We embark on the fourth day of a 40 Day Practice, based on the energy of the Labyrinth (releasing – contemplation – receiving). If you have a local labyrinth, I invite you to walk the labyrinth with today’s theme as your focus. If you don’t have a local labyrinth, you can create your own, take a walk somewhere peaceful, or even sit in contemplation in your own home. I will be scheduling various public labyrinth appearances, and you are welcome to join me when and where you can, if you feel moved to do so.
Today’s theme is Estimable Works. Two quotes come to mind: “Faith without works is dead;” (Bible James 2:14-26) and “Self-esteem comes from estimable acts” (Cupcake Brown, Debra Holland, Arnold M Washton, Jerrold Mundis, and others). What do you think about those quotes? What are estimable works? What are the criteria?
Questions that might help you see what you can release: How is your self esteem? What is your inner dialogue like? Do your actions make that better or worse? How often do you take the higher road? What gets in the way of your taking the higher road? Do you have fears about acting from a place of honor?
Suggestions for Contemplation: What do estimable acts mean for the world as a whole? What is the energy of an estimable act? Do plants act with honor? Is there an animal in particular that you hold in high regard? Why? How does this theme show up in your own life? How can you improve your ability to act in estimable ways? Is there someone in your life you view as particularly honorable? What about them can you incorporate in to your own life? Can you act as if you were honorable, even when you’re not feeling particularly honorable? What if you were to receive supernatural assistance in this area, what would that change? How do estimable acts relate to your concept of the Divine?
Your mantra for receiving might be “I open myself to receive the self-awareness to act more honorably.”
Today’s practice had me in the chalk labyrinth in my backyard. I posted photos of it to my facebook page.
Estimable acts are about acting with honor for me. I generally know what the Right action is in any situation. Wondering if I’ve made the right decision is different and stems from the ego. The real question is whether I acted with honor. What differentiates me as a human being from both animals and angels is the fact that I have Free Will; I can act from more than instinct and survival, and I have options as to whether I am going to do the Right Thing or not. This means that I get to have the squirrel cage, the committee in my head, the Negative Ego, my resistance – because if I didn’t, there would be nothing to choose against.
Today’s theme asks me to examine whether I act with honor, whether I conduct myself in a manner I can be proud of at a later date. This means putting aside ego attachments, especially those that make me thing I’m not going to get my needs met if I don’t x, y, or z. In acting with honor, I set aside my control issues and trust the Universe to take care of me no matter what, even if that doesn’t match my script. It also means very consciously not self sabotaging myself, because that leads to me feeling poorly about myself and needing to take the control back.
How is today’s theme showing up in your life?