On my way into NYC this morning I was reading the June issue of Yoga Journal and was inspired by an article about “metacommitments”. A brief definition is required: metacommitments, according to the author, “are expressions of our highest aspirations, our deepest sense of soul. They come from what is sometimes called the ‘authentic self’.” It made me think – what are my metacommitments? What principles and values ring true to me? And if I can come up with a short list of my metacommitments, they should serve as beacons to guide me on my path of life.
A beautiful sunset can inspire you
With the “real” world constantly beckoning for my attention, I must have frequent periods of coming back to my “Center”. As with meditation, this deeper soul-searching is required (with Neptune in my first house, this is a given). I will never satiate my hunger for self-help books and material, the kind that rip down, deep into the core of my soul. At different points in my life, I am introduced to material that is absolutely perfect for my current stage of development. I also realize that, given a few years, that same material will mean something totally different to me – always challenging me to look deeper and move further down the road of discovering my true authentic self.
So this morning, this article was brought to my attention by my authentic self. Okay. So I am in need of coming up with my list of metacommitments:
To Ensure Justice/Peace – I once visited a talented homeopath that also had the gift of vision. She saw that, perhaps in a past life, I was riding on horseback waving flags for a cause – for justice. That comment immediately rang true to my core. That is me! So “fighting” for justice is definitely one – equality and justice for all humans, for animals and the earth. With a child’s naiveté, I want everyone to get along and be happy. (I’m not the only one here!)
To Make Community – With 4 planets in my 11th house of community, I have a strong need to be involved with a group of spiritual people also on a quest for their authentic selves. So making and/or being part of a community is extremely important to me. I have dreams of living in a commune-type place on the beach in Hawaii, where everyone is on a spiritual path, helping each other. It’s Utopia! I know it doesn’t exist, but that’s what I’m aiming for, in say, 10-15 years! (I think my husband will be cool with that – as long as he can play handball!)
To Deep Spiritual Inquiry – As a young teen, I started the spiritual journey of self-reflection. At some point in my college years, I abandoned this inquiry process as I got entrenched in the world of business, marriage and then motherhood, however, the spark was always there and would show up on occasion. It wasn’t my late thirties that I started the journey again. Thankfully, spirituality is now in my life for good and I am being challenged by my higher self to make further commitment to it.
With these metacommitments, I pave the way for my future. These values will help guide my decisions when reaching forks in the road. Where does my authentic self lead me? I don’t know. But I can be sure that wherever it does, it will be a fabulous ride and more amazing than I can imagine!
What are your metacommitments? What about you defines you and rings true to your core?
The article is “Go Your Own Way” by Sally Kempton, in the June 09 issue of Yoga Journal.
