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125th International Peace Meditation “What Am I to Learn from this Experience?”
“What Am I to Learn from this Experience?”
May 6, 2007–Another birthday just passed, but I’ve learned that lessons have more to do with experience than age. Now, as I pass through times of turmoil and challenge, and later reflect, the question that I ask is, “What am I to learn from this experience?”
The soul’s curriculum is life. And life is the soul’s curriculum. What we’ve learned from previous lessons, and then integrated into our lives, gives us wisdom if appropriately interpreted and applied. If the lesson leaves us bitter and angry, we have not learned what was there for us. It is another way of saying that we come into life to learn and to contribute. And, even outside of our awareness, for good or for bad, we contribute what we learn.
Consider the angry parent, left bitter by his or her own childhood experiences. Unless this anger, not necessarily the experience that caused it, is dealt with, the child experiences that secondary anger. In other words, the child is not the intended target of the anger, but often becomes the recipient. Thus while the anger may not be about the child, the child experiences it just by being in its presence.
Consider your own life. Have you been hurt? Were you mistreated as a child? Did family or school seem hostile? Did you feel wanted? Did you feel loved?
Probably many are thinking that childhood was not a happy time in their lives. They may have wondered what they did “wrong.” Why did they feel that their parents or family didn’t want them? Why did they feel insecure?
The internal message, or the message internalized by the child, is a message of unworthiness. If my own parents, who know me perhaps better than anyone, don’t want or love me, I am not lovable. This message, begun perhaps even at birth, may lead to a lifetime of low self-esteem if one does not review and reflect on this situation.
You were just a child. You could not have done anything wrong. You are born as a gift to the world, a gift to be developed and allowed to come to full flower over a period of time. The amount of time is not of significance from the spiritual perspective, because the amount of time is always adequate to what is to be learned and contributed. What is important is to gain that experience of self-worth and self-love. The reason is simple. You are a gift from Love. Love is in all beings. You cannot experience Love from a position of self-hate, not because you are not loved, but because you cannot recognize that you are loved from that position. It is when you feel self-love and caring that you realize your true value.
This is not to be confused with selfishness. In fact, the person who loves himself/herself will be seen as giving rather than self-absorbed. We recognize the spirit in all beings when we recognize the spirit within ourselves.
Do not allow anyone to convince you that you are not worthy. Believe in yourself. Do not allow yourself to be manipulated for other’s purposes. You are a beautiful being and your actions, when you realize this, will reflect your self-love. Others will recognize your self-love by your positive contribution.
Thus the cycle of life, regardless of time, is always the recognition of self-love as part of the spirit of Love.
‘Let Love be your guide in all decisions.’ Let no one deny you the needs of the spirit. Follow Love that you may emanate love in the world.
This Meditation is dedicated to all those who need to realize that they are love in the world. ‘Let your light so shine that others may see your good works, and glorify your Father (Love) who is in heaven.’ Another way of saying this is that when we recognize our own worthiness, we are able to recognize the worthiness in all others. Evil actions are a result of a lack of connection with our true spiritual self. This disconnect can be seen in actions large and small that hurt others.
Love yourself that you may be able to receive Love, and in turn emanate love in the world.
Sue Kidd Shipe, Ph.D.
Executive Director
www.humanempowerment.orgPlease join us in prayer/meditation during the 24 hours of Sunday, May 6, and again the first Sunday of every month. The International Institute for Human Empowerment, Inc. is completing 10 years of continuous International Peace Meditations. Forward our Meditation to all in your address book; make copies for your religious and spiritual brochures and bulletins.
The International Peace Meditation invites people of all faiths to participate. The International Institute For Human Empowerment, Inc., a 501C3 charity registered in New York State, is not a member of any religion in order that it may serve all.
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Sue Kidd Shipe, Executive Director
International Institute For Human Empowerment, Inc.
P. O. Box 3920
Albany, New York 12203 USA
(518) 393-9491
sueshipe@www.humanempowerment.org
www.humanempowerment.org
