Adulthood

From the feedback I got for my post yesterday, I feel the urge to connect a few more dots. So I was talking about the act of spiritually growing up, by taking responsibility for one's actions or inactions. I talked about how stepping into one's heart energy will automatically evoke a sense of responsibility. I stand by that. What I didn't talk about was the benefits - yes, there are benefits ! The word responsibility leaves such a bad taste in some mouths, that thinking beyond the negative connotations may not be easy. There are positive reactions to a life lead in a responsible manner. I did mention the resulting peace that I imagine would come from it if society as a whole would step into such a place. Since we can't really know for certain, as this civilization has most definitely not yet reached that level of spiritual awareness as a collective, I can but focus back on the effects responsibility has on an individual level.

At first, it makes you feel really grown up - dependencies fall away on their own, because you realize that they are no longer necessary. In one swoop, you will feel empowered. Perhaps you'll feel a bit vulnerable at first, you know similar to when you reach 18 and all of a sudden you're considered to be an adult... Yes, there will be more to this process than reaching and stepping past the threshold from spiritual teenager to spiritual adult, but it can be quite a thrilling moment when you realize that nobody, no religion, no authority, nothing at all will tell you what to believe, how to live your life when it comes to your spirituality. You can still enjoy words of inspiration from various places, but you know deep inside that the actual choice what you will accept as your path is yours alone. Nobody can tell you anything and from one moment to the next, you have freed yourself from religious influences. This does not mean you should no longer attend the services of your chosen church if you attend one. I am not the authority to tell you to stop going there. You will find out within yourself what nurtures your soul and what doesn't and nobody has a right to think they would know what that is - nobody !

It is in this state of independence that you will find that self-empowerment that I was talking about recently. This will be the humanity of the new world. Self-empowered, spiritually adult people who take responsibility for themselves on all levels. In one (easy) step, we can stop putting others down, we can realize that there are as many views as there are people and we can simply walk away from those who think they hold an authority over us. It may not seem that simple, but in reality, it is that simple.

Once you have decided to step into that place of spiritual adulthood, once you have decided to live your life from the perspective of the heart, your choices will be colored by this decision. You will set yourself free, even if you were physically locked in a prison cell, you would be free. It is an inner freedom. Once that inner freedom is realized, your perception of your daily life will most certainly change, as your experience of it is but the mirror of your innermost awareness.

It's like a chain reaction. Based on this sensation of inner freedom, your whole self will be flooded with attributes that have been pointed out as "important", like compassion, patience, understanding, love for all beings including yourself and many more. It is my firm belief, that these attributes come automatically, that they do not need to be fostered, kindled or anything of the sort. The universe is made of love, there is a never ending abundance of it. Once you are free inside, there is room for it and it will be flowing from within your heart outward - In my understanding of things, it is a lot harder to meditate your way towards this freedom, than it is to step into adulthood by choice and embrace that little word "responsibility" with all its implications.