Freedom from Ashes
Note: I debated whether or not posting this today was appropriate given the tragic shooting that took place in CO leaving 14 people dead (at latest count) and 50 injured. I decided it was indeed appropriate because this is an expression of how I was able to heal my own mind and live in peace with myself and others. As I said on Facebook earlier, “We will not have peace in the world until we have peace in the mind. Praying for the healing of the mind so that we may live in peace.”
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I feel like running outside and shouting “I’M FREE!!!”, but I’ll spare my neighbors ears for now. This week, I had the opportunity to spend a good amount of time reflecting on the lessons I’ve learned throughout my life. I did this in preparation for sharing my story on the “Freedom from Ashes” blog. I wrote down most of the big lessons I’ve learned through the most challenging moments of my life. There are parts of my story that my ego would have preferred I left out, but I pushed through that by remembering Who I really am. I am not my mistakes! Who am I? I am love…I am peace…I am joy…I am compassion…I am forgiveness…I am patience…I am harmony…and so much more. As an individual expression of God, all the qualities of God are within me. THAT is who I am.
The story is now posted for the world to see. I wish you could hear my ego right now! “Don’t do it”, “what will people think of you?”, “what if someone you work with sees it?”, “are you sure you want to share everything?…maybe you could just give a couple examples”. I know that my past has nothing to do with the Truth about me. I am also “armed” with love and forgiveness for anyone who chooses to judge or tries to use this information against me. I know that it’s only because they don’t yet have peace in their own minds. If sharing my story can help just one other person “rise from the ashes” it is totally worth it.
Check it out here and feel free to comment here and/or directly on the Freedom from Ashes blog page if you’re inspired to do so. It’s a little long, so check it out when you have 10 minutes or so to read through it. Also, if you’re interested in sharing your own story, check out the guidelines here. I highly recommend the writing process, regardless of whether you choose to go public with it or not – it was truly healing.
Also, for those who don’t know the meaning of a “Phoenix rising from the ashes”, see below for a short description. The Freedom from Ashes blog is a great resource – I’m so grateful for the platform they provided for me to share my story and release the last of my guilt and shame over my past.
In mythology, a phoenix is an immortal bird that, when it dies, bursts into flames and is reborn from its own ashes. “To rise from the ashes of the phoenix” means to make a miraculous comeback. (WikiAnswers)
Keep shining!
~Kandace
K, I think I would like to write my story. Will check out the guidelines.
Thank You Kandace for sharing your story on Freedom from Ashes! I love how courageous you were on sharing your Phoenix transformation. When I shared my Spiritual journey on my site, I had the same feelings as you: is this too much, what will people think of me, etc. But I feel as if all of us have things we would rather hide, but when we bring it all to the Light, we realize we really aren’t too different from each other. Everything we have been through has brought us closer to or authentic Selves. And now our story can inspire others. When writing these Freedom from Ashes stories, we see that everything we went through brought us right HERE. And we were never wrong, just a mistake in perception. Thank you for sharing FFA on this post and I hope other Phoenixes will have the courage and strength that you did to shine their Light for everyone to see and RISE from whatever ashes they have been fighting with. Peace and Love, Kandace.
Thanks, Kandace. This is an amazing journey…and you surely are not at the end. None of us are. I celebrate and am inspired by your intention to live against so many of our social norms…in my own life, I struggle with this so I appreciate your testimony. And on marriage, congrats to you both for working towards evolution together. Keep shining.