“Spirit rewards commitment.”
I first heard these words from from one of my teachers, Lena Stevens, during my early training in Shamanic Studies. Since then, these three simple words have come to my aide many, many times over the years.
Learning and growth involve stepping out of one’s comfort zone, and this can be a scary process. Doubts, fears, and insecurities can arise as we attempt to do something new or when we try to shift to a higher level of being in some way.
A natural instinct for many of us may be to pull back in the face of fears or doubts, to let go of a dream or goal and not follow through when we face obstacles. Sometimes, this instinct can serve us. For example, if we step back to reflect and reevaluate so we can move forward with greater discernment and wisdom, the pause may serve us very well.
But other times, the pause can lead to a complete stop if we allow the fears, doubts, or obstacles to overwhelm us. We may then give up entirely or allow the obstacles to delay our movement forward indefinitely.
This type of delay or halt is tragic in my eyes because it not only robs us of what we would learn and gain by staying the course, but it also robs the world of what we could create or contribute if we followed through on our visions.
On this journey of growth, I have come up against many fears and obstacles that made me want to give up. And on numerous occasions, I have stepped back to reevaluate and reflect on how best to proceed.
When I have been tempted to give up or give in, I have heard the words, “Spirit Rewards Commitment” almost in a mantra-like fashion in my head. This message has inspired me to fight the internal battles and continue to stay the course and move forward on my journey, trusting that somehow, someway things would work out and I’d be supported in the process.
A recent example for me took place when I got sick just a few days before I was to fly to Peru for a Shamanic journey. All sorts of fears came up for me and I almost canceled my trip because I didn’t want to risk getting worse with travel to the jungle.
But I had made a commitment to going on this journey many months back, so I decided I would do my very best to heal my body quickly and proceed with my preparations as best I could. As the doubts surfaced about the wisdom of embarking on the journey, I kept remembering the message about Spirit rewarding commitment, and it helped me to continue moving forward.
I felt better enough to fly but was definitely still sick when I got on the plane. But, somehow, by the end of my flight to Lima, I was near 100% recovered. And the time in Peru was incredibly enriching, healing, and gifted me with so much strength and physical vitality. I was able to get a lot of rest and received great wisdom about how to care for myself after returning home.
It was a fascinating experience and made me realize the illness had been a sort of test and valuable lesson. It brought into clear focus some fears I had around being physically vulnerable and some limiting beliefs I had about my body. The experience significantly shifted the intention I had for my journey and made the experience incredibly valuable in unexpected and surprising ways.
Each time I have persevered on the shamanic path, I have been rewarded a thousand fold for my commitment. As you move forward during this time of transition and set new intentions for yourself during the Winter Solstice and/or the New Year, I invite you to hold fast to these words, “Spirit Rewards Commitment” and allow them to inspire you and give you strength when fears, doubts and obstacles arise.
If you would to receive support, guidance and assistance as you move toward the fulfillment of your visions and goals in 2018, check out the upcoming Supercharge Your Goals and Dreams in 2018 course. Many blessings to you on your journeys.