Succumb to the Danger of Growth

May You Succumb to the Danger of Growth.

– John O’Donohue

As the year ends, we often look back and take stock of what we have or have not accomplished. What items did we cross off the “to-do” list? What items got moved ahead to next year’s list? What items did we decide were unworthy of our attention and we threw them on the Samhain fire?

It may seem early to be talking of growth when we’re still caught up in the season of light, but I ask you to slow down for a moment and consider gifting yourself the “Danger of Growth”. Growth can take on any form you choose – you may be the one who opts to get out more or the one who stays quiet. You may choose the growth of exploring a new spiritual belief or simply being in nature with Spirit’s wondrous delights.

You may choose to grow through fun activities or deep studies, walking the Camino de Santiago, exploring the Amazon Rainforest, or the concrete jungle of New York. What you choose to Be, Do, or Have doesn’t really matter.  It is answering the invitation that matters.

What makes your ego perceive Growth as Dangerous? Did you fall one too many times? Are you afraid you won’t get back up this time? Yet haven’t you always?

Think of a time in the past when you succumbed to the Danger of Growth.  Was the payoff greater than the risk? Were you happy you did it? 

One of my greatest Danger of Growth moments was traveling to Peru to work with Ayahuasquero and Maestro Huachumero healers.  If I had listened to my friends and family I would have stopped in my tracks.  This is just a sampling of what I heard: “Don’t you know there are poisonous snakes in the jungle?” “Seriously, you’re going to the jungle to take drugs?” “What about malaria?” “It’s a third-world country, you’ll die there!” “What the hell, are you crazy!” and from my partner at the time, “If you go, We. Are. Done.”

Yes, it was scary.  But I knew, without a doubt, that I was meant to do this. I had always known, always, that I would work with Shamans. I won’t lie to you the first ceremony was brutal – I wanted to come home.  I threw a hissy fit that would make a hangry two-year-old proud.  Fortunately, Don Howard gently convinced me to stay, and I am so grateful!  Beyond that initiation came the real growth. Once I purged the anger and rage, the insight and wisdom were able to break through.  That choice changed my life!

I came home after those twenty-six days and changed my life completely over the next two years.  The best choices of my life were made then, and I have built on that foundation to create happiness and fulfillment I could only imagine were possible.

You too have choices to make:

What do you want to be?
What do you want to do?
What do you want to have?

What do you want to be?

Are you in the health industry but have you always wanted to go to NYC and try your skill on Wall Street? You want to be a shark, make big money, and live in a fancy penthouse in the city that never sleeps!  What stops you? Write down the reasons you can’t, and then write down the Truth – which is YOU CAN.  Write down all the ways that it is possible. Anything is possible, if you are willing to risk, be creative, work hard (yeah, they always leave this step out), risk some more, create some more, and work harder.  Once upon a time, I majored in nursing, then that class came when I found out we had to give shots. Shots? Shots involve needles! I HATE needles! I can’t even look at a syringe without panicking.  My nursing career was over.  Fortunately, many years later I discovered alternative healing – Shamanic Reiki and Spiritual Life coaching. I can now use my gifts – no needles necessary!  How can you BE all you want to be?

What do you want to do?

Do you want to sing on The Voice, fly planes, learn Reiki, meditate longer and more often, hike the Grand Canyon, build your own website, paint or write or sculpt,  stay home and nest…what do you REALLY want to do? Make a list of at least 25 things you want to do. Choose the top 13.  Get to work on making them happen. I would suggest that you choose activities that challenge you to stretch and grow.

I am never going to bungee jump (that thing could break) but I have walked on fire, parasailed, and slept in a remote cave for three nights alone with just water and a few blankets.  There may be some limitations to what you can do, if you don’t have a spectacular voice, you may not get chosen to sing on The Voice, but you may be able to share the gift of singing in other ways.  There is only one significant difference between those who do and those who don’t do what they want – Belief.  We don’t have to convince Spirit that we can do it, we have to convince our tiny little Ego that we can Do It!

What do you want to have?

Do you want fancy cars, multiple homes, and luxurious vacations? Or are you more the cabin in the woods, hiking and meditating, working enough to buy the seeds for your small garden, type of person? Are there specific items you want to have like those stated above or do you seek qualities in your life like joy, peace, creativity, and security? Again, take the time to list out what you want to have this coming year.

When working with qualities I love to do this exercise. First list the top seven qualities that are most important to you. Next, reduce the list to the top six. Then the top five and so on, until you get to your top One quality.  You may find that the list changes as you winnow down.  For instance, you might have your top three as Love, Peace, and Happiness.  Then when you get to Two you realize you forgot Creativity.  Now you realize you have to add Creativity, but what will you eliminate?  See how that works? My final work surprised me, but then again it didn’t.  As it morphed and changed, when I finally got there–and it didn’t take long–I knew it was the perfect word.

What’s my word you ask?  FREEDOM

What better gift to give yourself than to…

Succumb to the Danger of Growth!

If not now, when?

Love and Light,

BakeR

p.s.

In all these categories, when you make your lists challenge yourself to stretch and grow. Your lists should inspire, excite and be just this side of dangerous!

If your Choices don’t Light you up, I would love to help you Create that Fire!

Email me to set up a free consultation:  baker@thepsychiccoach.net