This post is more of a general answer to why we are here on earth, but if you really look at these four things and ask yourself how they apply to you, then they may help you hone-in on what you are here to do with your life.

They were given to me spiritually many years ago and I believe they provide a springboard for helping us to understand the overall nature of life.

#1 – Experience: You are here to “experience” life, and this experience comes in two forms:

A – Those experiences that happen to you.

Now, depending on the belief system, some people might say that we choose all our experiences, even those that are tragic and heart-breaking, but on the surface, it’s clear that some experiences are less than desirable and not of our choosing. Regardless of whether some aspect of our self chooses the experience or not, the fact is, some undesired experiences will happen to us all. These are unavoidable, but where we can find some comfort and understanding is by realizing that within these unwanted experiences there is something for us to gain, as well as give. In other words, we will grow from this experience (our gain), but we will also respond to the experience in some way, thus giving back to others.

Here’s an example, I would not have chosen to become ill and I certainly did not consciously try to ruin my health. Granted, in many ways some of my choices may have led to the demise of my health, but this is not always the case. So, while I would not have chosen the decline of my health, what came from that experience was priceless to me. I became more spiritual, more self-aware, more educated, and more aware of my Psi connections. As a result, my life moved in a whole new direction. I wouldn’t trade what I gained from this undesirable experience for the world. As a result of this ‘unchosen experience,’ not only have I gained, but I now try to give back to others what I have learned – both in regards to psi and spiritual related topics, as well as health and wellness.

We may not be able to always control the experiences that happen to us, but it is up to us what we choose to gain as well as give back in regards to these experiences. Below are a few exercises for you to do to help you examine how this spiritual message of ‘experience’ applies to your life.

Assignment #1: Make a list of four of the most impactful experiences that happened to you without your conscious choice or consent. Make two events positive ones, then make the other two events ones that were painful or traumatic.

Assignment #2: After each of the above events, list the benefits of these experiences and how they had a positive affect on who you are today. There WILL be something there even in the traumatic and painful events, so you may have to look deeper.

Assignment #3: Now that you see how these experiences have shaped you, list ways you can give back to others as a result of each experience. 

B – Those experiences you chose.

In addition to those experiences that happen to us and seem to be devoid of choice, we also get to have those experiences that result strictly from our conscious free will. For example, we may want to go to Florida for vacation, get a dog, have children, eat an entire container of ice cream, or be angry with our parents for doing a poor job of parenting. All of these are experiences that we consciously choose to have. They arise from our desires, emotions, and sometimes even emerge from our unwanted experiences. After all, we can’t control how our parents raised us, or, that someone makes a delicious, yet fattening, ice cream. All we can choose is how we respond to these events. In this way, we are always consciously choosing the experiences we want to have.

Assignment #4: In this assignment you are to examine the many conscious choices you have made throughout your life. Make one page a list of the good choices you have made and then make a page for the bad choices you believe you made. For example, one page may highlight marriage, having kids, going to school, or even your beautiful garden or creation of music. The other page may list choices like smoking, overeating, not going to college, or watching too much TV.

Assignment #5: Now that you have your two lists of conscious choices – good and bad (not that there really is anything such as a bad choice). Its time to examine each list and once again examine what you gained from these as well as how you can give back. 

Assignment #6: What experiences do you still want to have in your life? List as many as you can think of even if they seem silly or out of reach or maybe even less than positive. If it’s in your mind, then it’s ok to think about it. 

Assignment #7: Now that you have your list of experiences that you still want to have, rank them in order of importance. Which ones matter the most and why? What steps are you willing to take to make them happen? Which choices are things you really want to make happen? 

#2 – Expansion: You are here to “expand” yourself.

From all of our experiences -chosen or not – expansion will occur. We have the potential to expand from them here and now, in this present world, or, we may find that our expansion comes after we die and as we gain a higher perspective on things – although typically both of these occur to one degree or another.

