Reinventing Your Life, Your Profession, Your Relationships, and Your Purpose

by Robert Wilkinson

Life is eternal change. Throughout Nature, all that lives grows until that way, branch, direction, tendency, or way of accumulation ends. How we handle the endings and "in betweens" determines whether our lives can become an adventure in learning how to apply our skills and gifts in ways that fulfill us and make for a better world.

Whether we want it or not, elements of our lives must end from time to time so that we can move in new directions. Our lifelong timeline of experiences brings us potentials that we fulfill to whatever degree we choose and/or are able. After a potential is used up, we must learn to apply what we learned on that "vector of realization" in our on-going evolution into future experiences.

That's why the past is ever giving way to the NOW. What we learn and do creates patterns that at some point are fulfilled. When that happens, we must turn in new directions or die in some way, since to cling to the outmoded and obsolete does not offer us nourishment on any level.

We are Eternals inhabiting electromagnetic bodies that also feel, think, and aspire. Our minds keep us moving into changing perceptions and interpretations, while our feelings exist on deeper, more visceral levels. That's why we are deeply moved by our feelings when things end.

We like the comfort of the known and familiar, the consistent, the "safe," even when it no longer provides us what we need to grow into a greater life and awareness. Just remember that nothing is "safe" when measured with the yardstick of on-going eternal change, since change demonstrates the impermanence of just about everything on Earth. That's why when we learn how to navigate the endings and "in betweens" we can find a greater peace in the unfolding process of our own growth.

Our lives, being conditioned by the 5 senses and the mind, are always somewhat perceptually challenged, since these are imperfect by any way of measuring perception. We all feel, and many of our feeling responses have been conditioned by imperfect perception of past experiences.

The problem here is that because we feel and are a part of All-That-Is, often we are feeling "all there is" whether we know it or not. We may or may not be acknowledging what we personally are feeling, but since we also live within a collective Consciousness, we're feeling that as well.

What the collective feels and knows becomes an ocean of feelings we all experience in some way whether we're aware of it or not. In short, given the collective feeling that we are at the end of time, or the end of the Age, we all are feeling that something greater is ending, along with whatever ends for us personally. That's why the feeling seems so vast at times.

For many, it's the end of how they've lived, who they've related to, and even their sense of themselves. Old jobs, old relationships, old ways of approaching new experiences and possibilities are slipping down the timestream, sometimes with breathtaking speed and finality. So what can we do about our responses when we confront endings that will help us navigate our lives into more helpful actions, feelings, and thoughts?

Most of what we've experienced up to now seems somehow disconnected with the circumstances that stress us. That's because we are now in a transitional era, where for the most part the old ways of thinking don't work any more and the new reality is not yet well formed.

I believe that we can learn what we need to in order to navigate the endings and transitions into a new life, given the proviso that "New wine requires new wineskins." In moving into a better future, we must find new "containers" in our personality and patterns of behavior that adequately suit the requirements of a new life.

What we do is not separate from who we are. Even if it seems that external conditions are unnecessarily limiting, they exist only because we continue to dance with that condition. When we see that something no longer nourishes us, then we can stop beating our heads against the proverbial wall and turn to something new that suits our need in the Now. What we turn to indicates whether we move into new experiences or have merely swapped "the devil we know for one we don't."

When it's time to leave the old behind, it's good to make a list of what we know worked well for us in the past, since what has happened once can happen again, even if it must be in a new form. That's why in reinventing our life, there will be elements of past good patterns that can be invoked to come forth in our future. These past productive patterns can serve to show us that we are in fact growing according to our nature into even greater growth patterns in the present.

The Sanskrit word Dharma has as its approximate meaning "true function," or "essential quality of character." It is said the Dharma that can be known is not the "true Dharma," but I believe we can catch glimpses of our unique Dharma by examining the recurring lessons of our lives, seeing how these have led us out of darkness to Light, from illusion to Reality, from fear to a greater Love, and from our lower nature to our Higher Self.

So if you struggle with endings, of unknowns and apprehensions of what will or will not be, detach from the "not knowing" and contemplate your life as a timestream of experiences coaxing forth skills, strengths, realizations and talents throughout the difficulties and endings. You are an eternally evolving Consciousness, collecting forms of understanding to apply in your world the best you are able.

You have imagination and an ability to be creative in ways you've never known. You have a mind that when trained can easily cut through illusions and fears and express the strength of your heart's direct knowing. With an open mind and a strong heart you can move into unknown futures and find yourself doing your Being in excellent ways.

Achieving this requires that we learn to recognize when to let go of the past so that a new potential can be attracted and glimpsed. Even when it seems that change is forced upon us, it is still our task to change the inner patterns in our lives from negative feelings to a new sense of potential effectiveness. That's why it's better to voluntarily choose to let go of old patterns that no longer fulfill us, especially those which create suffering and feelings of lack, fear, and frustration.

