The Tortoise and the Hare

“Every flower blooms at its own pace.”
-Suzy Kassem, Rise Up and Salute the Sun: The Writings of Suzy Kassem
 
“Run when you can. Walk when you have to. Crawl if you must. Just never give up.”
-Dean Karazes
 
Spiritual-development is a funny thing. We zoom along like the hare in that famous race, or we waddle like the tortoise. Sometimes we even flounder like a tortoise over on its back. Because we are both the hare and the tortoise the race is only with ourselves.
 
Which one we express today is directly related to the fear that we carry with us like a heavy shell upon our back. When we carry that weight of fear and try to control all the different aspects of our lives we waddle and flounder like the tortoise. If we let go of our need to control, we can run like the hare. Either way we get to where we need to go. We grow and develop spiritually.
 
Most people run sometimes and waddle other times. Don’t worry about it, and don’t try to control your controlling, because then you will be trying to control yourself from trying to control your self-development. What? Confusing isn’t it? Don’t go there.
 
Just breathe and leave the driving to God.
 
When fear comes up and you feel the need to control, just be aware of that. You may need the experience of tortoise-ing along for a while. Sooner or later your fear will dissipate and you’ll be able to run again. If you choose you can support yourself using the spiritual tools in your toolbox.
 
Either way you will get there. Either way is OK. You are learning and growing. Love the process. Love yourself throughout the process for you are braver and grander than you can imagine! 

Your Spiritual Toolbox

​The breath is a powerful tool in your spiritual development toolkit. Use your breath to allow you to move into and through fear that may arise.
 
Begin by closing your eyes. Allow yourself to feel whatever fear is within you at this moment. How do you know you feel fear? Fear often shows up in uncomfortable sensations in the body.
 
Is there a sense of constriction anywhere in your body? Do you feel discomfort anywhere? Is there heaviness or a tight feeling? Does it have a color? Is there pain associated with the feeling of fear?
 
Note where these feelings are in your body.
 
Now place your left hand over that area of your body and breathe deeply, sending the breath into the area under your hand. See your breath as liquid light moving into the discomfort and filling it with light.
 
Keep breathing deeply sending light into that area of your body until you feel a shift. The discomfort may relax, lighten or shift locations. If it shifts locations move your hand to the new location and send liquid light there through your breath.
 
Allow your body to guide you in this.
 
When you feel a shift in each area relax into a normal rhythm of breathing and continue visualizing liquid light in each place you have sent it through your breath. Continue to do this for as long as it feels good to you and you feel complete.