By Tanis Helliwell

Expanding Past Overwhelm

Lately, many of my friends, family and students have been experiencing serious physical illness, and/or emotional and spiritual pain. I have found when it is only one person I am able to meditate for them, see them, and send them healing however when it is so many my first reaction is to be overwhelmed. I have struggled with wanting to lovingly care for each of them personally while, at the same time, carrying on my other duties with our International Institute for Transformation, community, and with my other family and friends. This, by the way, includes having time for myself to garden, go for walks, meditate and play…..even occasionally to read a book.

Sound familiar? This dilemma of where to devote our life energy is common to us all. This is true even if you have different priorities from mine calling to you. What I have discovered is that racing around trying to be everything to everyone serves neither them nor me. It causes a lot of stress and anxiety for me that I am falling short; it causes guilt for them because they may feel that my energy is spread too thin and then start worrying about me…not something that will help them get better.

Tips for Leading a Multi-Dimensional Life

So, what is the solution to this very real problem of how to fully live a multi-dimensional life? What I’ve discovered is that there is not a “right” way to split our time and energy and that whatever choice we make needs to be a full commitment of our presence. After making the decision, and without looking back and second-guessing ourselves—that’s a loss of energy—we need to fully embrace whatever we are doing. This means that it is essential that we are fully present in the moment and that our choices nurture others and ourselves. We nurture others and ourselves if we are GRATEFUL that our lives can benefit them in some way. Perhaps, we call or email them. Perhaps we send healing. Perhaps we volunteer and serve others in our work and by inspiring them to rise to their highest potential.

Daily Self-Care

At the same time, we need to recharge our energy daily to be at our best. For example, when we meditate daily we recharge our spiritual batteries and then are able to give more to others. Also, when there are more demands on us we might need more sleep and alone time to recoup. Getting outside into the sun and air allows nature to heal us and gives us prana—life energy from Spirit. This life energy keeps our physical body strong while simultaneously implanting new ideas and insights that encourage our growth mentally and emotionally. Inner growth fertilizes outer growth and strengthening any body, physical, emotional, mental or spiritual serves to strengthen our entire system.

The Gift in Not Getting What We Want

Furthermore, we cannot compare what we have been able to do in one day even with another day and to realize that doors may close to moving a project, appointment, healing, etc ahead. No use worrying about not finishing on time or not giving enough…that is one more stress. With deeper surrender to SPIRIT’S PLAN we are able to surrender our priorities and learn to be flexible with what shows up. Doing this creates a vacuum into which Spirit can flow with new insights and deeper understanding than what we would have achieved if we had pushed forward regardless of what Spirit wanted.

Life Phases

There are major phases in our lives and even though we can categorize them and know they are coming, it is sometimes quite a surprise to find they have come earlier than we expect. Major life phases include getting married, raising children, divorce, retirement, moving to a new location, serious illness, and death of a loved one. Some of these phases are sought after positive stresses (eustress). Some are not chosen and are imposed distresses but even these difficult stressors are great teachers of non-attachment and deeper surrender to Spirit’s plan.

There are no accidents and we are meant to learn, grow and succeed in learning Spirit’s lessons. The final imposed stress for the majority of us is facing our own mortality. A dear friend of mine, who is very ill, said to me that everyone lives as if they will never die until they face their impending death. He shared that the gift that has come to him from his painful illness is living fully in the present and celebrating each moment and each person as precious. There are many ways to be healed. Physically we may be healed and live to a ripe old age but this healing only lasts for this one life. It is far more important to be healed emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. This is long-term healing with countless rewards that carry our soul beyond this life. This healing is a gift, not only to us, but also to all who share our lives.