Allowing the Soul to Breathe

Allowing the Soul to Breathe
by Tammie Renea Rizer-Averyt

    The dream has been acknowledged. We have become aware of our creative passion. We feel it. We see it. We accept it. Now what?

    We begin by having our intentions in good order. We take an honest inventory of our motivating factors and consciously decide to allow the soul to use our creative passion in positive ways. Once this is established, once we have entered into this agreement with the soul, we are able to open ourselves to the journey that lies ahead.

   We open our hearts and minds. We hear the voice within as it nudges us along our true path. Sometimes it is a mere whisper, but there are also times when it is quite assertive. It's during these times of assertion when we may feel the most anxiety. We experience peace when we do not resist the soul's struggle for freedom. Persistence won't always be easy; there will be times when we're convinced of "forces" working against us.

    For instance, at 4 a.m., as I attempt to keep up with the phrases streaming from my mind, the computer freezes. Since I am mid-sentence, I quickly grab my pen and continue writing on a nearby sheet of paper. I am frustrated at first, due to fatigue at this early morning hour. Keeping up with my thoughts on the keyboard had already been challenging; now I must jot them down the old-fashioned way. My fatigue is mixed with adrenaline, however, as I am resolute in my decision to respond to these inner promptings. I refuse to ignore them any longer. I stayed awake writing until after midnight; here I am again. I didn't want to risk losing the steady flow of thoughts as I have done so many times in the past. Too many times I have allowed ideas to dissipate while asking myself, "What's the point anyway?"

    I now understand that there IS a point. If we're not living for our dreams, following the promptings of our creative passion, we're not really living at all. If we cower to our fears, we will remain empty, touching everyone we meet with the bitterness of our withering, dissatisfied souls.

    So what does this mean in practical terms? It means surrounding ourselves with inspiration. It means simplifying our lives rather than filling them with distractions to be used as excuses. It means taking our dreams and goals seriously, whether any one else does or not. Most importantly, it means taking full responsibility for making the most of our lives and for living fully, passionately, and as splendidly as we possibly can!