Soul Costumes
My husband called me and asked me out on a spontaneous lunch date yesterday – I happily accepted. I even got dressed up, did my hair, and put on a little makeup (I work from home, so this is not my daily routine anymore…sweats and flip flops are my daily wardrobe). We had a great lunch and talked about everything imaginable…even our Will. The subject came up because we’re going on vacation this summer and will be away from the boys for a week. Since we’re both going, we thought we’d better revisit our Will – just in case. During the discussion, I mentioned that I’ve recently decided I would like to be cremated. I went on to share that I was reminded of my grandmother’s death during the last Living A Course in Miracles class which discussed “Life, Death, and the Illusion”. During the class, the guest speaker talked about his father’s death and shared how he felt when he saw his father’s body – he felt no connection to it…like it wasn’t really him. That was exactly how I felt when I saw my grandmother’s body. I almost wanted to laugh when I finally worked up the nerve to go look in the casket because she literally looked like a clown to me…it was not her at all. Reminding myself of that moment helped me reconnect to the fact that we are not our bodies…I have to say that again…we are not our bodies!
My husband said “yeah…it’s like we have on costumes”…exactly! God has created each and every one of us in His image. We all look different on the outside, but we’re all made up of the same “stuff” on the inside…”the spark”, as Wayne Dyer calls it in his new book Wishes Fulfilled. The problem is, we forget that we are just in this costume temporarily for our time on earth but that we are connected to something WAY bigger than that…we are connected to the love and almighty power of God. The soul that lights us up and illuminates the costume we have been given (our body) is not of this world…it is and forever will be of God. So, I now look back at my grandmother’s death and don’t feel as much sadness because we are still connected…she has re-joined with God and is now a part of the Source of my strength.
For some, this idea of “not being a body” makes them feel disempowered and makes them not care for the body (because it’s only temporary and is not real). It does the opposite for me…it makes me want to care for it (eating right, exercising, meditating, etc.) because this is the vessel God blessed me with to express Him. If I don’t care for it, I’m not accepting the blessing that it is and I’m not fully living up to my potential and purpose here on earth. Even though it is not who I am at the core, it is what has been given to me to use as a tool to express the Infinite. I can’t freely give and express the love that God is if I’m tired, weak, unhealthy, etc. For me, daily meditation, prayer, and regular yoga practice keep my mind focused on the fact that I am an immortal soul that is temporarily in costume with the sole purpose to outwardly express all that God is – love. I am toning my spiritual muscle inwardly and outwardly in order to build the stamina to share the light with the world for as long as am here in this form. But when my time here on earth is complete and soul returns home, there will be no more need for this costume. I don’t want my loved ones to celebrate who I was on the outside, but rather who I am (and who we all are) on the inside.
“Let go of the idea that you’re a body that’s destined to die, and instead seek an awareness of your immortal self. Affirm: ‘I am eternal, and that means that I showed up here from the infinitude of spiritual intention to fulfill a destiny that I must act on.’” ~Wayne Dyer
Keep shining! I can feel your light shining through the computer screen!
~Kandace
P.S. Click here to check out the song “Spiritual” by Donald Lawrence…perfect for this blog! “You’re not a natural being having a spiritual experience…but you’re a spiritual being living this natural experience”
About the Author: Kandace Jones
I used to live life shackled by fear, doubt, and worry. I put on a happy face while navigating my day-to-day duties, but I was emotionally drained, stressed, and unhappy. When I hit rock bottom, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I was determined to live life differently. I knew there had to be another way. Out of that determination, and guidance from Spirit, the "Living in the Light" blog was born. It documents my spiritual journey out of the darkness and into the Light. After nine months of publicly sharing my journey, and consciously releasing my attachment to the ego, I experienced a powerful spiritual awakening. I went from living in fear, doubt, worry, and stress to complete inner peace. My greatest passion has become assisting others on their own journey to inner peace.
My spiritual memoir, From Stress to Peace: An Intimate Journal on the Journey from Living in Darkness to Living in the Light, is available now on Amazon and BN.com. Click the tabs at the top of the page to learn more about the From Stress to Peace 21-Day Challenge, Living in the Light Retreats, 1:1 sessions, and the Living in the Light Community - all of which are designed to support your journey to inner peace. I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and look forward to supporting you in any way I can!