Unlike physical change where results are quite noticeable and agreed upon by all observing, spiritual change often goes unnoticed and even not detectable, except perhaps by the most trained observer. In the old world of physicality that we left - let's call it Kansas - there was little room for doubt when change happened and little need for faith. As we enter the new world of the spiritual - let's call that Oz - both doubt and faith enter as prime players.

The types of changes that occur in Oz leave us wondering whether it really happened and if it was really important. Not that spiritual change hasn't been happening all along, it certainly has but with little awareness on the part of the "changee". Sometimes one can look back and see how different things are now on an inner level than they were six months or a year ago, but it often doesn't seem like anything is happening right at the time change occurs. Then there are the times that you actually know that something very big just happened on a spiritual level but you have no idea what it was. In those cases the mind goes into doubt and tries to minimize the experience because it doesn't have an explanation for the feeling.

Unlike physical change that we can measure and categorize, spiritual change is on a feeling level that we often do not even have words to describe. Sometimes others who are also aware can validate the experience but often there is no validation, or not in a way that gives us a level of certainty beyond doubt. Doubt and faith seem to go hand in hand as we encounter the non-physical world, yet the more subtle awareness of inner knowing begins to strengthen with each spiritual experience.

Learning to trust inner feeling is what faith allows us to do, and through doubting our experience we allow the mind to register its resistance to things that can't be measured or directly observed with the five senses. Awareness of the limitations of the mind in the land of Oz will lead us to greater reliance on the heart and inner experience. Often something has to not work for us to stop trying to use it. In the mean time, the mind will be learning to be faithful to the heart and spiritual change will proceed at a more rapid pace than we ever though possible.

Soon we will all be acclimated to the ways of Oz and spiritual truth will be evident to all. The dawning of this new time is upon us and faith in the possibilities of an amazing world is growing within us. Notice the doubt in your mind when it arises and then bring your mind back into faith by aligning it with the feeling level of the heart. This is a practice that will serve you well in the coming year.

You may look the same
But you feel very different
Lighter and brighter

If you have comments on this article or ideas for future topics, call Linda Heron Wind at (585) 924-5620 or send e-mail to LHWind@aol.com.

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