Let Your Light Shine

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Like anyone else, I deal with those little voices or old tapes in my head that ask me, "Who do you think you are? You can't do that! What makes you think you can do things on such a grand scale? Don't even try-you're doomed to fail!"

Last Spring I got the nudge to start a women's talking circle at my mother's church. The people of that congregation had given so much to me and my family while my father was in the hospital for six months. I saw a need in that congregation for the women-women of all ages-to be able to come together, take off their masks, and share in an environment of compassionate listening. There were a couple of hurdles I had to jump over-like talk to and get permission from the preacher...

This was one of those things that I knew was a grand idea and would be a blessing and benefit to the entire congregation. But then that voice piped up in the background and grew louder as it always does-"Who do you think you are??? Do you really think you have anything of value to share with these people? Do you think anyone will be interested?"

I tried to put the idea and the project away and to rest. That would work for awhile. Then someone would say something or I would see something that let me know this was not an option. I got the message that my light was needed and that I should share ideas and inspiration with these women. I even got the message that as I shared my light with them, they would discover their own light and shine it in a way they never thought possible.

Oh, wow-who do I think I am? Who am I kidding? I'm just one little woman with a little idea. Am I having delusions of grandeur or what???

Thankfully after allowing all the voices to have their say, I did start a talking circle. It was a wonderful experience for all of the women who participated. Younger women and elder women discovered that they had something of value to share with each other and that together they could accomplish more than they ever dreamed. And I discovered that heeding inspiration and following through on it is a blessing.

In his inaugural speech in 1994, Nelson Mandela so eloquently encouraged us to allow our light to shine as brightly as possible when he said, "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't benefit the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us, it's in everyone! And as we let our light shine, we unconcsciously give other people the permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."

Think what would happen if each of us let our light shine as brightly as possible everyday! I think we would surprise and amaze ourselves at how fast we create a new world full of love, peace and blessings for all.

Namaste!