Your Soul's Purpose

We all have a divine purpose deep within our souls yearning to be expressed. Some of us ignore it and create distractions to take us off course, some of us deny it, and some of us passionately embrace it, allowing our lives to flourish and flow with what we know to be our truth. We are all born with this innate knowledge of our personal purpose. The challenge is to stay in tune with your soul as the years and life experiences pile on.

It's not unusual for me to ask a client what their life's purpose is and they simply answer, "I don't know". What I suggest to them is that they do know, they need only sit long enough with themselves to feel what resonates within their life path. It often takes some silent soul-searching, mixed with meditation, before they see the light. And when the light hits, all chapters of that person's life miraculously fit together like an artful masterpiece.

I've always known that my calling is in the field of mental/emotional health, but what I've come to realize lately bears a deeper meaning beneath it all. At times in my life when I felt I was taken off course I was actually experiencing the pain I needed to feel in order to help others heal. In hindsight, every painful choice was an act of courage so that I may fulfill my purpose here on earth. I am grateful for every challenging experience in my life for it has brought me full circle to joy, reminding me that I never fell off track, I simply rode among the mountains to become stronger. And in this strength, I continue to fulfill my divine purpose.

In the big picture, we are all here to love and be loved. That is an essential realization as you begin to explore your soul's purpose. First and foremost, loving who you are, regardless of chirpings from the outside world of naysayers, will illuminate the path to your truth. Once that is clear in your mind and heart, you can then begin to explore your divine purpose. Sit in the quiet, connect to Spirit, and breathe in all that you are and have been. Accept it ALL without judgment and allow your chapters to flow. What is a common denominator for you? How have your experiences brought you to where you are today? What are you grateful for? These are a few questions you can ask yourself as you ponder your purpose. Be mindful of every question, practice patience, and it will come.

You might be wondering, why is there a need to explore any of this at all? All I can tell you is I know when I'm living on purpose, and I know when I'm not. The universe aligns with me and flows smoothly when I'm reaching for my meaning. And when I'm not, the universe lets me know that, too. Deep in your heart and soul you know what is right and true. We all feel happier inside when life flows and our hearts open up to the sky. Even in dark times our spirit sees the light through our difficulties. Our soul knows this truth, and when our minds catch up it is a powerful burst of love energy.

After all, in the big picture, we are all here to love and be loved.



From the Author of ‘Living, Loving & Unlearning: A therapist’s guide to healing and living authentically from the inside out’. www.CynthiaBrennen.com
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Cynthia Brennen, LMSW, Contributor, Author. Please see Bio section for additional information.


© 2014 Cynthia Brennen, LMSW

Full Forgiveness is Felt in the Heart

                 

Recently, I had a client who told me she forgave her mother but she still had some residual feelings that were gnawing at her every time she thought about their relationship. My client asked, "Does that mean I haven't really forgiven her?" After thinking about the many years I've sat in my therapist chair listening to countless stories of pain and enlightenment, as well as my up-close and personal experiences with forgiveness, I've come to this conclusion. Forgiveness is a process. It begins in your mind and has a need to settle there for a while in order to give your brain a chance to accept and embrace what is to come. We know that forgiveness is mainly about healing yourself, especially your heart. When we release from another's hold on us it really is freeing, and extremely empowering. When the mind ultimately believes in the truth of its forgiveness it begins to travel to the heart. I explained to my client that she is preparing to travel further into her forgiveness, but first we must work through some of those residual issues and release. Once released, we then do the inner work to fill those gaps that never got filled in childhood. It is never too late to learn to nurture yourself, but first you must truly let go of the resentments seething inside and realize your healing is solely (and soul-y) up to you now. Whether your parents did the best they could, or they didn't, it's time to let that go and give yourself a fresh start.

Once your mind assimilates into forgiveness and journeys to the heart, you will feel a peacefulness you haven't felt before. Your soul smiles knowing that you have received the message of love that stands before you. All feels right in the world because all resentments have been lifted. You've let go and blown the heaviness of your burdens into the universe, reaching the completion of full forgiveness.

So when my client asks me if she hasn't really forgiven because she still has some residual resentments, I simply look at her and say, "Your mind just hasn't caught up with your heart yet." And her soul smiles.

From the Author of ‘Living, Loving & Unlearning: A therapist’s guide to healing and living authentically from the inside out’. www.CynthiaBrennen.com

Cynthia Brennen, LMSW, Contributor, Author. Please see Bio section for additional information.


© 2014 Cynthia Brennen, LMSW