This week is the fifth in our 7-week series, “Awakening the 12 Powers.” This week, we will explore how love and creativity work together in manifesting our gifts. We are excited to have the Brooklyn Big Band join us on Lover and Creator Sunday! How perfect! They will be joining us for snack time and playing an extra set after that. I invite you to stay for this wonderful opportunity to hear more from a great band that can play various genres of music.
I always love it when children respond to profound questions. Some were asked, “What is falling in love like?” Nine-year-old Roger responded, "Like an avalanche where you have to run for your life." And seven-year-old Leo said, "If falling in love is anything like learning how to spell, I don't want to do it. It takes too long."
In one way, they are both right! Love is one of our spiritual powers and can easily be compared to an avalanche that is way beyond our control! Falling into love may happen in a moment, but developing a loving relationship may take a long time. And it can involve a lot of imagination and creativity!
I have always remembered how author Rose Daphne Kingma described how a soul is seen through the stages of intimate relationship. She names seven stages:
ROMANCE—Moonlight and red roses, falling in love, this is the one of my dreams. The soul knows there is another reason.
COMMITMENT—The pledge, moving in together, dreams are off and running. The soul is still offstage.
CRISIS—A crack in the vase, opening crisis, struggles, disagreements. Will we grow through surrendering or are our souls urging us to clarify our own values?
ORDEAL—The power struggle, “unresolvable” issue keeps surfacing. The soul is inviting us to see our life themes at work, to deal with emotional issues, open our hearts and liberate our spirits. May move to unconditional acceptance of love but may often take more than one relationship.
CHAOS—Loss of control, descent into chaos, fights, boredom, awareness. May choose counseling or end it. The soul is urging us to our wholeness.
SURRENDER—The Awakening, the spiritual act of giving up, giving way, giving in. Light dawns with surrender. We see the soul’s purpose
TRANSFORMATION—True love, the person and situation have been forever changed. This is where many relationships end, having completed the emotional task for the next level—when we attract and operate out of the soul’s agenda—with pure love and acceptance.
Frameworks like this can sometimes help us to see ourselves and the journeys we have taken. We remember that we are co-creators of a larger story, a love story, in fact.
Love & blessings,
Kathy