The Courage to Listen

Something in the soul burns. You feel it, but do you listen?

Our ego or lower self might seem to know all the answers and just what we are supposed to do, but it is our soul that truly knows how to live. The soul cries to us, causing a feeling of discomfort each time we are ignoring Her.

The Soul calls for us to name what is not working and needs adjustment in our lives, whether in the area of our relationships, social justice, vocation, home, creativity, spirituality or simply our own personal development.  When we listen to this call, we are then moved into action.

How often have you found yourself repeatedly speaking of how much you would like for something to happen or manifest?

We pray. We meditate. We recite affirmations. All of these are wonderful for helping us to align with the soul, but we must also act. The soul is urging us to clean up what is not working, to take a stand and move toward a new vision.

I have felt this soul burning all summer on many levels.  In response to this call to action, I’m in the midst of a complete renewal of my website and business branding. I’m working diligently to create a new program that will launch right after Thanksgiving. But the strongest call has been like a deep heartbeat in my soul, and I came to realize this week that it has been the heartbeat of our Great Mother Earth thumping within me, calling me to connect more deeply with Her, and to share my love for Her with others.

For a while, I resisted this call.  I kept making excuses as to why it was not possible to act. Yet, late last week, I accepted the call. Now, tomorrow, I will be leaving to go to North Dakota and stand with the Water and Earth protectors there. I have felt called to go, even if only for a short time, and to take my children with me to express the importance of this cause.

I have never been the activist type. I am at peace and contentment with the sacred activism I practice every day in my own home and daily life through my lifestyle choices.

Yet I have felt that the Water and the Earth are calling, asking us to participate in their protection and support the indigenous people who work so tirelessly to fight for our Mother.

The indigenous people of this planet have carried a deep connection to our Mother Earth for thousands of years, and have stood in environmental activism throughout history. They have been speaking out more and more, and are now standing in North Dakota, preparing to camp through the bitter cold of North Dakota’s winter, to protect the Missouri River from having an oil pipeline cross through it and create tremendous risk for the drinking water of over 18 million people.

The Native American tribes in the Dakotas have so little, and so many sacrifice what they have to protect the Earth. I have been deeply moved by the global show of support for their cause, with over 200 tribes from all over the world gathering in North Dakota in solidarity to stand for what their souls call them to do.

Last week, I decided my soul deserved to be listened to, and in that week, I have now gathered over 25 additional people to join me, many of whom are youth who will volunteer, and have the opportunity to experience the kind of connected unity that our souls long for.

This will be a trip of a lifetime, in celebration of Indigenous Peoples Weekend and our Mother Earth. We will spend time helping to prepare the camps for winter, connecting to the Earth in prayer, connecting with each other in ceremony, and connecting more deeply to our soul, and the World Soul calling us to listen.

Listening takes tremendous courage, and often our lower nature will give us every reason we cannot do something we feel called to do. It is not necessary to pack up and drive 12 hours to stand for a cause, but…

What can you do right now, today, this very moment, to listen to your soul?

What is She saying to you? What is causing that nagging discomfort that so clearly lets you know something isn’t aligned? Is it the need for self care? The knowing that it’s time for that conversation you’ve been avoiding? The fatigue and upset you feel when you’ve neglected your nourishment, even while you know there are other choices that would allow your soul to shine through more powerfully?

You have absolutely everything it takes to answer the call of your soul.

If you didn’t, your soul would not be calling you! Sometimes we must leap, and trust that the next step will be shown to us. How often in your past have you experienced times when you had no idea how things would work out, and yet some how they did? There are so many unknowns, and we live in a culture that constantly wants to know everything before doing anything.

I’m writing this week to challenge you to take a leap for your soul, to step into something completely unknown and notice how much your soul dances with joy for the opportunity to experience, create, and evolve.

I hope that you find this video inspiring as you step into your courage during this Michaelmas time of year.  The dragons we fight with Michaelic strength are simply the fears we are working to replace with love.

Will you do what it takes to answer the call of your soul?  Will you step into the courage that is available to you?

Let’s do it together!

P.S.  If you feel moved to contribute toward the peaceful movement to protect our Mother Earth from the black snake (i.e. dragon of continuing reliance upon fossil fuel) that threatens Her life-giving water, please see my friend Lynne Colombe’s fundraising website, Stand for Standing Rock.

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