Authenticity

Authenticity is sometimes a slippery word that begs the question - who are we, really? Why is it that we resonate so deeply with very few people and wear the mask of impression with others?

Really, who are we?

We ask this as if it were some destination that we could reach by going backward or forward in time. Is that all we are? A mere snapshot in time that forces our conformity through the threat of being 'seen' as lacking in integrity, stability, maturity or substance?

Authenticity is freedom in its truest sense - freedom to change who we said we were last week; freedom to experience moments of doubt or even the existential angst that sometimes threatens our stability; freedom to revisit and feed our inner child (yes, even in the midst of clients and other professionals); and freedom to let go of some of the woundings that constitute that heavy and often opaque reality our fathers called substance.

The inner workings of this kind of authentic freedom was so deeply illustrated in "Man's Search for Meaning" by Viktor Frankl. During his stay in a prisoner of war camp, Viktor discovered the one thing that could not be taken from us was "meaning". Athough he could not change his outward circumstances, his participation in them was painted with the meaning that he freely chose.

It, 'authenticity', is about creating our own comprehensive meaning in life - and I'll even go a step beyond to suggest that it is also trusting ourselves to attract beings of like mind (or at least the mirrors necessary to get out of our own way).

Look around you. Who among you do you hide from - within the roles they have given you or the roles that you have dressed in voluntarily? Who among you inspires your courage to smile when you feel joy, roar when you are angry, or weep when you are in pain?

Does living an authentic life come at a cost? You bet! The cost of Authenticity is not being all things to all people. It is trading quality for quantity in our relationships and it demands our diligent awareness in those moments when we are losing energy. It is about trading pain for pleasure, so we can gain both wisdom and youth.

Authenticity in our world takes a large dose of courage, after all, and a fair bit of cunning in the light (a teacher's energy) - infinitely rewarding but not for the faint of heart.

Meeting Resistance

I have often heard that success follows the path of least resistance. For some of us, this can be a confusing proposition during times when we are confronted with the challenges and pitfalls of personal growth.

Perhaps the most misleading part of that concept is the idea that, if we are on the right path, we should not meet with resistance.

Along my journey, I have learned to take in the teachings of Grandmother earth and I have seen that there is little outside of ourselves that is insurmountable. In fact, even the flower can meet with the resistance of a rock in order to bloom. What is often the insurmountable piece is the story of our own inner resistance...projected outward.

We have all met with our resistance at one point or another in life. Some of the time we have pushed forward with determination. Yet, all too often, we spin a tale of defeat as we shrink back into our lives with the notion that the life we truly want is intangible.

The truth is, our resistance is the catalyst for growth. It is our inner barometer, warning us of the storm that will come to clear our way. It is what allows us to push our envelope...to become more than we thought we could be.

More often than not, the tales we spin are the only resistance we face and we are all great writers, indeed!

Think about it. What are the dreams you have given up on in life? Where have the winds of time carried to you the truth of what lies before you, leading you to twist and turn with resistance to the very things you were seeking?

Meeting our resistance is a matter of looking into that mirror of self reflection and meeting our own energy. Throughout history, we have learned that there is nothing outside of ourselves to stop us.

Teachers are all around us, in nature and in each other. The fact that you are reading this means that your path has offered you a means to overcome what blocks your way.

Now is the time to close your eyes, see the ripeness of your sacred dream and to take a step forward. Look beyond the rocks to what it is you are seeking. Can you see it? That is the path of least resistance.