Rev Charli Tupper

I was looking at and updating my website and saw this sentence: Rev. Charli is an ordained UNITY minister whose passion is to inspire, enlighten, and empower individuals and groups as together we consciously awaken to the Divinity within.  The word consciously stood out to me: Consciously awaken to the Divinity within.  Spirit works in wondrous ways!  Being conscious of and participating with Spirit as we awaken to deeper truths of who we are and who we have come here to be can be a spectacular journey.  The question arises, does Spirit require my conscious participation 100% of the time for me to awaken?

I was recently listening to a Richard Rohr recording where he talked about the teaching of the dark night of the soul.  To paraphrase, he said that it has been taught that the dark night is a feeling of being separated from God.  Another understanding of the dark night is that God works in the dark within us in ways that we are unaware.  I appreciate this understanding of the dark night of the soul.  I believe there is a power at work within us that is beyond the conscious mind.  We commune Spirit in spirit with a wisdom that our conscious minds are unable to fathom.

There have been so many times in my life where the shifts and changes that have occurred were so drastic that if I had known of them in advance, I would have sabotaged it.  The human reaction and ego, which I believe is designed to keep us safe, will convince me to stay in the status quo.  Change is scary is the ego’s mantra.

I have been having a recurring dream where I am in a desert that is nothing but sand dunes as far as I can see in all directions.  Every day, I set out and venture out on the sand dunes looking for a way home.  After I go so far, I turn around and return to my base camp, or status quo.  On the 18th day, I go in a different direction and keep going until I am out of the desert.  I find myself at a friend’s ministry where she is conducting a service.  Her husband welcomes me.

I looked up the symbolism for some of the elements of the dream:

• desert: symbolic of all the obstacles and hardships that stand between people and their dreams.  Sand represents creativity and artistic abilities of an individual.
• 18: Hebrew word for Life.
• Angel #18: time to act on your dreams and ambitions. Trust that the things that have been causing you pain, hardship, and disenchantment will no longer be present in your life.

I have, at times, gotten stuck in either or thinking.  We are either making conscious choices that take us in the direction of our waking fully to the Truth of who we are, or there is a power that is working within us that directs and guides us.  I would see these as two opposite ways of being.  At this time, I would say to both of those understandings, YES.  Yes, I am consciously doing the work that is mine to do, having a meditation practice, engaging in contemplation, and study.  Yes, Spirit is actively working in my life, through my life, and as my life in ways that I have agreed to that I may not be conscious of.   It is this activity of Spirit that takes me away from doing the same thing over and over expecting a different outcome.  It is this activity that opens my eyes to see a new direction to take that I could not see before.  It is this activity that opens my ears to hear the still small voice speak within my heart nudging me to love more deeply, give more freely, be true to my divine purpose. It is this activity that lines me up with those grace-filled moments where life flows.  And, it is up to me to consciously choose to follow that guidance, to make the choices to live life from the inside out.

Each of us chose to incarnate in these bodies, at this time, with these people, in this place for a reason.  It is the perfect alignment for us to step fully into expressing in new and deeper ways who we have come here to be.  It is the perfect time for us to share the gifts we are here to express. It is the perfect time for us to step out of the status quo and take a chance on living life more fully.

Later this month, I am teaching at Unity of Mesa for their SEE in the field program.  I will be teaching a class on discerning your purpose.  It is my intention to post segments of the class here in my blog.  If you are wondering who you have come here to be, or what the next steps are for your life, I welcome you to join me on this journey.