HOW FLEXIBLE ARE YOU?

How Flexible Are YOU?

Stretching Our Spiritual Flexibility Muscles

Life is absolutely filled with unexpected twists and turns that present us with challenges at each bend in the road. Our ability and our commitment to moving WITH the current while opening our hearts and minds to new ideas and options is the key to harmonious living. It is only when we resist the flow that we encounter stress, drama, and problems. When we shift our focus into the limitless realm of possibility, previously unseen doorways magically open before us and reveal the treasures that are linked together with growth and positive change.

As long as we are focused on narrow, limited views on life and living, we cannot and will not see solutions. Solutions are discovered when the mind is open, the heart is available, and the spirit is leading the way. When we approach all people and situations with eyes of love and positive expectation, we allow for the beauty of every challenge to present itself with ease. When we choose to remain flexible, we will engage a renewed sense of vitality, understanding, and compassion that allows us (previously denied) access to the necessary resources and wisdom within us to guide us through and beyond change.

The more flexible and balanced we are from a spiritual perspective, the less prone we will be to spiritual problems. Flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend. Spiritual flexibility is the characteristic of being able to bend, to be open-minded, and teachable. Those who are not spiritually flexible are often described as being stiff necked and obstinate.The cure for this dis-ease is to listen. The person who listens is spiritually flexible. He/she is open-minded and teachable. He/she allows for growth. When we embrace the importance of being spiritually flexible and balanced, we recognize that the alternative is to be stubborn and unbalanced. A individual who is stubborn and unbalanced will not experience joy, inner peace, and spiritual victory and will find constant conflict in their relationships with others.

To integrate spiritual stretching into your daily routine, here is a quick checklist to empower you to redirect your focus and create new, more fulfilling experiences by adopting a more flexible attitude and outlook:

* Is my body tense or rigid? If so, breathe deeply and consciously relax whatever is rigid.

* Do I believe there is a steadfast rule-that something must be a certain way to work well? If so, challenge yourself to break that rule just to see that there are other possibilities.

* Am I open to making adjustments in the behaviors I am choosing so that I can learn and grow? If not, go inside and contemplate the cost of remaining resistant and inflexible.

* Am I overly invested in a certain mood or state of being to the degree hat I am defined by those moods or states? If so, consciously choose to respond in a different way. Instead of being angry, choose an alternative emotional state such as compassion.

* Am I agenda driven? An example of this would be trying to persuade someone of our view points or beliefs with such rigidity that we create stress for those who are on the receiving end of our persuasive attempts.

* Do I allow myself the opportunity to expand beyond traditions to embrace new experiences and ideas outside of my psychological and cultural comfort zones? If not, challenge yourself to expand.

* Do I get easily fixated and become a creature of habit to the extent that I find it hard to shift out of certain behaviors or expectations? If so, choose new and different ways of doing things.

Often times, we develop an internal rigidity and do not realize that we have lost our flexibility until challenges in life occur. Every person and every situation is a teacher for us, offering the opportunity for growth, understanding, compassion, and healing, When we approach life in this manner, without resisting these circumstances and individuals, life takes on a broader, more expansive meaning. When we can view our challenges as beautiful covered jewels offering growth and healing, our experiences transform in phenomenal new ways.

Go out and stretch those spiritual muscles today and then notice how laughter, joy, and love flow into our experiences with ease. You deserve this.