“All the world is a stage…..” said Shakespeare. The Tibetan Master Dhwjal Khul told us, through the Alice Bailey books, about the world of illusion and the world of glamour. My own logic tells me that if this is so, then we are all the greatest actors and supporting cast imaginable.
Yet this is not so far-fetched, because if we think about it very carefully, we actually spend our lives supporting others. We grow up supporting our siblings, our parents, our friends and then partners, children, neighbours, community activities and so forth. There are times when we have taken centre stage but more often than not we are in the supporting role and often we train others to be there in support. Our role has been vital each time we have been there with a listening ear, a comforting cup of tea and a shoulder to cry on for our relatives, friends and neighbours.
However, it is to the degree of giving that the support we give becomes empowering. We are so often caught up with our own problems or individual condition that it is possible to forget how much others need our support and encouragement. Also, we may find another’s need as threatening into our own space, or perhaps trying to control us, that we may end up putting barriers up between us.
In a world where it appears to be the norm to go out there and get what we can for ourselves, it is incredibly refreshing and indeed humbling when we come across a soul who finds giving a joy and is ever available to help and support others. Usually, this is a soul who is at ease with itself, who has gained a deep understanding of itself and is confident of its own strength, power and courage to be able to give and give in whatever capacity is necessary. This is also a soul who is comfortable with their own power and appreciates that each one of us have gifts and abilities which need encouraging. This soul is at peace with itself and does not feel threatened by another’s gifts or abilities.
When this happens, we see a soul who takes great care in listening and giving comforting words without needing or asking for anything back. Instead, they will give others courage to see themselves, strength to act from their own inner self and most importantly the love and forgiveness we so often fail to give ourselves. This is called empowerment. This is the very best support we can give. When we can listen and see a need in another. When we can listen and not interrupt with one of our own little stories or comments about ourselves. When we can listen and not feel any envy or jealousy. When we can listen and feel joy in the good fortune of another. When we can listen and quietly reassure another of their own wonderful gifts and abilities, when we can encourage another to be true to themselves, when we can lift another’s spirits with comforting words. This is about empowering others. When we don’t try to control others or manipulate them. When we allow others the freedom to express and be themselves – this is empowerment.
Then there is spiritual support. There are souls who are able to give support by healing. Is it not wonderful to think that even when we are physically unable to give more active support, we can do so through attunement, through holding others in Light? Think of how many situations round the world that daily need our support. Just to hear news on the radio or television that is affecting thousands of people around the world, and we can in our own homes, send out the Light to them. Think of animals who are suffering around the world, especially those caught up in natural disasters who are in great need of support.
There is another aspect of spiritual support and that is when we know that it is our role to support others in guiding them on their spiritual path. Often, we are in a position with people who may be wondering about the spiritual path, maybe they are in need of spiritual guidance and perhaps be guided to a particular book, or to an organisation that may be able to help them. Also, those who are in a position of counselling or teaching on spiritual matters. There is a great responsibility in this as there are so many new ideas these days and it can be confusing for those starting their spiritual journey. The main thing to remember is that our path may not necessarily be the right one for another and this is where discernment and wisdom come in.
How tempting it can be to share what little knowledge we may have as the guiding truth. Knowledge comes with experience and experience with time. We can only give pointers along the way, remembering that each individual needs to find their own path. Even along the spiritual path we find those who have a need to control and manipulate others with their own truth. To be able to give in support to another on the spiritual path, we need to stand back and allow them to reach their own realization. We can be there for them in support and a listening ear but ultimately, we must always allow others to make their own decisions and arrive at their own conclusions. That may often differ from our own Truth but that is OK because we are climbing that mountain along different routes.
When we are able to give support or to embrace others we are actually also helping ourselves. It is spiritual and natural law that, if our giving is true and pure, then as we give so we receive. Although of course this should never be our motive. No true action is ever isolated. We go forward as one world group soul by uplifting and helping each other. Think of the concept of one body of souls who share the spiritual path – some further up along the path but leaving pointers for the rest to follow. In this concept there is no room for judgment because we all need each other and therefore we need to learn how to forgive, to understand, to let go and move on.
At whatever stage we find ourselves, there will always be time when we need another’s help or when another needs our help. This is where the heart opens in the joy of giving and sharing and supporting.
Keep on supporting, keep on embracing and we will surely be blessed hundredfold.
