Have you ever wondered how to listen to the doggone Spirit? Do you find yourself in such a dither about which way to turn in your life that you feel like your head is spinning? That’s how I have felt about whether to show my faith and spirituality on my life coaching page or not. Round and round I have gone about whether to be authentic and be Spirit led or think twice because someone might not hire me as their life and wellness coach, because I am too far out there with my faith.
I have consulted other life coaches, friends, and family (especially my dear husband, who I sometimes wonder if he is thinking to himself, “What, she still can’t make up her mind about this??? Wah, Wah, Wah!”) I have a blog page that is totally geared to my spiritual musings and I just say whatever the Spirit moves me to say and can be myself (www.springoflivingwater1.blogspot.com). And I have a blog tab on my coaching website where I express my feelings about wellness topics, spiritual topics, my personal take on things, my autistic grandson, and a variety of things (www.janespringer.com). Do I completely marry the two on janespringer.com? Why do I hesitate to be myself?
The thing is, what’s really important is that we play to an audience of One, as the saying goes. And how to get there is to listen to the Spirit for guidance. Oh, how hard that is, isn’t it? Have you ever decided OK, I am just going to be still and listen, and all you can hear is a bunch of chatter? Today, as I was sitting in my favorite meditation chair, with warm sunlight streaming in the front window, I read this passage from 1 Thessalonians, “Do not stifle the Holy Spirit” 1Thess 5:19. Aren’t we stifling the Holy Spirit when we don’t take time to listen, really listen? So I wrote in my journal, “Spirit speak to me, so I can hear you.”
I glanced down onto the ottoman and there was a bookmark that I had just found after I cleaned up my favorite inside sit spot. With the words from St. Ignatius of Loyola:
“Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve:
To give and not to count the cost;
To fight and not to heed the wounds;
To toil and not to seek for rest;
To labor and not to ask for reward:
Save that of knowing that I do your will.”
At that moment, I knew that the Spirit had answered. Be myself in all circumstances. All we need to do is ask……
Jane Springer is a certified Life, Wellness and Style Coach who assists women in taking care of themselves, in body, mind and spirit. She coaches women who want to lose weight, avoid diabetes, and feel great. She also helps them thrive after divorce. She also helps them to clear their closets of old clothes and outdated attitudes, so they can shine and feel confident.