Did you ever just wander off into the woods when you were little? Maybe you heard an animal rustling in the bushes and wanted to catch a glimpse or you simply wanted to get down to the creek to sneak in a swim.
Wandering for me as a youngster was always adventurous and fun. I found old bottles that I thought were worth a thousand dollars (they were not) or little skeletons that I imagined could have been a person from hundreds of years ago. I would wander and wander and not give a lick about where I was or how long I was gone. I didn’t worry about getting lost; the adventure was too much fun for that.
I still like to wander today.
This is one reason I’m living at the beach this summer. I wanted an adventure and freedom to roam in a new city with good vibes. Sometimes I just like to lose myself in a dream that begins in my head and I run and play with that dream for ages, but what I have realized in life is that I don’t have to just wander in my head anymore; I can wander out and about as well. I can do anything I really put my mind to and that is a wonderfully refreshing feeling. This goes for the mental, physical, and spiritual parts of my life!
Not all wanderers are lost.
The spirit wants freedom to roam and expand, but so often we have imprisoned the spirit through years and years of hurt, pain, anger, negativity, stress etc. Layer upon layer of junk lies over pure love, joy, creativity, contentment, and so on. In fact, life’s journey oftentimes leads us on a mission to uncover and deal with each layer one by one. The problem is that much of the time we are too busy to notice that our soul is longing for release or we flinch at the first sign of pain or discomfort in peeling off a layer and run or numb the pain with some sort of anesthetic like alcohol, pills, sex, food, etc.
Feeling the pain associated with each layer is the way to freedom.
A friend of mine told me yesterday that she feels like something is wrong with her. No matter how good her life gets, she still feels like something is missing “in her”. The void, the incessant emptiness, the feeling that surfaces when you take time to just breathe for a minute.
I don’t have grand advice for her. I have my own darkness I wrestle with, but I have come to understand that when those types of feelings come, it is best when I just relinquish control and simply FEEL them. If I want to liberate my soul, I must feel the pain of each layer, process it, treat it with tender loving care, and then bid it adieu.
Wanderers make their way home.
We all take some time wandering away from our spiritual essence throughout life and it seems the journey of life is a journey back home to the recognition of our spiritual makeup. A journey back to the realization that “Hey, all these things I have been seeking out there don’t mean didly and they certainly don’t fill me up. It’s within. My happiness and joy is only found when I jump off the high dive into my own essential beingness, my core, my inner sanctuary. I’m finding an ever expanding love as I plunge through the layers of emotional baggage, release control, and surrender to a power greater than myself.”
Make eye contact
Do you make a habit of looking at others directly in the eye? The old English proverb “The eyes are the window to the soul” rings true. If you look directly into my eyes, you will see a wanderer. A woman who has been wandering the twists and turns of life for many years trying to get back home. Trying to sift through the layers of emotional turmoil that stems all the way from childhood to get to her inner core of a gushing river of love, joy, and peace. A woman who has triumphed over pain and trauma and clawed her way through the darkest of nights on her lifetime journey to liberate her spirit. A woman with heart, drive, passion, abundant love, and mountain tops of hope residing within her.
What would I see if I made eye contact with you?
Are you a wanderer? Are you on a journey to reclaim your amazingly awesome spiritual nature that resides deep within you? Will my spirit connect with yours as we lock eyes? I love the term “Namaste” because it is a greeting that essentially means,
“I honor the place in you of light, of love, of truth, of peace.” “My Spirit in me honors the Spirit in you.”
We are all wanderers.
We are all wanderers on this journey of life and we are all at different spots on different paths. Let’s recognize this in ourselves and in others as we go about our days. Take some time each day to just sit quietly and ponder life, love, and Spirit. Be mindful that authentic love and joy are found within and not out there somewhere or in materialistic possessions.
Be still.
Know that you are LOVE at your core.
Here’s to all of us wandering back home!
This is a Guest Post from Dominica Applegate
Dominica Applegate is a writer, author, poet, and speaker with a deep passion for discovering and sharing authentic spiritual truth. She has been discovering herself under all sorts of odd layers and loves to share her stories and lessons learned with anyone that will listen. She loves reading, contemplating, walking in nature, family time, traveling, and meditation.
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