy coincidences like one just recently when my sister and I were talking and had a question about a friend who, in that very moment, texted me an answer to the question (of course she had no idea we were talking about her).
Coming into flow has become a journey of learning how to begin the day with contemplative, centering practices which bring me into alignment with my higher Self. When I disconnect or forget to connect and come solely from a place of Brenda-ego, that’s when life gets foggy and arduous again. Thankfully, this is happening less and less.
Who were you? Who are you?
For me, the most recent leg of my spiritual journey has been about seven and a half years (not 10 weeks!) At about the twelve-week mark all those years ago I was a wife, mother, teacher and woman journaling about learning Trust and Love (and how difficult it is) and how to allow others to walk their own life journey without bearing their burden for them. I ended my journal with “Emotion over Logic.” Now I am both Human and Being and on my best days seeing through the Eyes of the Christ. I am more and more understanding myself as an aspect of the Divine just like everyone else. I am awed at the glimpses of union with all of God’s creation and know myself to be in it and of it and contributing to it.
What’s next for you?
I continue to be immensely grateful for the flow in my life. I continue to practice gratitude and presence. Truthfully, I have very little idea of what’s next for me, but I am comfortably navigating the unknown, trusting that I am exactly where I am meant to be.
What valuable insights have come to you?
Many of my insights arrive one of two ways. Either I am reading a text that challenges me and opens me to ever-widening awareness or I am receiving insights in the liminal space between sleeping and waking. And I am forever on the lookout for my lesson of the day (see article “Life School Mindset”). In theory, I have received 2272 “lessons of the day” since that first journal in June 2016 (although I’m pretty sure some of those lessons have been repeated). Those lessons mean a lot of spiritual growth with much more awaiting. A few of the most potent lessons I have learned first through intellect and then through experience are:
Carry your own backpack.
Love begets love. Fear begets fear.
I am an aspect of the Divine, as is everyone else.
There is no “other”.
Be wary of “should”s.
A few powerful insights I continue to lean on and use often (even in these past ten weeks) are:
When an uncomfortable or challenging situation arises I can ask: Am I operating from a place of fear and/or lack or am I operating from a place of love and/or abundance?
As you experience any moment in life I can ask: What am I learning right now? How can I see this as an opportunity presenting itself?
Do you have a daily practice or emergent practice that supports your growth?
Mindfulness practices, qigong, reading, journaling, Power of Eight, and exercise all support me. To continue learning I read, listen to podcasts, or watch something daily. In recent years I have learned so much from teachers like Richard Rohr, Eckhart Tolle, Pema Chodrön, Thich Nhat Hanh, Brené Brown, Marianne Williamson, Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey, Gary Zukav, Viktor Frankl, and the Guides as channeled by Paul Selig. The Shift Network and Gaia.com are two other “go to’s” for me. And writing and playing my gong for myself and others are my current passions and outlets for creativity and balance.
Finally
In a world that appears to be quite troubling in many, many ways, how we live our lives is no small thing. If we can shed our fears and step through the fog to live in the light and in the flow of life, we truly become beacons for others. To do the work of aligning to Christ Consciousness, Higher Self, God, or Source (whatever name you wish to use) is a fundamental reason for being. That’s a big WOW when you think about it. So even in the midst of all the crazy, take that moment to center, align, Know and Be in the Light and of the Light. That’s the very seat of grace and glory, love and joy.
Journal Prompts:
When have I noticed flow in these past weeks? What allowed for the flow to happen? What might have blocked it?
Who was I? Who am I?
On the continuum of fog to flow, where was I? Where am I?
On the continuum of heaviness to lightness of being, where was I? Where am I?
What are my most valuable insights (or lessons)?
What’s next for me?
In what ways does a daily practice or emergent daily practice support me?
Post Script
I will be taking a short break to reconnect with some family. However, when I return, I will be sharing select moments of gratitude from my eleven years living, working and traveling in Asia with my family. Stay tuned for With a Grateful Heart.
Next Series Coming Soon: With a Grateful Heart
You can find all of my series in the archives:
Parenting 101 Coupons: A Gift from your Parents
Partnering 101: A Deep Dive into Leaving Kindly
Me-Time: Self-care in the time of Covid
Reasons for Hope
From Fog to Flow
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Brenda BraykoWriter. Teacher. Gong Player.
Find more of my writing at GreenBaytoKorea.blogspot.com
Learn about my business at CelestialSoundGB.com
On Instagram @applebb09
All photos by © Brenda Brayko 2022 unless otherwise credited.
Thank you, Brenda! It's an amazing journey!
Thank you Brenda. These are quite helpful as I maneuver the job this year.