(
About PeopleJam | Ad Network | Company Blog | Interested in joining PeopleJam as a Business Partner?
Copyright 2008 PeopleJam, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of use | Feedback
BlogBLOG DETAIL
Out of the Darkness and Into the Unknown
The last two months have brought great opportunity, pain and evaluation for me. A host of personal and familial challenges gave me space to question my beliefs, play the victim and re-emerge knowing myself more clearly.
I frequently counsel people that to be a spiritual person means there will be times when we fall so far away from our beliefs that we are not even sure what we believe in anymore. November and December gave me an opportunity to examine this up close and personally. I wish I could say that because I knew what was going on I entered it with grace and understanding, but in the true nature of this form of self exploration, I went kicking, screaming, crying and pouting.
It didn't matter how many times I had the conscious awareness that I was being given and opportunity to redefine myself, it was uncomfortable and not very peaceful. I kept waiting for the Divine Guidance or Inspiration to come and release me from the torture that was manifesting itself physically for me and my family every day (well, it seemed like every day).
In the end, I surrendered to the unknown. I realized that by stepping away momentarily from what I knew to be true, I was giving myself the opportunity to compare and contrast and re-establish what truth is in my heart. Truth doesn't bring a roadmap to the future, only the peace that I am exactly where I need to be right now.
So, I don't know the route, the steps or the landmarks, but I do know that my faith, my connectedness and my core values have been strengthened.
Add To:
If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to our newsletter and we'll keep you updated with fresh new content.
Subscribe to Comments
Subscribe to Comments
comments
Hi Teri,
Nice job describing the "path" of self-discovery! Your blog title, "Out of the Darkness and Into the Unknown" is such an accurate way of describing the process that all of us ultimately must go through, if we are willing. A number of years ago I recall a breakfast meeting that I had with Thomas Moore, author of the bestselling book, Care of the Soul (among other popular writings) and he said: "Our most soulful times are when we are out of balance rather than when we are in balance." This simple-sounding statement was so profound to me at the time (I was going through one of many personal "transitions") AND has stuck with me ever since. It also reinforced a maxim that I learned from my mentor, Dr. Viktor Frankl, who didn't subscribe to the notion of life balance per se. Indeed, to Dr. Frankl, we don't even know if we are "in balance" after we have died! (BTW, think about the meaning of "flat line" in a medical context). In any event, from a distinctly "Logotherapeutic" perspective (the School of Psychotherapy that Dr. Frankl developed), human beings should be focusing not on finding "balance" but on building their capacity to deal with the ups and downs, the ebb and flow, of life. In other words, because life itself is a wave--not a flat line--our mission, should we agree to accept it--is to build our personal resiliency. Soul searching, especially when we are "out of balance," can be viewed as both a personal challenge and window of opportunity for growth. And while we may not know the route, etc., that you describe in your post, it is the strength of your faith, your connectedness, and your core values that gives meaning to your life and propels you forward as you walk your life's labyrinth. Thanks for sharing! Meaningfully, Alex
Alex Pattakos, Ph.D.
Author of Prisoners of Our Thoughts
Center for Meaning
223 N. Guadalupe St., #243
Santa Fe, NM 87501 USA
505.988.5235
alex@prisonersofourthoughts.com