This morning my husband and I were talking about identity and how we define ourselves physically, emotionally and mentally. For a moment I wondered what it would be like to so totally let go of my past be brand new. In this moment, what if no one knew me, had any preconceived notions of me and I of myself. What if in this moment, I could create a whole new me? Would I want to? What would I leave behind and what would remain the same? If I was no longer relegated to by my history what would today be like? The fantasy would be something like this. I’d suddenly leave where I was and go to a whole new place where no one knew me. I’d get to decide how I wanted to be known.

After playing around with this idea for a while in our conversation, all sorts of scenarios came forth. However, the truth is we realized that wherever we went, there we would be. Geography has nothing to do with the changes we make. I am the exact same person who left California to come here. I was the same person who left New York to come to New Mexico in 1976. I could name other times in my life when I made a geographical change. There I was and am.

So, I think the answer is obvious. We do not have to wait for other people to think of us differently. We do not have change locations. We can create ourselves new in every moment.  However, we do have to be willing to let go of the things that have defined us, but are no longer useful. We have to do the inner work that allows us to move through the world as the person we envision ourselves being.  If that brings us to a physical change, so be it.

We have a Divine identity. It is limitless. It is ever new. What we make of it becomes our earthly personality. Our earthly personality creates perceptions of life, people, and ourselves. If we want life to be new and different, we have to make the changes from within.

Well, someone might ask, “What about my chronic illness or my bankrupt financial life?” We are not our illnesses or our finances or our relationships, or even the work we do. Those are effects. I’ve witnessed people who have debilitating illnesses rock the world with inspiration. I’ve experienced the poorest of people with the wisdom of the infinite, living rich lives.

Our physical circumstances do not change our true nature. However, if we care to create new mental attitudes based in Spiritual wisdom, I believe our lives would be new because we would no longer be held back by our perceived limitations. It is a mental world and the mental world is where it all begins. As we start reframing our limitations into gifts, we’d live a whole new life.

I have so much respect for my friends who currently live with chronic physical issues and still live full and loving lives. They inspire me to know that we are not bodies, but our bodies are immersed in Spirit. Spirit is boundless, birthless, deathless and free. Wherever we are in this world of form that Spirit is ever available creating new from itself.

Spirit must become the thing that it creates from a feeling place before any change takes place. It all begins right here. Anything we think is stopping us from the new is a made up illusion. We can overcome our illusions with the true Reality and we can do that anywhere right now. With trust, faith and ease and grace, anything is possible. “No more stress, no more pull. Simply flow as I go…cause I know where I come from.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita