Stepping into Spiritual Honesty

Spiritual honesty requires me to let go of control; to release my perceived control of others, and even myself. When I stop controlling, I am no longer concerned with who likes me. I no longer worry about being good enough. The habit of judging, or feeling judged, no longer occupies my thoughts and my mind is loosed. I become free!

In order to create this freedom, I (we) must release the ego. The ego likes to keep us connected to our past; past habits, past thoughts, past behaviors, and beliefs. The ego is concerned with our being safe, comfortable, and familiar. It likes to be safe in the abuse that we are familiar with and comfortable with old ways of doing things (even if they no longer work). The ego very loudly tells us that we are safe and should stay in the damaging behavioral patterns of the past in contrast to the frightening unknown of making a different choice.

Recently I had the opportunity to practice stepping into spiritual honesty. I was asked to substitute teach a class on Self-Mastery and wow; my ego freaked out. Immediate fearful thoughts jumped into my head. Thoughts about not being good enough, qualified, or capable spun around my brain. Old thought habits I had carried with me for years of low self-esteem stomped around my heart and I wanted to decline the offer. Luckily, I’ve learned to trust myself more and to trust the person who asked me to teach the class. Obviously, they had confidence in me and my abilities, even when I didn’t. I practiced Spiritual Honesty by releasing my ego, letting go of trying to control what I think others think of me (or may think of me after the class), and releasing judgment. I leaned into Faith, Faith in myself and my education and Faith in the Divine in the knowing that it will speak through me in purposeful way; Faith that the Divine is unfolding now in this moment as Divine Right Action. I took the leap and said, “Yes”!

When I am practicing spiritual honesty, I become vulnerable and fully present, I drop any defensiveness, and I let the Love of the Divine flow though me unhindered. I face my ego that wants to keep me stuck in old thoughts, actions, beliefs, and words and I say to it, “I’m so sorry you’re scared. Thank you for protecting me. Let’s make a different choice.” In doing this, I become more me, the ever evolving, growing, learning, and loving ME as a holder for the Divine and not the me that was held back, limited, stuck, and small. I expand into my Goodness as God.

A key to spiritual honesty is to not avoid, to not walk away, to not hide. If you find yourself avoiding, running away from, or hiding then you are not engaged in spiritual honesty. If you medicate, shove down, or deny a feeling, hurt, or trauma, in any way, whether it is taking a yoga class or having a drink, or even hiding a tear, then you are participating in spiritual denial. Spiritual honesty requires vulnerability. It requires a willingness to be seen as flawed and the strength to say thank you to criticism. The Ego quiets when this happens and Divine Peace flows into us. We are released from bondage, released from the shackles of defensiveness, released from the stories of our past. Suddenly, the heart is restored, the mind is cleared, and we become stayed in Love. And, most importantly, we step out into the exciting and creative unknown of life with Faith and a Trust in ourselves and the Divine within. Walking the path of Spiritual Honesty can be tough. It is often thought as easier to stay in old habits, addictions, and pains. Making the choice to be Spiritually Honest can be scary but when we do, the fear becomes excitement, and the excitement drives expansion. It is evolution in action.