Embracing Rainy Days on the Spiritual Path
Many of us on a spiritual path, myself included, have believed that if we meditate enough, chant the right mantras, and keep our thoughts positive, life will become a smooth, problem-free journey. We picture a world where everything is peaceful, and we never get upset. We think every day will be blue skies and sunshine.
But that’s not how life works. Just like nature, we have sunny days and rainy days. Rainy days are just as important as sunny ones—they help plants and trees grow while refreshing the earth. In the same way, challenges help us grow. They stretch us, teach us, and reveal where we still have healing to do. (Click HERE for the video version of this week's message on YouTube.)
The Gift of Challenges
Difficulties and frustrations are not signs we are doing something wrong. They are just opportunities for deeper learning. The people who push our buttons reveal the wounds that still need healing. The circumstances that take away our peace show us what still holds power over our emotions. I have come to understand that the real measure of spiritual progress isn’t a life free of challenges, but how quickly I return to peace when they appear. And they will appear!
I had one appear recently to remind me of this. The shift to and from Daylight Savings Time always throws me off, but this last one was especially disorienting. I felt like I was trying to get back on track all day.
Normally, my Sunday mornings start with a peaceful walk on the beach, listening toACourse in Miracles podcast. This week, I was scheduled to say a few words about my upcoming Family Constellations workshop at Unity of Sarasota during the Sunday service. With the time change, I woke up too late to go to the beach before the service.
Due to traveling and other commitments, it had been a few weeks since my last beach walk. So, after the service, I decided to take advantage of a small window of opportunity to go to the beach. At least I would have a little time in my happy place.
Unfortunately, by then, the beach was packed with snowbirds and spring breakers. The beach parking lot and the surrounding streets were full, and I was not in the mood to join the other cars circling like vultures for a spot. I knew of another lot quite a distance away that still had parking spaces, so I decided to park there. By the time I got to the sand, I was frustrated and annoyed.
I made it to my "happy place," but, in that moment, I wasn’t feeling happy or peaceful. I know that my thoughts create my experience, so if I want to have a different experience, I need to change my thoughts. The ego took that opportunity to chastise me for my inability to shift my perception. It was the sneaky ego double whammy. I wasn’t just feeling bad—I was judging myself for feeling bad. And that only made it worse!
Letting Emotions Flow
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that emotions, like the weather, come and go. If we allow them to move through us, they pass. But if we resist them or judge ourselves for having them, they linger longer than necessary.
Back in 2002, one of my favorite teachers at massage school broke down the word "emotion" as "energy in motion." When we let emotions flow, they naturally shift. When we resist them, they stagnate. Just like the clouds eventually move on, our feelings are temporary—if we let ourselves experience them.
Finding Peace in Acceptance
So what if, instead of fighting our rainy days, we simply accepted them? What if we stopped resisting and just allowed ourselves to feel whatever we are feeling, knowing it will pass? Acceptance doesn’t mean defeat—it means making peace with where we are in the moment. And when we do that, we return to our right mind where inspiration and miracles happen.
This is a key component of my Pathway to Peace coaching program. Surrender and acceptance are empowering tools that help us live a more joyful and peaceful life. If you would like some assistance in putting these tools into practice, please visit the Spiritual Coaching page on my website for more details and to schedule a session. You’ll also find information about Family Constellations, a powerful healing practice that helps release unconscious patterns passed down through generations. I look forward to working with you!
The next time you’re having a “rainy day,” remember—this too shall pass. When we let it be okay, eventually the energy in motion will move on through allowing the sun to break through the clouds once again.
Trials are but lessons that you failed to learn presented once again, so where you made a faulty choice before you now can make a better one, and thus escape all pain that what you chose before has brought to you.
A Course in Miracles ~ T-31.VIII.3:1