Times Of Swaziland: OPENING TO DIVINE GUIDANCE

OPENING TO DIVINE GUIDANCE
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The Editor on 29/05/2019 01:35:00


Sir,
Guidance comes in many forms. Family or friends may give wonderful words of
wisdom in dealing with a particular problem or situation. All of this guidance
can be useful, particularly if it helps support our desire to choose what’s
best.
The most powerful guidance, however, often comes from sources unseen. By opening
to guidance from the divine, we open to the support of powerful forces greater
than ourselves, which can help our lives grow and blossom.
The divine has different meanings to different people. For some, the divine
means God, Allah, Jah or whatever we call the supreme consciousness or all
encompassing essence of the universe. For others, the divine involves the realm
of our ancestors.
Spirit
Still others believe that each of us has one or more guardian angels, that we
all have a guiding spirit to help us along the way.
Yet even if you don’t believe in any of the above, you might open up to the
possibility that there is a very wise part of yourself - a higher self or a
deeper self - which can provide you with divine guidance from within. How we
define or view the divine is not important.
What is important is that we open up to this divine presence, however we choose
to define it, and that we consciously invite this powerful guidance into our
daily lives.
There are many ways to ask for divine guidance. You may already have your own
meaningful prayer or meditation practice. You may want to experiment with
different ways you hear about, read about, or come up with yourself. Choose
whatever way feels best for you.
Practice
One beautiful practice is to set aside a few minutes each morning upon
awakening. First, reaffirm your commitment to do what’s best for yourself and
for all in your life this day. Then, ask directly to the divine for guidance in
making choices that are best for all involved throughout the coming day. You can
do the same at bedtime every night; setting aside time to ask for guidance
during your sleep and dream time.
Any time during the day when you need to make a significant decision or you just
want to calm or centre yourself, stop for a moment. Take time to ask the divine
for help, guidance and inspiration in choosing what’s best for you and for all
of us.
In communicating with the divine, you might at times pray for a particular
result. When you ask for something specific, by ending with ‘only if this is
what’s best’, you are opening yourself up to a higher level of guidance.
There are times when in asking for something you may feel certain that you know
what’s best.
Yet there can be unforeseen reasons why what you’re asking for is not what’s
best. By always adding ‘only if this is what’s best for all of us’, you
allow divine forces to enrich your life and the lives of those around you in
unexpected ways.
Even if you are uncertain whether God or the divine exists, give this key a try.
You might be surprised at what happens, particularly if you are open to change
and growth in your life. The results may not always be what you expected but in
the long run you are likely to find your life becoming much richer, fuller and
more satisfying.
D Mdluli