Everyone loses their spiritual way from time to time. We strive to be kind and conscious beings in each moment, regardless of the challenging scenarios at play, but old patterns can sneak up on us when we least expect them. Without some inner practices to turn to in our time of need, we can feel overwhelmed and disoriented.
Today, I’m going to share two core questions that will illuminate your truth in a flash, so you can overcome any mental, emotional, or energetic blocks that are not serving you.
To start, it’s always important to scroll through our inner skills and match the right practice up to the specific challenge we’re encountering. My 96 year old grandpa always says, “There’s a right and wrong tool for every job. You don’t use a jack-hammer to tap in a finishing nail.” Self-work is the same way.
Certain personal blocks, like serious childhood trauma, need to be addressed using more gentle methods that will slowly release the charge and bring life energy into the wound. We will be exploring a few of those delicate personal practices in the next few months.
Today’s exercise is a bit more direct – I call it tough self-love.
Our beautiful world offers so much illusion that we sometimes find ourselves behaving in bizarre ways that do not represent our highest self. Often, these conflicts stem from perceived inconvenience at the hands of other people. You were in total harmony with life until… that woman cut you off in traffic, your husband ignored you for the umpteenth time, your friend showed up an hour late, etc. In a perfect vacuum, enlightened living is easy – but not always here on earth.
When we have the freedom to step away into a meditative practice or sacred ceremony, we are able to see the error of our ways quite clearly. But what about those midday moments when we don’t have time to dive deep and come correct in our consciousness?
In situations like these, we need a quick dose of truth to calm the waters. The two questions below are extremely effective at delivering exactly that. Be aware though, they are a challenging couple of questions.
Two Questions For A Dose Of Truth
Question #1: “How Can I Serve?”
In this very moment, regardless of who you are, how can you best serve the greater good? This includes you, and everyone around you. Be honest with yourself.
If you’re reading this article, you most likely share the belief that we’re all in this together. Inherent in those last five words is a challenge to be the best, most selfishly selfless person you can be. For you, your loved ones, and the web of humanity that sprawls off into the horizon from your front doorstep. The way you treat yourself and your inner circle has a very tangible ripple effect outward to the rest of the world.
When the going gets tough, I sometimes literally look up into the sky (or living room ceiling) and ask, how can I serve right now? Don’t worry, the answer will come…
Question #2: “Am I Willing To Do What It Takes?”
Even harder than the first question, I know. Now that you’ve laid out a map to the high road, are you willing to walk the path? This exercise is inconveniently revealing. Some practices leave some wiggle room for interpretation – this is not one of those.
Yes or no?
These two questions have a funny way of cutting through the B.S. and putting your highest self into the driver’s seat. They may be tough to ask, but they certainly give you some fast truth when time is not on your side.
On a softer note, I urge you to be gentle with yourself. The goal (to my knowledge) isn’t to be a perfectly peaceful Zen master every day. The goal is to be aware of the process itself and keep learning.
Give up on any perfectionism or expectations, and forgive yourself in the moment for any mistakes you’ve made recently, or will undoubtedly make moving forward. This life is a spiritual training course, meaning that failure is an inevitable part of our growth.
Here’s to being human!
Stay curious,
Nick Polizzi
Director, The Sacred Science
53 Responses
type your comment here…As always, thank you for your gentle and incisive comments. This path is not a ‘straight-and-narrow,’ but rather a curving journey through the forest of the past, lit by clearings in the trees where the rays of the sun strike the moving waters of Love. Much gratitude.
As always, thank you for your gentle and incisive comments. This path is not a ‘straight-and-narrow,’ but rather a curving journey through the forest of the past, lit by clearings in the trees where the rays of the sun strike the moving waters of Love. Much gratitude.
Thank you.
I am only human.
A soul having a human experience.
Thank you for the words. They touch a cord
Thank you for the reminders! I love the perspective that “life is a spiritual training course”. I don’t have to get it right. I just need to keep working these muscles. Thanks again.
very appropriate on a moment to moment basis.!
How appropriate
This morning I woke up to the alarm
What day is it? What time is it? Where am I supposed to be and what am I supposed to do.
Then I remember, yes, that job.
The one where I feel as a slave being watched every moment and critiqued for not
Doing it the right way.
Yesterday, I had a know in my stomach before walking into that place. This morning I started crying. I know there are childhood issues surfacing once again. They had been locked away for awhile.
Not this, not
That,
I even thought the other day if I left this world no one
Would really notice
That thought really didn’t have an emotional impact on me at
The time
The world recignizes
Accomplishments, what we do
What about how we are being while doing
Humanity
Anyway, this morning my spirit, my little child was crying
Self judgement, turning inward,
Never good enough
Needless to say those two questions did not come to my mind at
The time
I did not go to work and wrote them saying that I won’t
Be backy spirit felt free once again
While I continue on with my being doing what is called for …
Terri……..you are a part of everything……your exit would be noticed. Good job leaving a soul-crushing job. Remember, you are the light and the love.
Terri. , we are all one in this world, without you part of us would be lost, love you…..
Thank you so much for your teaching! It is just what I needed to see clearly on my may!
I like to ask the question “Is it uplifting?”
Excellent additional and easy question! Do I feel contracted around my heart or do I feel relaxed? Or, as you said, uplifted. Thanks!
Thank you for this, Nick. I agree that it always comes down to self-love.
I have others and myself do this thing: put your hands over your heart center and say, “This is beautiful.”
Thank you Nick for doing your Soul work, keep shinning !!
Love and joy,
Beata
Thanks for your regards.
