I recently found myself in an experience that I wanted to run from. I wanted to put an end to the relationship. I wanted to get it out of my life. I listed all the reasons to myself of why I’d be better off without this person in my life.

Then, suddenly something stopped me short when I imagined m life without this person and situation in it. I realized that nothing would have changed. I realized that I would still be left with the same feeling of insecurity and annoyance and wanting to control. I realized that it wasn’t this experience or person of which I wanted to rid myself; it was the feeling that was within me. This person wasn’t the cause. This person was the effect of the feeling and belief I had.

When I came to this realization I knew where my work had to be done and that was in my own mind. I needed to bring my own mind to a place of peace, to a place of self-esteem, to a place of security and ease and grace, to a place of inner power. It is the only place we truly have to do our work – within.

Does this mean we allow others to mistreat us or stay in precarious and sometimes dangerous experiences? No, of course not. However, if we do not address the place within ourselves that is mistreating ourselves or dangerous and precarious, we will simply recreate it again and again. You know the old saying: “Wherever you go, there you are…”

What do we want to experience in life? Is it more peace? Is it more love? Is it more abundance? There is only one place to start and that is right where we are. We cannot start anywhere else. The present moment is the place to sow our seeds and to trust their unfoldment. We cannot grow a tomato plant from a pumpkin seed and we cannot grow peace from a confused mind.

I’m sorry if you thought that you could change your experience without changing yourself, dear Rita. If you expect true and lasting results, you always come first.

However, one thing to remember is to be gentle and loving with ourselves. Life is a journey of transformation one moment at a time. When we are open to knowing more and to being the more, experiences present themselves to allow us to know exactly where we really are.

Mirrors, mirrors and more mirrors. There is no escaping the self. And, why would you want to? Your Self is God, and God is getting to know Itself through your journey. How fun this thing called Life is!

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita