The Valley And Back

The spiritual walk of peeling back the layers to get back to your essence often starts in the valley. It's usually where many people experience a dark soul of the night event. But it's also where the dark squeezes in the light!

It's when we shed the illusion of self to rediscover our organic self.

When the layer of the shields falls off, it brings us closer to our internal home.

During this period, we often feel hopeless, confused, and get mad at God.

Why me. And sometimes it's why me - again!

Haven't we done this before?

I've had a few seasons of the valley.

2008 was one of them!

Without going into great details, it was a series of challenging events that hit all at once.

While I couldn't see it then, it was God, the universe saying it's time to level up! It was life preparing me for what was to come.

Six years later, after coming out of a few more valleys, it smacked me like a lightning bolt in a team meeting I facilitated - that my life going forward would be of service. It's where a place of deep calling to service is received. The journey that directed me to where I'm at today.

Since then, I've had a few more experiences of minor bumps in the road. But, it certainly helped to have the tools, wisdom, and support to go through it healthily instead of bypassing the pain and feeling alone. As a result, I got out of the valley quicker too.

In my opinion, when we choose to ignore our pain or numb it, we are only putting a band-aid on it, and sooner or later, it will pop up again, perhaps in a different way and different form. It often comes back more substantial to get our attention to wake us up. It's then our responsibility to pick up on the clue.

The valley was necessary. It humbled me as it stripped me (still stripping me). However, it was guiding me back to my internal home, closer to God.

I rediscovered my essence that I couldn't see before, because of the thick fog of conditioning, beliefs, stories, and rejection of parts of myself. Once it's all removed in a healthy way, you see yourself and others with more love, grace, and humility. So, today, I rejoice and celebrate all of me. Even the parts that I'm still working out.

I've learned that shallow food won't satisfy the deep hunger and fill the deep emptiness that pain reveals. Only spiritual food will do that.

In my experience, when you approach each shadow with love, the transformation is more significant.

Ultimately when you arrive home (back to you), you no longer have to chase happiness. The chase, at best, will only give you a temporary ding and then will fade away, which is why it becomes a chase.

Shedding the layers settles us into a place of peace that overflows to joy.

It's a natural fuel that replenishes because it's coming from its natural source - the true you!

Blessings to you...

Francine