The Shadow as a Source of Creativity

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
the courage to change the things I can;
and the wisdom to know the difference.
(The Serenity Prayer)

The spiritual community always works under the assumption that we all have the ability and right to be "healthy, wealthy and wise." Well, you can aspire to reach this state; perhaps you are even so good that you already have reached it. And if you haven't, please put your best foot forward towards this goal and may Grace be with you so that you get what you want.

But for those who feel that something is missing despite their best efforts, perhaps your mission is to just accept it and focus your psychic energies on other dimensions of your life instead. Has it occurred to you that this perceived lack can in fact be the driving force for your spiritual growth? Could it be that the darkness that you perceive in one area is in fact the jumping board to catapult you to unseen heights in other areas? As you feel inadequate in one dimension, you end up compensating in other dimensions. You put different emphasis because of the lack which makes you unique in the end. Your conflict turns out to be the source of your creativity; the frustration becomes the driving force.

 Being "healthy, wealthy and wise" is all very good, but the goal of our existence is happiness, and happiness is an outgrowth of a life well-spent. It turns out that finding spiritual meaning in our life is the cornerstone of happiness and true satisfaction. Ask a hero and she will tell you that even sacrifice can be worth living for if it is meaningful for her life's mission. So conquer your life as every hero does and may you find the spiritual meaning in whatever comes your way.