Unless we are a highly advanced soul who has evolved beyond needing to take on another earthly journey, we come here again and again to grow, learn lessons, plant seeds of love, and remember our true identity. I believe, from what I have experienced in my sacred temple within, we have a choice whether to return to the earth plane or not. Normally once an incarnation is complete, we need to take some time to assess our previous life and determine for ourselves, with the help of our spirit guides, where we triumphed and where we did not. There is no great tribunal on the other side who will judge us and then dish out an appropriate punishment or restitution. The only one who might judge us initially, once we make the transition, is us. Of course, after we have assimilated back into our true home, we realize that judgement is not helpful, only a commitment and resolution to learn our lessons better and bring more love to the earth plane the next time, will help. We can evolve in spirit, but it is a much slower process than if we take on the enormous challenges on the earth. So, eventually most souls make a conscious choice to do it all again.

Some of us are eager to jump back into the fray and tackle another, sometimes messy and usually painful life. Others need more “time” to replenish their energy and decide what circumstances and lessons will be in place during our next go round in the physical world. Just like humans, souls are different from each other depending on their configuration of soul energy. Some are quick movers with a sort of a bullish personality which makes them act more quickly and contemplate less. Often this leads to a partnering up of a human counterpart who will be one of two things. It will either be a mirror image of its soul and, tackle big problems often; or it is more likely that the human part chosen has a softer more contemplative and serene personality. Our human partner will try to urge its soul to allow it to help by guiding it to be more mindful and slower to act. In doing so the bullish soul may, sometimes stubbornly, find its way into the silence of our heavenly home and listen for the wisdom coming through.

Acquired wisdom while living our lives here from infancy to however long we had preplanned to remain here, will most likely, always come with a cost. That cost is pain. How much pain we endure, how deeply it will cut us, and how long lasting the wound, depends on a few things: awareness, consciousness, and our ability to explore the pain for the wisdom it holds rather than pushing it away. Pain comes in many forms and the teacher and lesson associated with a particular pain will be unique to the individual soul who chose to endure it. Some of us have seemingly endless physical pain and perhaps, disability along with it. Some endure emotional, mental, or even spiritual pain where a soul longs incessantly for a home it can’t quite remember, but they know for sure, it is not this one.

Why is awareness and consciousness important and how does one find it, in order for it to be the useful tool we need to evolve and grow as a soul? First, I think a lot of it comes from having spent many incarnations struggling through one heartbreak after another until we finally wake up from the illusionary dream of unknowing. Some wee ones born unto this world come here with a wisdom far beyond how old they are. They seem to just know things that no one here has taught them, and they have a highly evolved level of consciousness and awareness. However, make no mistake, all babies born through the birth canal of their mother are closer to heaven during those first few years of life, than they might be through the rest of their lives. Having conscious and aware parents is a great gift for a newly arriving soul. Parents such as these can encourage and help their children develop their intuition and gifts of spirit right from the start. In this case it is most probable that both child and parents are farther along on the evolutionary pathway and are most likely from the same soul group.

When adversity strikes suddenly in our lives, it is difficult to stay calm and try to understand what is going on and why a particular struggle or pain has descended on our lives. Sometimes the brain of our human counterpart has a ferocious amygdala, which is the primitive part of the brain that reacts like a toddler spiraling out of control and can’t or won’t listen to reason. The part of the human brain that helps balance that is the prefrontal cortex, which is the part of the brain that helps us to calm down and look at our struggle through a different perspective. However, even that chemical imbalance may have been preplanned in order to push a soul quite fiercely to awaken to the truth of who they infinitely are, an eternal soul born of love. If not, the human soul may spend an entire incarnation staying lost in a sometimes, harsh world of “Why me?” and unending self-pity.

As hard as it might be when we suffer, for example, the loss of a loved one, physical or emotional abuse in our relationships, or constant failure as we try to climb the latter of earthly success, there is an answer. The answer is both simple and hard simultaneously. The simple answer is to respond spiritually, mindfully, and with determination to find the treasure in our pain, even though our hearts are aching, and our tears are abundant. On the other hand, while overwhelmed with tragic adversity, we may be unable to imagine ever finding happiness or peace ever again. Reacting with unbridled emotions and feelings will simply stall the process of gaining the wisdom beneath our adversities, possibly in both this lifetime and future ones.

Eventually we will all come to understand that staying grounded in the energy of our eternal soul while undergoing the tough lessons in earth’s classroom, will help us see through the darkness and access the light of understanding, wisdom, and truth. Once we acquire that kind of lasting wisdom, a certain peace will envelop us knowing we can emerge joyfully from any adversity, no matter how devastating. The love that we ultimately are will be front and center in all situations. We will honor our humanness and the emotions and feelings associated with it, but we will always have an inner knowingness and profound wisdom that will lead us to safe and peaceful shores.

Just like storm clouds that roll in over a clear blue sky and tumble us about, we will know the sunshine and the blue skies are still there and will return once the storm has passed. Our lives will always have storms, some small and some catastrophic but we can always count on God’s infinite light to help us weather those storms by calling upon His guidance, protection, and eternal unconditional love. Our reward will be great wisdom and a calling from our Creator to help others learn the wisdom and truth we discovered through our own pain. Nothing feels better than that.

I’d like to end this blog with a quote from John Lennon.

“God is a concept by which we measure our pain.” John Lennon

My interpretation:

The level of pain we experience on the earth plane, is in direct proportion to how well we are able to recognize, conceptualize, internalize, and then utilize the wisdom and truth of our infinite and living God. God is not out there somewhere. He lives within all of us and will always be there to wipe away our tears and help us through our struggles.