Sometimes, as spiritual students we do a “spiritual bypass.”
If we’re experiencing something challenging and we jump right over our feelings to get to the spiritual truth, then we’re doing a “spiritual bypass.”
When our feelings don’t feel very spiritual there’s a temptation to jump up into our head and intellectualize our experience rather than just have our feelings. That’s when we’re responding from the intellect, engaged by the ego, and thinking of what’s right and wrong, looking to fix things. It’s not helpful.
I’ve had to learn how to respond with compassion rather than the judgment that is the undercurrent of seeing someone as needing fixing, needing help.
I’ve had to learn how to respond with my heart rather than the intellect.
It takes a willingness to be present and to be vulnerable in order to respond with the heart rather than the intellect. And all it requires is our willingness to let Spirit lead us.
Have you ever felt that someone came to you with their suffering and you went right into fixing them, and right into the intellect? I have.
Have you ever berated yourself when you’re having a difficult time and feel afraid? I have.
Have you ever “should” all over yourself or someone else? I HAVE!
And I’ve done it to myself!
You know what? When that happens, we’re actually doing it to ourselves. When we don’t have compassion for our own suffering then we treat others the way we treat ourselves. In this way, we get to see how it is that we’re treating ourselves. We can witness how it feels t o be treated that way by observing how others feel when we talk to them intellect to intellect rather than heart to heart.
As I said, I had to LEARN how to respond with Love and compassion.
It’s worth learning.
It wasn’t easy for me.
It’s worth learning.
If you can relate, be willing to pay attention next time someone comes to you for comfort, and notice if you go to the heart or the intellect.
Live and learn! Learn to Live!
NEW PODCAST EPISODE: The latest episode of my podcast's topic is Releasing the Fear of God Often the fear of God is hidden from our conscious awareness, but it’s still there preventing us from the Peace of mind we desire. We can heal and release this very easily if we’re willing!
1 Week From Today!
Are you an ACIM student? We’ve got two classes coming up with kironJ Gardner if you’d like to go deep with ACIM. One is for people who are counselors, coaches, therapists, teachers and who’d like to have miracles with their clients - the other is for those who’d like to understand what “the script is already written" means in a practical application. Registration is open - see below!
https://jenniferhadley.com/acimmiracles/
https://jenniferhadley.com/thescript/