As we learn to cooperate with our own evolving process and let go of old patterns that no longer fulfill us, we create the psychic space to attract something more appropriate to our evolved Self. While often we move uncertainly into the future "waiting for the other shoe to drop," just as often we find something much better than we had before. Sometimes "the light at the end of the tunnel" really is a new day dawning, and not just the headlight of a locomotive coming right at us!

So if you have experienced a loss, whether of a job, a friend or loved one, a sense of purpose or an old way of life, it's a clear signal that there's something better out there for you. As we learn to "get out of our own way" we cooperate with our unique Dharma, the specialized function we're here to play in the world.

From one point of view, life is a dance, a play of All-That-Is eternally changing forms for our experience so we can realize more than we used to know. As our lives shape shift, it's up to us to embrace and enjoy being the roles that are ours to learn and become skilled in expressing in our unique ways and experiences.

While sometimes endings can be quite difficult, what renews us is often a joyous thing. The trick is to let go of the feelings of difficulty while embracing the joy of the possible.

Change patterns of thinking, interpreting, feeling and acting, and you take command of your life in dramatic ways. Then relax into simply enjoying the many ways to do your Being throughout the changes, demonstrating past skills and strengths while cultivating new ones. Then each ending becomes the foundation for a new beginning. Welcome to the Now!!

© Copyright 2010, 2011 Robert Wilkinson

Comments

[chickie]

This is a week of "Ahaaaa" moments!

[christine john]

Hey Robert,
It was great to hear your talk at Canio's last week! This writing is so perfectly said. Thank you for the reminder! I am excited for the unknown! It has taken awhile but once you let go and enjoy the ride it's FUN!
Peace, Christine J.

[sue moon]

Timely piece!

[jimmy]

Perfectly said Robert, and so right. Memories and sensitivity get in my way of which I need combat. I hear SSRI's blunt emotions and that may be the answer I am looking for to continue this journey, and looking forward to what life has on it's agenda.

[donna]

Had to address these issues with my son last night as he is graduating college and looking for a job. He doesn't feel ready to move on, but that's where he is now. Excited, but sad to see his current lifestyle and friendships ending.

[Account Deleted]

So well written...really needed to read this,sharing it with friends...thanks God Bless

[Damien]

Tremendous YES YES YES to all of this, i'm at the point where i've shucked off so many essence selves that I wonder what is still here after each letting go..i'm at the point where i'm seeking to flesh out my Being after each transition to find out what is still here and populate that, along with what is new and what had been let go of. So many people in my life are in the midst of new transitions it truly is the Beginning of a New Age..definitely like the idea of attracting that which is more in alignment with my Self as it is now. Uranus in Aries.

[Drake Baer]

I have a question, Robert! I wonder what you recommend as the best online training program for someone not interested in certification but committed to learning astrology well. Do you know of any top-notch non-certification training for a smart, rigorous astrological neophyte (not me)? I've had amazing readings by you in the past and just rediscovered your website. Many thanks.

[Robert]

Hi all - Glad it hits the spot! By all means, share the info since it's what's happening!

Hi Drake - Welcome back. Glad you found your way here. Actually, I believe this blog is one of the best online training places that doesn't "certify" astrologers. We've covered a lot of subject matter here, both in the articles and comment streams where others have offered their take on things.

That said, I'll be offering classes and webinars this Spring for people who want to go deeper into the art and science of the craft. At some point I'll resurrect my school of Astrology and Metaphysics and offer structured courses that will result in various levels of competency. Had my school in Austin from 1975-1983 but stopped offering classes due to an extreme NDE that left me in a whole new world.

Please tell the neophyte to come on over to this Cosmic Cantina to begin their journey by using the google box at the upper top right to find various things I've written on, whether articles or in comment streams. There are almost 2000 articles and 10,000 comments to pick through in the site archives, so it's evident that we've covered a lot since we started using this platform 6+ years ago!

[Anne]

Thank you, Robert.

[Judy Croome (@judy_croome)]

A wise and timeous post on these exciting but challenging times. Am sharing on FB!

Judy, South Africa

[caliban]

"what has happened once can happen again" . . . I find it restorative, different but the same. I am grateful to be able to acknowlege it. And I am less apt to gamble it away.

[Power]

A very enlightening article. Thanks.

A rough translation of the word 'Dharma' is also, duty.

[Beth in San Diego]

Beautifully stated.

[Vince]

Great guidance and a good reminder as I move to transition out of my job to "something new". It helps to remember that shedding the old skin doesn't change who you are at the core and the important work is getting back in touch with that core self. Thank you! ~peace~

[caliban]

Oh my. Oh my my my. The tried and true is just the launch pad.