October 2023

Dear Blessed One,

Imagine, if you will, the tapestry of your life unfurling before you. Each thread represents a moment of pain, trauma, heartache, or loss that you've experienced. These threads, once dark and seemingly tangled, are what compose the intricate masterpiece that is your existence today. It's as though life, in its infinite wisdom, weaves these challenging experiences into the very fabric of your being, crafting a unique and exquisite design that could only be yours.

Yet, let's be honest... when we are in the throes of trauma, when the weight of suffering bears down upon us, it can be nearly impossible to fathom that this pain could ever serve a purpose. At that moment, the very idea might seem preposterous, perhaps even maddening. If, during our darkest hours, someone had whispered to us that these trials would someday be the keys to our wisdom and the means by which we serve humanity, it might have evoked incredulous laughter or, more likely, fierce resistance.

This is where the magic happens. Life has a way of revealing its profound wisdom through the passage of time and the evolution of our consciousness. It's like peeling back the layers of an onion; the deeper we go, the more we discover. When we step back and examine the journey from a higher perspective, we begin to see that the most trying moments of our lives were not random acts of cruelty, but rather, they were the catalysts that sparked our inner growth. Don't look for it in the midst of pain, it comes through hindsight.

Picture your mind as a storyteller. It narrates your experiences and interprets them through the lens of past wounds. There is a choice we can make in that brief moment before following the story. By focusing awareness elsewhere, we can turn away from this relentless storytelling mind that keeps us tethered to suffering, continuously justifying our pain and dysfunction. When we do this, we create space for new neural pathways to form in our brains, and our bodies begin to recalibrate. The heavy burdens of anxiety, anger, and fear find themselves starved of attention and gradually dissipate.

Yet, it's important to acknowledge that one of the greatest challenges for many people lies in their reluctance to let go of the stories that hold their suffering in place. To do so takes an immense amount of courage, inner strength, and a profound desire for healing. It requires a level of trust in the process, a willingness to release the grip of the mind that constantly reinforces our woundedness.

This journey from pain to purpose is where the true essence of life flows. Every scar, every fracture, every tear in the fabric of our existence is an integral part of our becoming. These experiences mold and shape us into who we are meant to be. We are, indeed, under construction - always evolving, continually expanding, and gradually awakening to our true selves. As we embrace the pain and allow grief to flow through us, we grow stronger and wiser.

It's worth noting that even when we fight against pain, resist or feed it, suffering still has its way of teaching us. The path might be longer and more arduous, but the lessons are ultimately learned.

Imagine a majestic tree standing tall in the midst of a powerful storm. It doesn't brace itself against the wind; it doesn't resent the forces that push and pull. Instead, it sways gracefully, bending and yielding to the elements. As the tempest subsides, the tree settles once more, its branches no less beautiful for having danced with the storm.

Be like the tree. Allow yourself to feel without resistance, without the need for elaborate stories or justifications. Embrace your emotions in their pure, unfiltered form. When you allow your body to fully experience what is present, the emotions pass through like a transient storm, leaving no wreckage in its wake.

And remember there is no darkness that can ever extinguish your light. Everything in life, every experience, every twist and turn, is here to remind you of your inherent brilliance and resilience. You are, at your core, a masterpiece in the making, a testament to the enduring power of the human spirit.

Much Love and Blessings to You!
shellee rae

"Don't get lost in your pain, know that one day your pain will become your cure." ~ Rumi