simply spiritual...

“The closer one approaches to God,

the simpler one becomes.” ~Teresa de Avila

 In 1993 I was invited to be a co-leader for an upcoming retreat and was asked by the main leader what would I like for the theme to be. I wanted to call it “Simply Spiritual” and he agreed.   We were in a lovely retreat center in the western suburbs of Chicago. It is a place that hosts the world’s wisdom teachers, including the Dalai Lama. The buildings and grounds were designed for spiritual practices, have an incredible comprehensive library of esoteric wisdom, and offer diverse classes from Akashic Records to Fairies to Zen…and I wanted to reach into the heart of each...I wanted the retreat experience to touch into the sacred simplicity contained in all paths...a simplicty that we could carry home in our hearts...that would help us be in relationship with ourselves, each other and the numinous. Decades later, working with what our dreams are trying to teach us, I have found this simplicity at the core of everything. As we become more immersed in the outer world we begin to separate from soul…and something happens…the balance shifts from soul to mind. Our minds explode outwardly creating things of beauty, teachings…things of horror, division and hate…confusing and complicated. Even in a world where we are offered insight into every esoteric teaching, we still find ourselves somehow ineffably alone and disconnected. As we follow the dream path back to soul it may be like watching the big bang in reverse…all returns back to the beginning…distills to what is under each and every thought and school of thought, under each and every conditioned reaction, each and every reason we do anything… to the simple truth that we are beings whose true nature is to love and to be loved…and that true nature yearns to be in the world. When that moment is reached in a dream…in waking reality…where we love…where we receive love…everything goes quiet…all struggle, all movement ceases and we are in the pure space of being simply who we are…we are in the love. Our dreams not only help us return to this place…they help us learn how to spend more time there…  Mary Jo Heyen is a certified Natural Dreamwork Practitioner working with clients in person, phone or video conference. Learn more about her work with dreams at www.maryjoheyen.com.