What’s In Your Toolbox?

I was invited to participate in a discussion group at Goshen Friends elementary school here in my home town. The school has started a spiritual development group where several boys and girls from each grade volunteered to represent their peers our future spiritual leaders. The discussion was centered on the question ofWhat is my inner light, and how can I recognize it?

As I reflected on their query and what I was going to speak on, my own inner voice directed me to speak about the internal dialogue we each experience. I have to admit I was a bit nervous to approach the topic in this way, fearing that perhaps discussing my experience with my internal dialogue would land me in the psych unit. To my surprise and delight, what came out of my mouth was a question back to the group,How many of you are aware of two distinct voices in your head, one loud and one very quiet? All hands rose, and thus our discussion blossomed. I went on to share that for me, I believe the very quiet voice to be my inner light.

Over the years I have developed a spiritual toolbox which helps me to restore my connection to my inner light on a daily basis if I choose to open the toolbox. When I am willing to use it, it brings me back to my original condition of a divine being having a human experience. Because I believe I am a divine being in physical form, I like to divide my tools into three areas: my mind, my body (anything physical), and my spirit. Today’s times are challenging, and we have a choice every day of how we approach each and every situation, from getting dressed in the morning to how we treat other people in the world. What are you letting into your mind?

How are you treating your physical world?

And finally, what is your inner light saying to you? Here are some of my favorite tools which restore and renew me:

Mind

  • Read/watch or listen to something inspirational or informational. Be conscious of what you are putting into your mind (turn off news stations on TV).
  • Affirm the good things in life via a gratitude list.

Body

  • Cleanse your body with a soothing bath of sea salt and lavender essential oil. While soaking in the tub, consciously release thoughts which aren’t serving you.
  • Get physical – exercise or clean out clutter in your home/office

Spirit

  • Try the serenity prayer:

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference. (I have had days where I have said this over and over hundreds of times)

  • Spend 5 minutes in the morning listening to the quiet voice, easier said than done and takes a lot of practice (at least for my noisy head).

*************** Copyright 2009 by Christine Baeza. All rights reserved. If you would like to use this article in your newsletter or blog please feel free to do so as long as you include our credit information in full, including an active URL: Written by Christine Baeza of Essence, http://www.elementalessence.net.