G.U.I.L.T.Y. or Guilty?

May 4, 2008

Dear Friends,

In the mid-nineties, I read and studied a book called A Course in Miracles. One of the points that this book makes repeatedly (as I understand it) is that whenever we are coming from ego—that is, whenever we are coming from a sense of self that is separated and isolated from the Divine—we feel guilt.

Guilt? At that time in my life, I definitely felt a certain sense of separation and isolation, but I couldn’t really relate to the deep and chronic feeling of guilt that the Course seemed to be referring to.

And then one day, something occurred to me. As I have said many times, the true you is not your body, your mind, or even your personality. The true you is spirit—an individual expression of the Divine that exists at the core of your being. And that spirit—that Higher Self—is evident whenever you express certain qualities . . . qualities such as love, trust, and understanding. Don’t you think that you feel guilty whenever you are not expressing those qualities, and may be expressing the exact opposite? Don’t you think you feel guilty when you are disconnected from your own divinity, and are not being true to your Self?

We may not have identified it, but I suspect that there is, indeed, a sense of guilt that is always present whenever we are not fully expressing our divine nature. It’s a subtle sense of guilt that we feel so consistently, we have probably become accustomed to it.

Today I would like to put a positive spin on this rather unpleasant topic of guilt, by transforming that very word itself into a beautiful reminder of the inherent goodness of your spirit. I have created an acronym for guilt that describes some of the wonderful qualities of your divine essence, and I present that acronym to you now in the form of a question:

Are you G.U.I.L.T.Y?

G is for Giving. And your spirit is here to give. Are you giving? Do you freely share your God-given gifts with others without demanding something in return?

U is for Understanding. And your spirit is always understanding. Are you understanding? Can you see that everyone is doing the best they can with the limited knowledge, skills, and history that they have?

I is for Inspired. Are you inspired? Are you willing to open your mind and open your heart to the divine insights and intuitive directions that come directly from your spirit . . . even if that divine guidance doesn’t seem to be “logical?”

L is for Loving. And your spirit loves unconditionally. Are you loving? Are you willing to look beyond appearances and beyond behavior to behold the inner perfection and inner beauty that reside within everyone?

T is for Trusting. Are you trusting? Are you willing to let go of control long enough to let the universe show you what it can do on your behalf? Are you willing to let your spirit guide you down a path that is different from what you planned on or expected?

Y is for Young at heart. Your spirit always approaches life with the innocence, enthusiasm, and wonder of a child. Are you young at heart? Can you enjoy this world as if it’s your own personal playground?

I ask you again, my friends: Are you G.U.I.L.T.Y?

I certainly hope so! Because the more Giving, Understanding, Inspired, Loving, Trusting, and Young at heart you are, the more you will be coming from spirit, instead of ego . . . and the more your life will be in the flow.

Steven

© 2008 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow