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A Blogazine, based out of Park Slope, Brooklyn, that features fun and interesting articles. Topics include: parenting, society, real estate, career, style, spirituality and more. Written contributions are always welcome!


Sunday, September 7, 2008

Finding the Silver Lining When There are Clouds Overhead



By Kim Kirkley

I like to call the pure you – your higher self -- “your sacred baby.” Your “sacred baby” is inside of you and is to be cherished and treated with great respect. It is easy to nurture your sacred baby when you feel like everything is going your way. But how do you deal with information that you don’t want to hear? How do you keep your balance? How do you stay focused on the good?


This is when you see what you are really made of and what you really believe. This is what I am dealing with right now. I am a cancer survivor. I fought the fight for my life and I won. This June marked two years of being cancer free and looking forward to a normal life span. One of the things that I learned in my battle with cancer is that each of us has a “sacred baby” inside that deserves our love and attention.


This led me to create the Sacred Baby Gathering – a place where we honor each of our sacred babies and celebrate life with praise and dance. It is our offering to the life force. A place to say “Yes! Thank you I am here and glad to be here!” Regardless of challenges, life is good. That is what we focus on at SB! And, it feels great.


And then here comes a curve ball -- A health issue -- A call for tests. This is my challenge. This is the one that sends me to my knees. But here’s the thing – and I learned this from my dear aunt – we are all struggling with something. And really this is where we find the joy of being connected. Because we are peeling it back and letting people see who we really are even the places where we are weak – unsure – hurting. I don’t know what it is for you but I imagine you have something.


How do you deal with information you don’t want to hear?
Do you pretend it is not happening? That’s my favorite. Denial is not just a river in Egypt. Do you live there? I submit to you that knowledge is power. This thing that you don’t want to think about or deal with is calling you to the new place you need to grow; To deepen your experience of life. It is about learning how to listen and then take action. The best way I know of to learn how to listen is to meditate; To spend some time with yourself and source energy -- that energy that is keeping your heart beating right now. I love prayer and I know prayer works. It is good to ask and it is given but something happens when you are just still. Open. Letting the spirit move through. Listening. That’s when you get a chance to adjust to what is and find comfort there. And this is the key.

As I wait for the results of my tests, I must not rush to the future. Because I don’t know what the future holds. Given my past experience, I tend to pull in a lot of fear when I look to the future. And fear is not real. It is “False Expectations Appearing Real.” It is fighting what “is” and projecting what may be that brings us pain and can drive us crazy.


In this moment I release all fear. In this moment, I am happy, sane, healthy and free. I am at peace. If I stay right here in the now, I am well! This is what we are called to do. To appreciate that which is. To know that whatever challenges life gives us, we can handle them. It is just a new way to grow and it is right. It is ideal and we are lucky – indeed we are blessed to have this opportunity to be here on the human plane.


Will you join me in releasing whatever is troubling you? Knowing that the life force is giving you the experience you need in order to grow. Will you trust that force that keeps your heart beating to know what is best for you? Will you be brave and humble enough to accept what is? I promise you there is a gift here. You have all the tools necessary to deal with what is. Ask and it is given. Keep the faith in all that is good.


I encourage you to keep a “Silver Lining Journal.” You will see the good in life far outweighs the difficulties. A Silver Lining Journal is a nightly exercise where you note the day’s events that trouble you and you work with the event until you can find the upside – the silver lining. The best things in my life have come to me this way. For example, I spent a lot of time and money becoming a lawyer and it did not suit me. Yet, while working as a lawyer I found the vocation (being a Celebrant and interfaith minister) that is me. In fact, the more fully present I am – the more I am myself – the better!

If you would like help in finding the silver lining in your life, let me know. I would be glad to be your coach. Let’s be the community that we need. In this moment I am sending light and love to each of you. May all that is good be yours.
Here are the seven keys to nurturing the sacred baby within:

1. Prepare yourself for your joy – through prayer, meditation or daydreaming.


2. Be good and gentle with yourself AT ALL times. Always say good things to yourself about your self.

3. Respect how special you are. You are a sacred human being who has something wonderful to offer. If that wasn’t true, you would not be here.

4. Only spend time with people who see you as a wonderful being and respect you at all times.


5. Respect others;


6. find joy in the present; and


7. respect your dreams.




Kim Kirkley is a joyful professional Celebrant/Interfaith Minister who delights in performing personalized ceremonies and the founder of the Happiness Attraction System TM. She hosts a monthly praise party on the fourth Thursday of every month. Please contact her at CelebrantKim@gmail.com or visit www.ourelegantceremony.com.