"Moving Through Changes"
by Krysta Gibson, January, 1989

          1988 was a time of changes and challenging growth for many of us; saying good-bye to that time period probably isn't too difficult. I've heard rumors, though, that 1989 will offer its own share of surprises and "growth opportunities" — but isn't that what we're here for, to grow and to learn? In the midst of intense energies, physical, emotional and spiritual upheavals around and in us, how can we continue to walk our paths with some degree of solidity, peace and tranquility, maintaining a sense of cosmic decorum in the midst of it all? How can we walk the "straight and narrow" with- out being thrown off course by a scary prediction (or actuality) of disaster, personal or otherwise, without being gullible to miracle promises which require no input from us or effort, without being engaged in so many different spiritual activities that we don't have time or energy to do any one of them right?

          There are three qualities which, if we engage them in our everyday living, can help us stay on course no matter what's happening in our lives. Integrity, sincerity and consistency are basic building blocks of any worthwhile project and are indispensable to those pursuing conscious spiritual evolution. Even while experiencing the deepest of hear pains, radical change or even displacement, these attributes can provide solace and stability.

INTEGRITY

          Integrity is a core issue; it has to do with the very fabric of our beings and with our motivations surrounding thoughts, words and actions. How sound are our desires to walk the spiritual path, to grow and to evolve? Do these desires stem from our roots or do we have them only when it is comfortable and easy to do so? Integrity provides the bedrock upon which all else is built. Without this foundation of intent being very clear and strong, we will not be able to withstand even the slightest bit of movement — and the spiritual process is full of movement!

          We must ask ourselves, "Why am I involved in spirituality? What am I looking for?" Do we involve ourselves because we heard there's a lot of money to be made in the "New Age Movement?" Do we meditate so we can look younger and thus be more appealing to potential partners? Do we study and develop the psychic talents for personal gain, power or prestige? There are a lot of reasons why any one person develops an interest in their inner life and not all of these reasons come from a place of integrity, the person is responsible for finding out what their bedrock is composed of — no one can see this for another person. However, even asking the question and being willing to give an honest answer is a movement toward integrity if it does not already exist.

          Without integrity, the smallest rainfall will seem to be a torrent, the tiniest challenge signals defeat. With integrity comes a feeling of being grounded, of being solidly with one's self, that the worst storm cannot take away.

SINCERITY

          While integrity provides the foundation which supports us, sincerity is its actualization which provides movement for us. Being sincere in our quest means we are honest with ourselves and others; we take responsibility for the choices we make; and. we are willing to look at and work with blockages from within ourselves, as they arise. Sincerity does not expect other people to do our work for us — the seeker acting with sincerity is willing to engage in whatever work or processes may be required along the path while also being able to ask for and accept help when it is clearly required.

          When we are sincere we are also open to new experiences, willing to try new ways of being, thinking and feeling, and we are open to making (gasp) mistakes! For instance, when we are acting from a place of being sincere, we may become involved in "following" a particular person, philosophy or group only to learn it was not the one for us. Sincerity gives us the courage to disengage from the practice in question without blaming the person or organization for "entrapping" us, knowing very well that we began our study from a sincere desire for truth — and succeeded, since we found out the particular group was not for us. Sincerity also allows us to feel compassion for self, knowing we made our decision with the best information available to us at the lime. We don't feel the need to "beat up" the organization or ourselves.

          Sincerity brings a fullness to our journey, a feeling of being real with ourselves and with others.

CONSISTENCY

          Consistency is probably the most difficult of the three qualities to apply on a daily basis. It requires an inner discipline, a deep desire which keeps us focused and stable. We've all experienced being excited about a new idea or tool or spiritual practice and going at it fast and furious only to dispense with it in very short order. Consistency slows us down enough to give something a chance to work for us. Being consistent means deciding what basic ideas, tools and practices we want to work with and then doing so in a methodical and ongoing manner.

          Meditating once a week or playing with rocks every now and then or pulling out the Tarot deck only in emergencies will not allow any of the three processes to give its optimal support. It's sort of like praying at Christmas, Easter and when disaster strikes and then wondering why one doesn't fee! close to God/ess. There are so many paths to choose from that I personally don't think it even matters which we choose — all of them, practiced with regularity and sincerity, will eventually bring us into alignment with the Divine Presence. However, none of them engaged in haphazardly will be able to provide the support we need for the journey of God/ess realization.

          Being consistent means making the best decision we can about how we wish to proceed with our lives, choosing what support structures and tools we think can help us. and then proceeding on a daily basis to see what unfolds for us, not abandoning ship at the first sign of distress. It means giving ourselves and our processes a chance to work for us before we decide to change course. Consistency means being able to make a commitment to ourselves about how we wish to walk our path and then following through on the commitment.

          None of this means we become rigid or unwilling to let go of things which are not working for us — consistency and flexibility are compatible qualities. It means we give whatever we've chosen a fair chance before discarding it for something "new."

STAYING CENTERED

          Developing integrity, sincerity and consistency as mainstays in our lives promotes the ability to stay centered within ourselves. Certainly, we might be pulled from side to side occasionally or even feel like we're walking into a hurricane of energy if we're having one of "those" days, but if we develop these qualities we'll find ourselves more and more capable of being with ourselves at a very deep level and this is what provides our anchor.

          I don't know what lies ahead in 1989 or in any other earth year. Maybe there'll be lots of challenges or maybe it'll all move along very smoothly for everyone. More importantly, it doesn't really matter. What matters is that each of us is, however slowly or quickly, moving closer to the constant realization of the Loving Divine Presence which lives through us and everything around us. Living from our place of integrity and acting in sincerity on a consistent basis can, I believe, offer tremendous assistance in living our lives in such a manner that the Divine realization can occur for us. May we all have an interesting 1989!