Walking in the Spirit

A Course in Miracles teaches us that deep inside we all know that we are strangers here; that deep inside, we all know that this world we call our life is not our home at all; and that, even in this strange land, we do not walk alone; that the Holy Spirit – the voice for God – walks with us and reminds us of our true home with God.

With the start of the new year I have been more intent than ever to walk with the Holy Spirit, to “listen” for that voice, and to follow the guidance that I have felt. I think of this idea of walking with Spirit as a kind of Holy Communion, a joining in which, as the song says, I release and I let go of anything I think I want and let the Holy Spirit guide me to my real life. There is a sense of inner joy as my heart opens wide to the experience of being only here for God.

And of course there is that “ping pong” effect that Pursah talks about in The Disappearance of the Universe in which I bounce back and forth from those moments in which I am walking in the Spirit, and the other 95% of the time when I am caught up in the concerns of the world! And at the same time, I have avoided behaviors in my life which I don’t feel good about because my naturally tendency is, at those times, to cut-off the Holy Communion to avoid experiencing guilt. Does that sound like a reenactment of the Separation or what? In my head I recognize that I can’t change what God has made and that these behaviors, like everything else, need to be, and will be, forgiven.

And despite the ping-ponging, these first few days of 2010 have felt like a different year and a different experience. The sense of peace and joy is wonderful, as well as the knowledge that, as I follow, I am being blessed and others are being blessed as well. And, of course, the lessons continue.

Last week I flew out to Los Angeles for a speaking engagement on my latest book (Buying Styles – Selling the Way Your Customer Buys). When I arrived at the hotel around 10 pm, I realized I had forgotten to pack a tie with my suit. Now I was going to be speaking before 100 sales execs from a financial software company – I felt it was important to dress the part. So my first thought was disappointment with my Guidance. “Spirit, I have been walking with you this entire week. Why didn’t the thought come to not forget the tie?” And though the tie was a little thing, the disappointment was not. All through the week I had been receiving guidance on what to do, what to say, and so I felt somewhat abandoned on this.

The talk went very well and I was inspired to take a few additional risks with the audience that proved highly impactful for them. During the debrief that followed with the client contact, she said she liked the content, loved the way I kept the group engaged, and appreciated the way I was dressed! The implication was that I was wearing a suit, yet without a tie it was just the right touch of informality.

Leaving the presentation hall, I could only smile and think, "O ye of little faith.” Rather than questioning why I hadn’t received guidance to remember the tie, a different thought would have been, “I guess this is not something I will need,” or “No worries. Everything I need will be provided.”

May this day be a day of Holy Communion for you as you walk this day in the spirit!

In Joy,

Michael