Oxymoron? Perhaps; however there is powerful mojo just waiting to reveal itself for the exploration!
Halloween is upon us and regardless of your beliefs or feelings about this holiday, it carries some major weight in all we do each year — spending, planning, celebrating, contemplating! On the lighter side, it is a time when we as adults can allow our inner child out to play and temporarily escape the routine and mundane of our lives! On the darker side, it can also be a time when thoughts, feelings and actions become seemingly possessed by dread, fear and anger! Both of which, by the way, tend to "mask" our true struggles with life. As we seek to create meaningful existence — to leave our mark on this world — despair and hope battle to dominate our lives! What are we to do?
I have shared with you the Four Givens in life — those areas over which we have little or no control — Life is a Struggle, Lives Are Shattered, Life Goes On and Relationships Do Continue! We have explored the necessity of spending appropriate amounts of time in each area in order to acknowledge the realities of "mean times" when they enter our lives as well as establish a realistic perspective about what lies ahead of us in the "meantimes" — the times between the initiating event and the continuation of life with a "new normal." We do this in order to create structure for the transitions that await us.
We have also explored the power of Possibility Living when we looked at the Two CAN DOs — which are Life CAN Be Good and People DO Create Good Lives! These two areas focus our attention on dreaming or "blueprinting" what our good life will look like and then the actual steps taken to construct that good life we desire.
Now comes the Scary part — finding the support necessary to work persistently and consistently toward those goals! The first of the Three Support Systems necessary for successful completion of our tasks is that we must learn to take all of our dreams and action steps for the creation of our good life and filter them through our Belief and/or Value System. In other words, we must tap into that which is above us — that which is bigger and stronger and more far-reaching than we! We must tap into our Spiritual Core!
One reason that this endeavor can be scary is that many of us are not clear about what makes up our personal Spiritual Core. We have never really taken the time to study or contemplate the definition of "spiritual" much less entertain how that definition might affect what we dream or do.
A second reason for the scary nature of this endeavor is that we might, in our process of exploration, discover that our Spiritual Core is merely in place by default. In other words, we might discover that our beliefs and values are in place primarily and perhaps ONLY because we were "raised with them!" Now this is not saying that the beliefs and values with which we were raised are defective. It is simply bringing to light that we may have embraced blindly without examination. There is always potential danger is such action.
A third reason for the scary is that we may determine that our Spiritual Core must be reworked in order to create dreams and follow plans that truly free us to be all we are meant to be! We might possibly be branded a renegade; a "turncoat;" an iconoclast; a "flip-flopper;" or even worse — "Nuts!" More often than not, a complete overhaul of our Spiritual Core is unnecessary — we may simply need a "tune-up" or an adjustment here and there or a sharpening of our focus.
Regardless, when we begin to explore that which provides meaning and purpose in life — that which takes us outside ourselves into a realm that forces us to see the world in broader scope — the fear of the unknown can become a barrier to complete fulfillment in life.
The December 2008 edition of Cowboys and Indians Magazine contains a fascinating article — second in a series about cowboys who made the West what it was and is — that caused me to reflect on my own personal beliefs and values anew. Gene Autry lived 90+ years leaving behind multiple legacies of profound importance that will be felt for generations to come. This particular article outlined Gene Autry's "Cowboy Code," or "Cowboy Commandments." Read on and indulge in the simple yet profound wisdom of his words.
- The cowboy must never shoot first, hit a smaller man or take unfair advantage.
- He must never go back on his word or a trust confided in him.
- He must always tell the truth.
- He must be gentle with children, the elderly and animals.
- He must not advocate or possess racially or religiously intolerant ideas.
- He must help people in distress.
- He must be a good worker.
- He must keep himself clear in thought, speech, action and personal habits.
- He must respect women, parents and his nation's laws.
- The cowboy is a patriot.
Gene Autry wrote these in response to young radio listeners who aspired to be like him! Amazing, isn't it?
I wonder what might happen if we were to follow this particular set of beliefs or values and apply them to all of our endeavors? How might our politics be affected? Our business dealings? Our friendships? Our disagreements? What might happen to our marriages or relationships with partners or significant others? In what ways would our dreams for a good life be altered or enhanced? How might our action steps be influenced?
What are your beliefs and values — truly? Have you ever really sat down and written them out? Do you know what you believe/value and for what purposes? How often have you taken inventory of the components that make up this crucial life filter? How "in line" are your dreams and plans with your beliefs and values? When is the last time you really tapped your Spiritual Core for a progress report?
Perhaps now is the best time to stop all the busyness of living and take stock of our Spiritual Core. I challenge each of us to filter our dreams, plans and action steps for successful living through our personal beliefs and values! Scary? Perhaps! Scary Spiritual indeed!
Until next time . . . Peace!
Mark
Copyright 2008 Mark E. Hundley
