Personal Enlightenment

Lately, I have been feeling like God is beside me. I mean really feeling Him. I have felt this way before, but not as strongly as I have lately. I don't quite know how to describe it or what it means. I only know that the feeling is overwhelming. So overwhelming that it sucks the breath out of me, makes me dizzy and more often then not, leaves me weeping. I know. I know. I wish I had better words to make someone understand this strong encompassing emotion, but I don't.

I have never had much of a relationship with God; I am truly sorry to say. I would like to say that I have, but I can't. I think that I tend to reach out to Him the most when I'm in need or feeling sorrowful. That's very bad. I do say nightly prayers, pray for those in need, and thank Him for my blessings. But I think I do it mechanically, for lack of a better word. I don't quite know how to cry out to God! I don't quite know what words to use or how...I feel very lost.

I am looking for something...I can't quite put my finger on it...but something...Some link...some...connection...something...

I would like to talk about God more. I would like to learn more about God. I would like to understand God. I would like to not be ridiculed for my lack of experience and/or knowledge of God.

I would like to be an instrument for God. Sometimes I think I could be one...other times....I forge my own path and disregard God's.

I know I am rambling and not making any sense, but I want, no I need to know what to do with this feeling.

I am so confused.

I came across this article googling inspiration and such. I found it interesting. I thought I would share it. Let me know what you think. Maybe it will help you in your walk with God. Thanks for listening.

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Personal Enlightenment

While enlightenment, like life itself, is a process it only requires that the seeker begin to move his or her consciousness from ego and mind to heart and begin to live from the inside out. We often fail to recognize that our personal enlightenment is a mere 18 inches away, head to heart. Getting to that point however is easier said, than done.

Ego or as it could be called Edging God Out, will fight you every step of the way. While we truly are spiritual beings having a human experience we have also forgotten our origins. As we begin to live our lives we buy into the race or collective consciousness of separation. We forget that we are all One, with each other and with the Creator. As the longing for that connection to Source swirls within, we search for ways to have relationship with each other and with the Universe. The problem is, because we are still a part of the collective consciousness and our thinking is geared in that direction, we search outside of ourselves.

Religions, churches, and even Spiritual Guru’s have capitalized on both the need to find God and the belief that God is “out there.” Our desire to have relationship draws us to the various spiritual practices that seem to resonate within us. We follow the beliefs and practices of our chosen faith in an effort to return once again to God, but God has not gone anywhere.

The Source of all life is Omnipresent, meaning everywhere at once. There is an old saying: there is no spot where God is not. If this is true, than God is within everything and everyone, even the seeker of personal enlightenment. To find God and enlightenment then, we need look no further than within our very being.

So how does one look within, move one’s consciousness, and/or live from the inside out? It is first and foremost a conscious choice. Once a person has made the decision to have direct communion with the God of their being, it is a matter of taking time to do jus that, spend a little time with God. Prayer and Meditation are perhaps the best vehicles to achieve your desired goal of connection to the Creator. Just as you take time to be with family and friends, setting aside time to be with the God of your being is vital.

Prayer consists of more than beseeching God to answer and fix all that is not right in your life. In fact, Jesus taught us to affirm that all we need is already available to us. Prayer then becomes about being in gratitude for all you do have, all that is right, and to be in gratitude for all that is coming to you now. It becomes about knowing that God already has answered our needs and it is up to us to see the result.

Sending the creator this type of thank you is something Jesus also taught. Each time he prayed he thanked God in advance for answering the prayer he was about to lift. If we look at the way Jesus prayed we will note that he did not beg for what he desired, he simply knew it was answered, and it was. In this way, prayer becomes a way to co-create with God. Much in the same way Jesus co-created the miracles he performed. While he prayed to his father in heaven he also taught us the kingdom of God within. Perhaps, this means than that sending prayers up to the sky is not necessary, maybe we need to direct the prayers within ourselves.

Meditation is simply taking the time to listen. We are often told to listen to the still small voice within, so what or who is that voice if not the voice of God? In meditation, we practice quieting our minds and body for a period of time. Willing our consciousness to move from head to heart where we can sit in peaceful silence and listen. Answers and guidance come when we focus ourselves on the life force within us and stop looking outside of ourselves for enlightment.

Personal enlightment is less than two feet away. As we drop our consciousness from the busyness of our mind to the center of love and light that is our heart, we can rest there in the Presence. In the place of peace, love and joy we are able to open ourselves to the wisdom of the Universe.