Transforming Our World through Our Gifts

Pressure is often the catalyst for transformation. Wood, fiber, metal, clay and other raw materials become transformed – oftentimes into something useful or beautiful – with conscientious pressure, intention and skill. To say, “2020 has been a year of relentless pressures” would be a gross understatement. And the year is just two-thirds over!
 
We can easily identify several public, mass challenges that have marked our lives this year – at least somewhat directly – but many of us are facing more personal pressures as well.
 
Death, divorce, depression, division, and disaster come to mind… and that’s just a few of the Ds. No matter the personal affects of 2020, one might wonder, “What did I sign up for here?” And that’s a good question, which deserves some openhearted contemplation.
 
With a quiet mind and grounded neutrality, contemplate this unprecedented time as it relates to you. Here are some good starter inquiries:

• What is 2020 trying to offer me?
• What can I learn, develop, or transform within me at this time?
• What have I been avoiding that is beckoning my attention?
• What gifts do I possess to meet the current challenges?
• How can I care for myself more fully, gently?

 
These contemplations can be held lightly in meditation and allowed to rest, with revelations unfolding over several days. You can also address them more directly, writing each question at the top of a page and allowing the free-form “answers” to flow from your pen, without hesitation or judgment. Another approach is to ask one specific question before bed, trusting that your dreams will offer insights. Recording the dream upon waking sharpens your recollection of it and prompts your inner wisdom for interpretations as details surface.
 
Meeting the pressures of life with inquiry and contemplation empowers us to find the wisdom and opportunities that are buried within. Using what we discover for positive transformation takes intention and willingness.
 
As much as we would love to rest on our laurels with grace and ease, 2020 (and the next few years, according to some astrologers) is demanding more of us – globally and individually. Our collective awakening is gaining momentum now. As infinite beings, we are always a work in progress, ever capable of growth with a plethora of innate gifts to support our evolution.
 
In times of intense pressure, how can we develop our capacities for transformation toward something we actually desire? Not everyone is equally skilled, nor beholds the same vision of usefulness or beauty that transformation can accomplish. To apply a one-size-fits-all suggestion may not resonate. Or work. Yet a simplistic starting point is: know thyself.
 
Currently, many of our shadows and unresolved issues are coming to the forefront. The things we don’t like seeing, feeling, or hoped we’d get to bypass are demanding our attention. Awareness and understanding of ourselves, as well as our so-called issues, make room for acceptance and, if willing, change.
 
Knowing our “personality” is not enough, we must dig deeper – carefully and consciously unearth the rubble and trust we will find some gems.
 
Many of our wounds have devolved into unconscious patterns: feeling bad, closing our hearts, mistreating others or ourselves, acting carelessly, and so on. The more traumatic wounds may appear large and looming, like massive, immoveable stones; whereas smaller discords are more like pebbles that misshape and weigh down our pockets. Unresolved wounds and feelings of unworthiness aren’t “bad,” per se, but are not optimal for joyful authenticity and healthy empowerment. It’s reasonable to deduce that our wounds and beliefs about unworthiness lead to destruction – and we have a chronic condition.
 
The spiritual evolution we are undergoing is not asking for perfection; is it urging us to resolve hindrances to our greatest expression. What we transform within ourselves inextricably affects our world.
 
Fundamentally, we have a natural aptitude for taking care of our needs, albeit sometimes only primordially. As babies we either fulfilled our own needs (sleep, elimination, thumb-sucking) or cried instinctively to get them met (nourishment, comfort, care). Metaphysically, our more subtle faculties also preserve and protect us as we navigate through life. Our inherent remembrance of Oneness enables love, our keen ability to empathize reinforces connectedness, and our capacity to sense emotions and potential volatilities helps us decipher unspoken words or situations.
 
Yet, the wounds and traumas we endure can morph into layers of fear and protectiveness, obscuring our innate gifts, our expression of our authentic selves, and our joy. 
 
By recognizing and cultivating our inherent gifts we begin to dissolve the blocks that limit us and clear the pathways that lead us back to our essence – the origin of our power and joy.
 
Whether working with a skilled practitioner, participating in a conscientious group, or choosing to work alone, understanding the core of our obstacles can help us access self-compassion and illuminate our capabilities. With conscious assessment, we can discover the relation between obstacle and gift. For example, if hurt-feelings, rejection and abandonment are wounds that became blocks, we can “turn the coin over” to recognize caring, love and connection as foundational gifts.
 
Try this simple exercise using list-making to discover your hidden gems:

• In the column of “Obstacles” note what you consider blocks or shortcomings (afraid, impulsive, angry); you can also be more specific (I am afraid to try new things, I don’t think before I act, I seem to be angry all the time).
• Before approaching the column of “Gifts,” get centered in your heart. Invoke a simple inward intention, close your eyes and take some deep breaths while focusing on your heart chakra; or place your hands over your heart, softening your defenses.
• As you contemplate each of the “Obstacles,” intend to see your underlying “Gifts.” Approach each item with, “What gift is this shortcoming trying to protect?” For example, fear (to try new things) may indicate your sensitivity to harsh people, out-of-sync situations, and a natural tendency to find healthy structure and balance. Trust and write whatever comes, digging deeper for nuggets.

 
With your list of gems, decide which ones you wish to polish first and brainstorm ways in which to do so. Do you want to take a class? Read books? Moreover, take note of what you are already doing to preserve your gifts. If you are naturally sensitive, fortify healthy ways to preserve your sensitivity. You may decide to learn the art of clairvoyance, clairaudience or mediumship. If your big heart loves deeply but you’ve guarded it from intimacy, maybe you learn relationship-building skills in a safe and compassionate environment.  If underneath your criticism and judgment you discover your affinity for peace and justice, perhaps art will be a joyful way to express and create the harmony you envision.

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There may not be a universal method for transformation, but cultivating your gifts can unleash interest, passion and meaning. Whether tangible or metaphysical, cultivating new or neglected gifts takes practice. Yet, in reaction, defiance, discouragement and doubt may also arise. Practice anyway.
 
Although we may not see immediate results, the shifts are profound. It is time to consciously transform all that has kept us in separation, pain and fear into the love-based reality we envision. Fortunately, we co-create it by applying our inherent gifts and becoming who we are meant to be.

"Transforming Our World through Our Gifts" can be read on page 112 in the October 2020 issue of OM Times Magazine (subscription required).