Good Day Precious Ones!
Isn't it great to know that we are loved unconditionally by God?! If we truly know that then it is easier to take a good and honest look at what may be driving us without our knowledge or conscious thought. After all hoe often do we acknowledge our "Shadow" side? Do we see those not so positive behaviors or traits?
We all make mistakes from time to time. Can we own them? We all exhibit poor behavior from time to time. Can we see it? We have all made errors in judgement from time to time. Can we see it and learn from it?
The author provides some powerful examples of our disowned behaviors. Your action step for today is tho review her list and circle those behaviors you identify with.
Our questions for the day are:
. What is your first response when you make a mistake? And when others make a mistake?
. Can you identify some of you "Shadow" traits or behaviors?
. How often are you able to treat mistakes as opportunities?
Let YourLight Shine! Remember the light casts out all Shadows!!!
Have a Lightfilled day!
Rev. Sylvia
This is a challenging set of issues! I also can see my growth. My first response when I make a mistake is shame and I want to hide it, disown it or excuse it. My other response is self-righteousness - I was justified in my action because of..... My area of growth has been how I respond when others make a mistake. I try to separate the impact on me from their intention. This is where I have grown. I still feel disappointment but I try to ask questions so we both can learn from it versus getting into blame. In the case of an angry reaction, I know the situation needs me to step back and get clear on what's going on in me before responding.
ReplyDeleteMy shadow behaviors; overcommitting and letting people down and not being honest about it; getting sick when I feel overwhelmed, and using regrets from the past and fear of failure to keep from focusing on an opportunity in front of me.
Treating mistakes as opportunities well that's one I'm working on. After I get over the embarasssment of the mistake I'm able to look for the silver lining..I know there is one and that's a start. I hear my father's voice, "some of your most valuable lessons will come from your mistakes..you made them so you might as well mine them for their gold." I'm getting better at that!
When I make a mistake, the first thing I do is to beat up on myself brutally. I, in the past, would even go so far as to call myself names and say so many offensive things to myself. With others who make mistakes, I am far more forgiving and charitable with the mistakes they make. The attacks I would make on myself reverted back to a time when this type of verbal abuse in my childhood was done to me after making mistakes. As an adult, it finally dawn on me that I had taken on the role of my verbal abusers, which accounted for the sad state I would find myself, after making mistakes. Here again, my only salvation came from MEDITATION and listening to the inner voice which would loudly say, "STOP BEATING UP ON YOURSELF".
ReplyDeleteIn the quietness of myself, the inner love would gently have me look at the mistake lovingly and analyze how the mistake could be corrected or handled in a better light. I was always assured that mistakes are all apart of growing. I have the rest of eternity to get it right. Love myself first and foremost was always prescribed. Through the tears and doubts, I have come to rely on this inner guidance,which constantly picks me up and says try again until you get it right.
Everyday is a challenge to lovingly live and accept that every mistakes is an opportunity to grow and expand my consciousness to the awareness, that I am a God Becoming. I must keep attune to the ever loving God within, which tells me that after this challenge, there are infinite more to follow until I am finally able to graduate to the next level of my spiritual adventure.
Life is but a classroom. Each mistake is an exam that we must keep repeating until we finally achieve success. In the classroom of life, there is no social promotion only perfection. With this knowledge, I will quietly go about facing every mistake head on, knowing that God has my back, pushing me forever forward into Enlightenment.
NAMASTE'
Fisher
Blaming other people for choices I have made...feeling distured and distored by emotions that are "caused" by others....those are two of my shadow behaviors, being self aware of this is only half the battle, stop doing this will take alot of work on my part....Today with this reading I am able to look at a few mistakes as opportunities...
ReplyDeleteEspecially if it is a repeated mistake, I do not talk to myself with compassion or understanding. I demand from myself an explanation regarding “what will it take for me to learn the lesson and move on”. I tend to believe I deserve the results for not truly learning the lesson the first few times I found myself in a similar situation. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes days to stop condemning myself and offer some love and forgiveness. Generally, I forgive others more frequently, easily and quickly than I do myself. Yes, I can identify and own my “shadow” trait, if I must. I have only one shadow trait EGO. Undisciplined and unchecked my ego has bred pride, false sense of self (façade), and an addition to the external world. In the past, mistakes were occurrences to be avoided at all cost or shifted someone else. Mistakes were tangible proof that I had not planned well or researched thoroughly enough. I am reading the book of Isaiah in Chapter 55:8-9 it says “for the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” This scripture reminds me that God is directing the big picture. So what I might call a misstep is God working things out in my favor. This prospective helps me see the good – although sometimes I take the long way home (to God).
ReplyDeleteThank you all for responding to today's questions! They are indeed challenging. I noticed only three brave souls answered and answered honestly! Oh well. I guess it is hard to see or admit our shadow behaviors because they dwell in the shadows of our mind.
ReplyDeleteMy shadow side is feisty and firery! I am working on not rushing to judgement or getting upset or angry when mistakes are made by me or others. Part of this would be breathing, being patient, and just plain letting most of the stuff go!
Boy aren't we all just a work in progress!
Rev. S
It seems like I've mastered the mistake process in the last 5-10 years. From the outside, things look great, but I seem to mess up and then not want to deal with it. I am a master at solving the problems of others. My shadow behavior at first response is to beat myself up and then slowing become unconscious to the point of ignoring it. I am digging my way out of this and learning a new way. I dealing with the messes one by one. I am learning that this is part of my big lesson. I am going with the flow while moving my feet.
ReplyDeleteIf I made a mistake I would often punish myself. Tell myself I deserved the consequences and deny myself of my Good. Then I would dwell in the darkness and belittle myself. Now, I try to examine what led to the mistake, try to find where I was in that moment so not to repeat it. I affirm that am worthy and able and a child of God and ask myself for forgiveness. Most times, my mistakes come when I rush, I'm distracted or become disconnected from Spirit.
ReplyDeleteOne of my biggest shadow traits would be to raise my voice. Particularly if someone else raised theirs. The other is being judgmental. I know now we are all children of God, deserving of his Kingdom.