What arises out of every experience is the potential to expand and grow, but once again, we get to choose when and if have that expansion. We do not have to expand here on earth and we can remain in the same space regarding whatever experience(s) are occurring around us. We can even remain in a less expanded state after physical death (a topic for another post). However, with expansion comes the ability to make a better choice – the ability to choose a better way to deal with the experiences we are subjected to, and this helps transform the experience into one that no longer has power over us.

Assignment #8: Take some time and think about three experiences where you are choosing NOT to expand. This could include an unresolved relationship, a health related issue, or maybe even a career path. Where do you need to make a change in your life and expand?

Assignment #9: Why are you choosing NOT to expand in these three situations? List as many reasons, fears, and excuses as you have for resisting expansion.

Assignment #10: What will it take for you to willingly expand? If you don’t know, meditate, pray, ask for guidance, or even chat with a friend to help you find some avenues for embracing change and the expansion you need regarding these issues.

#3 – Expression: You are here to “express” yourself.

From experience and expansion we begin to express ourselves, but our form of expression will be based solely on the choices we made in the first two steps of experience and expansion. If we choose to remain angry at our parents and not expand into a greater level of awareness regarding this matter, our expression can be nothing less than a state of anger. On the other hand, if we choose to forgive and understand the choices of our parents, our expression will be one of compassion and love.

Every form of expression we exert upon the world is bound to our choices . We get to choose how and what we want to express.

Perhaps you want to be an artist or a dancer, a doctor or a lawyer. Maybe you want to be spiritual or a parent. How well you express and create your dreams and desires are all bound to the choices you make about your experiences and your expansion. Want to create a more joyful life and live your dreams? Then you must choose to do so.

Assignment #11: What positive ways do you express yourself – verbally, emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually, and creatively. Are you happy with these forms of expression and which ones bring you the greatest joy and why?

Assignment #12: What negative ways do you express yourself – verbally, emotionally, mentally, physically, spiritually, and creatively. Are you happy with these negative forms of expression in your life and why do you think you express in these negative ways?

#4 – Ease: You are here to “ease” the suffering of others.

 From experience, expansion, and expression we move to ease, but this is not about our ease, rather it is the easing of others. We all must contribute to the well-being of the world in which we live. Whether we choose to do so willingly, or are forced to do so through a lack of awareness, one way or another we will all contribute to others and to society.

For some, being bound into a limited state of experience, expansion, and expression, this will reduce their ability to give ease to others. Still, we all have love and goodness to give. All offer what they can. As we rise into better states of expansion and expression, we begin to better utilize our choices for the well-being of others.

If we choose to express ourselves as a doctor and this arises from joy of self rather than societal pressures, then we will naturally give better ease to others. If we choose to express ourselves as a parent out of love for children and life rather than a place of regret, shame, or pressure, then we will naturally give better ease to others. When we choose to express ourselves from a positive state of expansion and expression, our ability to give ease is amplified and greater joy is experienced for others and the self.

Assignment #13: How can you give ease (help) to others with your personal unique form of expression? And it is perfectly ok to have selfish reasons for this. In fact, I encourage it. For example, I love psychic stuff so much that I can’t help but want to talk about it all day long. As a result of this state of pure joy, I have a natural desire to help others with what I love. What do you love expressing so much that you can’t stop talking about it and who can you find to share that joy with?

The Greatest Responsibility of All!

While we are all here to experience, expand, express, and to give ease, perhaps you’ve noticed that the greatest purpose we have has been hidden within each of these four steps.

Our biggest reason for being here in life is “To CHOOSE!”

We have all been given the gift of free will. It is, I believe, the single most powerful gift God has bestowed upon us. At any moment I get to choose among these four powerful levels. My experience, expansion, expression, and ease will all be a direct reflection of my choices. I may choose to kill someone or to save them. I may choose to be angry or to show love. I may choose to forgive or seek vengeance. I may choose to react or become proactive. I may choose to be a victim or to be a conqueror.

In this way, every choice made is one which affects me and the world around me. So choose wisely! Choose the best experience, expansion, and expression possible. Choose to do these and give greater ease to the world and to those you love and you will discover that your life too will be all the better for it.

This is our real purpose. To choose….

Everything else is just the canvas upon which those choices occur.

Cheers & Wellness,

Carol