July 22

There is a story in the Christian Bible in the Gospel of John. The story tells us about a time when Jesus was travelling around trying to spread the message that he was carrying within. I chose this story because it reminds us that, beyond everything else, the story of Jesus Christ is a story of one man’s journey of following his dreams in the face of all adversity and conflict, a story of offering his gift to the world even when everyone thought he was completely crazy, a story of an ordinary human being who became the Son of God upon awakening.

When I hear so many people saying “I know I have a gift but… I have family/I have mortgage to pay/I am poor/I don’t know where to start” etc, I remind them of stories of all great men and women who followed their dreams and became great. It’s the same story, over and over. Be it Jesus, Mohammed, Buddha, Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, your next door neighbour, it’s always the same story. At some point we are inspired and the voice within us tells us to take the next step. The next step is always difficult because in the end, it’s never about anyone else, it’s always about you. The next step is going beyond your doubts and fears, all negative programming, and beginning to see with the eyes of the soul. Beginning to see what is real and rejecting what is unreal. Offering that truth to your fellow beings (who will almost invariably reject it immediately) and helping them awaken as well on their personal destiny.

As anyone who has ever tried such a thing knows it’s never easy. But I am here to remind you that it is way easier now than ever before. Just about 400 years ago on February 17, 1600 the Italian philosopher Giordano Bruno was burnt at stake by the Catholic Church for claiming the earth goes round the sun and not the other way round (along with certain other advanced spiritual beliefs that cannot be addressed here). He was famously quoted to have said to his persecutors “Maiori forsan cum timore sententiam in me fertis quam ego accipiam (Perhaps you pronounce this sentence against me with greater fear than I receive it).”

We live in a much better world today, you should realize. Following our hearts and speaking what is the truth has never been easier. Easier of course does not mean easy. It’s never easy because the greatest battle is the battle within. It’s the battle against your own ego mind – the part of you that only understands the world through separation and judgement. It’s not easy but it is your destiny. And until you start listening to that voice within and take the next step, you will never be truly happy, no matter how much power, money or fame you gather.

Anyway, back to our story of Jesus, try to go through it with an open mind no matter what your religious beliefs are. If you do, you will realize this is the story of a man inspired by God, a man in love, a man awakened.

The Story of Jesus on Solomon’s Porch

It was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem and it was winter. Jesus walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch. Seeing him arrive, the people surrounded him and said to him, “How long are you going to keep us in doubt? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.”

Jesus answered “I told you and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me… I and my Father are One.”

Hearing this they took up stones again to stone him.

To this Jesus said “Many good works I have shown you from my Father. For which of those works do you stone me?”

They answered saying “For a good work we do not stone you, but for blasphemy, and because you, being a man, make yourself God.”

Jesus answered them, “Is is not written in your law, ‘I said, you are Gods’?” (Referring to Moses)

“If he called them Gods, to whom the word of God came… do you say of him… ‘You are blaspheming?’, because I said ‘I am the Son of God’?”

“If I do not do the works of my father, do not believe me; but if I do, though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in me, and I in Him.”

Hearing this they sought again to stone him but he escaped out of their hand.

Gospel of John, Chapter 10, Verse 22-39. (Certain parts have been edited for readability. All words in quote are unchanged from the Bible.)

So I leave you with this story today to think about it. There are many layers, many aspects to consider. The easiest thing to do after reading this story is saying to yourself “truly Jesus was great” then going about your day. But everyone knows that already and the world is still engulfed by the darkness of separation and judgment. The hardest thing to do is asking “How can I follow his footsteps and do what he did? How can offer my gift to the world in the face of all obstacles? How can I overcome my doubts and fears and speak the truth even when no one is ready to listen to me? How can I make this world a better place by awakening to my personal destiny? ” and then actually doing something about it.

Just like Jesus, the Father is in you too. Just like Jesus, you too are One with the Father. Just like Jesus, you too have a journey to make, a gift to offer, a world to change. How long are you going to pretend to be asleep? How long are you going to distract yourself with your TV and family, work and money, relationships and struggles?

Something to think about…

Lots of love,

Shafin

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Shafin de Zane, CHT, MH, MNLP
Hypnotherapist, Author, Spiritual Coach
www.redefineyourreality.com