Yes, I know the government is corrupt. Yes, I know there are people conspiring. Yes, I know people can lack integrity. Yes, I know that western culture is materialistic. Yes, I know that corporations are self-serving. Yes, I know that the media is manipulative. Yes, I know it is hard to trust love. Yes, I know that it can be difficult to believe in God. I share many of your concerns.
And I also know that we cannot change the world without acknowledging what is wrong. I know that we must stand against that which shames, oppresses and damages humanity. I know that we should not ignore the injustices and put on a fake smile. I know that we must find our voice and stand our ground.
I know that we must fight for our right to the light. I believe deeply in forward moving criticism.
But something doesn’t feel quite right. You complain all the time. You have made negativity a full time job. You don’t make an effort to find solutions. You blame everything on the world out there. You don’t actually do anything positive to effect change. And you seldom acknowledge the positive steps humanity has made. You seldom acknowledge the beauty around you. You almost never see the light in the darkness.
I know something from my lived experience. I know that the light is always there. It is there, in the breath that keeps you alive, in the smile of a child, in the yet another chance to find your path. It is there in the rise of the feminine, in the therapeutic revolution, in the burgeoning quest for authenticity. If you can’t see it, then the issue is a personal one, for there are signs of progress everywhere.
And I also know from a lifetime of overcoming that is possible to hold it all at once. To fight against injustice while still embodying the light. To see where we are lacking, while rejoicing in our abundance. To express our anger, and to live our gratitude. To feel overwhelmed by an unfair world, while still achieving our goals. To see how far we have yet to travel, while applauding how far we have come.
And so I wonder what lives below your perpetual negativity? Apart from the problems with the world, what happened that darkened your lens? What made the glass empty? Is it really all about the world ‘out there’, or are there also unresolved personal experiences that need to be healed? What are you really trying to express about the lack of love, attention, and satisfaction in your life? What lives below this victimhood? What is your deeper complaint? What needs to expressed and resolved so that you will see some light shining through again? Please don’t wait until the world is perfect, for it will never be so.
Dear friend, how can I help you to believe again?
Written by Jeff Brown
A former criminal lawyer and psychotherapist, Jeff Brown is the author of Soulshaping: A Journey of Self-Creation, and Ascending with Both Feet on the Ground. Endorsed by authors Elizabeth Lesser, Oriah Mountain Dreamer and Katherine Woodward Thomas, “Ascending” is a collection of Jeff’s most popular spiritual graffiti — quotes, soul-bytes and aphorisms frequently shared in social media. He is also the author of the viral blog Apologies to the Divine Feminine (from a warrior in transition) and the producer and key journeyer in the award winning spiritual documentary, Karmageddon, which also stars Ram Dass, Seane Corn, David Life, Deva Premal and Miten. He has written a series of inspirations for ABC’s Good Morning America and appeared on over 200 radio shows. His third book, Love it Forward, was published on Valentine’s day, 2014. He is also the owner of Enrealment Press and the creator of a new online school, Soulshaping Institute (www.soulshapinginstitute.com), which launched in February, 2015. His new book, a higher consciousness love story called An Uncommon Bond will begin opening hearts on May 20, 2015.
4 comments
I loved it! It spoke so well to the little voice inside my head that’s always judging, trying to be better than, pushing everyone else down.
Jeff,
I believe in the innocence of children and adore them. Literally.
I will never allow anybody to hurt them. Again.
R.
Well hope this gets through! Had to go through a few different codes to have some confidence that I could determine what the letter was for sure so here goes… My heart is breaking for my Mother, whom if you recall our consultations we have had by phone. Yes,she is dieing…Just found out that she is no longer taking a shower she is too weak…I made her an old favorite family recipe last Sunday, all is well with us again, thank God! But she has shared her last requests with me as far as she has made her Funeral arrangements. No obituary, no service, just a quiet cremation, and she wants me to have her ashes with me, I will have to pay $100.00 to get them from the funeral home, her estate will pay for the cremation, all of that is fine with me. She says she just wants to die alone, she said she has just finished the entire Bible and God gave her a check list and all is done now. She refuses to come to live with me, she wants to stay where she is, but she is refusing Hospice Care also. She says she doesn’t want to be under any Doctor’s care at all. She doesn’t want morphine or anything, feel like she wants to be some kind of martyr! Yet my finances are difficult now too, and running back and forth will now be a financial hardship on me, it is difficult to find a job under these circumstances… My purpose is love for her and I now have to completely Trust in God, my brothers are just there for the basics not for the love just what they want from her death that they think they will gain, in her passing, actually only my youngest brother will gain. So here I am again rescuing??? This is my Mother, whom we have always been so close with a special connection…they almost destroyed that with their jealousy of me and my Mother’s close relationship, through the years…Have to go very deep now what to do with all this, yes love is my gift, but how do I risk my future finances and my own responsibility to myself? Is this what God was saying to me about trust in Him completely? How do I honor my Mother and honor myself at the same time??? I really do not understand why this has all fallen on my shoulders, yes, my mother abandoned us, somewhat, but we have reconciled that years ago, and for years I helped her carry that pain with my brothers. Surrendered it all and now this… Thank you for your prayers for clarity in this matter and in this next step on my journey to truth-self, and truth-ache and true-soul-heart-self. I cannot and will not abandon my Mother…Everything will work out, “Better out than in” ALL IS WELL! Thanks for letting me release again!
Another brilliant contribution by Jeff Brown. Wow.