Nick, Peace and blessings for giving this information to a world that CHARGES you a fee to get access to “helping yourself”. Your site and the information freely given encourages me to really take a look at what I have ALWAYS known about myself and interaction with the world…but was never brave enough to go back to the little girl insight I had, I allowed the world and judgement and thought that pleasing was a substitute for serving,. ! I thank you for what you have offered to us. Blessings. …
If the answer to question 2 was ‘No’. I would ask:
Am I owning something I do not have control over in this moment and am I willing to surrender to my truth?
Thank you for sharing your gift of encouragment. You are impacting many lives.
thank you for this; the first question is one that I frequently use to center myself; and now, I have a follow-up!
Terri – it sounds like you made the rigthht decision for you.
Nick, it would be helpful if you would give us a real life example of using these questions.
Thanks for the work that you do
Thanks Nick. Great tools with a challenge. Well done. Thanks for continuing to share. Your video, by the way, has become a regular part of my Healing Strategies class at the local community college. Peace and Blessings, Jack
You are definately right about those tougher moments. thank you for this well needed advice. Am grateful <3
Thank you for your words today. They’re so helpful. I’m grateful that you’re using the internet for the highest and best purpose. Technology can be such a dodgy thing and yet has the power within it to heal the world by connecting hearts. You’re doing just that!
Staying focused in the nowhere moment is a way to take yourself on the personal journey of healing, tough love is not easy, worth it. Daily examination of the self in a peaceful place with GOD for me makes all the difference.
Thanks for the reminder …. I do try but too often I fail miserably.!
As usual, your approach gets to the nub gently so even I feel I can hack it. Thank you.
We are all a ripple in that pond…how we pass what we think, feel and say onto one another. I so enjoy reading your blogs. Once again, you have me searching my inner self to answer the questions that you posed. Thank you! I admit, I lose my way and then find fault for who I am. It’s hard sometimes, learning to love yourself…..just as you are. But, I won’t give up. Blessings to you!
Nick,
Great questions, I have another one I ask myself..
“What would love do?”
In the past I have lived too much from the head and not from the heart and in doing so have denied myself the intelligence, the wisdom and the love of my heart.
I loved your reference to “our beautiful world offers so much illusion”. I see my world as a mirror, a reflection of myself and a chance to discover and explore my limiting beliefs and from that to create new realities.
Keep up the great posts
Mark
Wow! I have been rebalanced. Right on time! Thanks Nick and everyone else who commented. It’s good to connect when like minded people aren’t physically here.
Thankyou.. great reminder of self talk and introspection when things are off balance
Thank you Nick … these are powerful questions to keep sailing true North. Inspiring, timely … thank you.
Thankyou as this has reconfirms what I have been doing for years. I don’t know why I started to say them, but it has helped me through and continues to do so.
Thank you for the reminder.. It is so habitual to react in the same way when triggered, these questions will help to keep my awareness on who I would like to be.
I do a lot of volunteering and love doing it. I am very spiritual, and talk to god everyday and thank him for everything.
Thank you for this daily reflection. We, the human race, should be in this together. We only have one world to live in. Each day we must help each other. It do not have to be something big or complicated. Small gestures are sometimes far greater. Each day we must make this world a better place for those around us and those that will be here when we are not, Peace to all.
Thank you so much for this. It’s in these pressured moments of daily life that we can both lose our way and then criticize ourselves for it. Thank you for the gentle reminder that although we much ask ourselves tough questions, we must also be gentle with ourselves and our process. Tough as these questions might be in a fractious moment, they help us to get real and to grow. Urpichai!
lessings for all that you share , so that we may all heal and come together for the ultimate earth experience in peace and love
Nick,
You are my most trusted advisor. Your ideas clearly resonate with me. I accepted yesterday’s mistakes, laying them aside to strive on to create a strong community around me. Thank you.
February 25 2015 I am just beginning my journey into myself learning all I can so I am ready to do what it takes, when it is presented to me. I now realize that external stuff is not all that important, but at times it is difficult for me to not get involved with the every day drama of life. Thank you for all that you’ve done, this video has opened my eyes to the possibilities.
Tnxs for the reminder! 😉
question #2 may reveal where our priorities are, maybe not always where we would like them to be. A good time to search how those ‘obstacles’ can become overpowering or simply distracting, and why.
type your comment here…Thank you!!!
I’d like to begin by saying Thank you Nick..Thank you for reminding me to just Stop! Listen & have some real perspective and just focus on me. After all as you stated, it does start with you. I came up with many concepts. However, the best one, always came back to Love & Light. So too you & all humanity..much Love & Light, again Than you
Thank you. What a great reminder.
Awesome blog! Do you have any helpful hints for aspiring writers?
I’m planning to start my own site soon but I’m a
little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with
a free music downloads platform like Wordpress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices
out there that I’m completely overwhelmed .. Any recommendations?
Many thanks!
I just watched the movie and enjoyed it immensely. Where can I find information on the healing center?
Your words are always so timely and I appreciate them immensely! Thank You!!!
GREAT QUESTIONS, THANK YOU!
“How can I serve” is not quite how I talk to myself. What can I do to make the world a better place? Am I being the best version of myself? How can I reduce my own and others “suffering”? Am I helping others to be the best version of themselves? Many ways to say it… I recommend using the one that resonates with your own voice.Serving is NOT a word I use and I am by no means selfish. We are not slaves, we have free will and we can be empowered by the thought that giving is actually receiving. Its a win-win situation.
Being curious is not enough, wanting to know goes much further.
Love,
Carry
Curious is not enough, wanting to know goes much further
Thank you for this post. I enjoyed reading it. I feel better about myself for one really tough day last month.
It’s good to get a reminder to remember!!