Acceptance of Life

Genuine acceptance of life “as it is” will open the door to spiritual expansiveness.

This is the first principle found in my book. It is a challenge to me because I often misuse the word, acceptance, in my own mind. I see it as condoning or embracing. Or I sometimes feel that to accept is to give up, to lose a part of myself to another's (negative) power. However, acceptance is only about acknowledgement. Acknowledge that this has happened, whatever it may be. It is done.

Before we can change anything we must first accept the reality of its presence in our world. Take a deep breath and say, "This exists. It has happened. You are here." Then, look at our beliefs around the circumstance. Are our beliefs resourceful? Do they support our well-being or negate it? Are we willing to live on planet Earth and be, at least in part, a flawed human? Another principle in Mariposa is that the flaw inside us is our connection to each other.

Acceptance of life as it is brings humility and peace as well as expansiveness. As Byron Katie says, "Reality rules. Reality is God." Let something be bigger than we are -- it is a giant relief to do this. Let life move through us, live us. If we have done something for which we feel shame or guilt, than accept that we have done it. Yes, this has happened, and life moved through me in this way. What is the next step now?

Byron Katie's approach to healing, http://www.thework.com, has been helpful to me as I look at my beliefs and learn more about acceptance.