Personal Belief Zone

 One of the great gifts of the 12-step programs is that the participants are encouraged to find their own concept of a “Higher Power”. How freeing that is! I was, in effect, given permission to be rid of the childish concept of a male, angry, punishing, judgmental god, in order to be open to whatever makes sense to me. It’s not a concept set in stone; I get to tweak it as my understanding grows, and as I grow.

For me, at least at this stage of my life, that Power is an omnipotent force of Love. This Love honors the laws of nature, which it developed. This Love is within me and everyone I meet, see, hear, and read about. Like the Great Spirit of the original North Americans, it is within everything—people, animals, trees, rocks, water, air. It is the Aboriginal Dreamtime, Hawai’ian’s Big Kahuna. It is that which can’t be defined or understood. It is the I AM.

I am a part of the I AM. I experience life as a unique soul, just like all the other unique souls. We are all the Creator experiencing Creation, feeling the sense of being separate and seeking the connection to Spirit which has never not been there.

I discover more every day. I grow in my felt connection to my Creator every time I focus and meditate. All that I do, that all of us do, is Holy. I aim to keep my actions from harming others, to be a positive expression of Love in Action. When harm or pain comes to others, I want to be a comfort to them, as a living manifestation of that Love.

My understanding of my Higher Power is just that—mine. You get to have your own. We can’t possibly understand the undefinable, so we have the opportunity to describe it to the best of our ability and understanding, then live according to whatever guidelines that conjures up for us. 

I’ve given you mine, for which I’m grateful every day. What is yours?