What’s in a name?

I started The Spark Inside just before I moved to Sydney in 2011. Over the last few years, like me, it has undergone a number of iterations/evolutions.

As I have transversed by own inner landscape on my journey of becoming, it too, gone through its own evolution. From NLP Training, Coaching and Hypnosis to Story/narrative based coaching and story writing. Now as I emerge more fully into myself and my dharma (purpose), it too is evolving and emerging into a final form.

The one thing that has remained the same. Its name.

The Spark Inside was drawn forth from my cognition by a friend, who could see more clearly than me, my own light.

I have been driven since my early thirties by Marianne Williamson’s quote, made famous by Nelson Mandela, about fear. ‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.  Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us…”

I cried when I read it.

Me crying in and of itself is not unusual, anyone who knows me will tell you I cry at the drop of a hat. It was unusual because it was the silent soul scream of knowing. A deep truth resonating to the core of my being.

Because I knew I was making myself small.

Very, very small.

So I had a choice to make; continue as I was, or change.  I knew I could not stay where I was, I was deeply unhappy and heavy – physically and emotionally. The carefree, loving 4 year old me was no where to be found, that light had almost been extinguished.

I wanted to feel ‘her’ again and to do that I needed to face the demons of my own creation, chip away all the gunk that had crusted over my being and I needed to let my own light shine.

And so I stepped onto the path. The path walked by many others before me. The path of challenge and liberation and it has lead me here. It has lead me home.

I can tell you from first hand experience it has not been easy or fun. Looking in the mirror and being confronted with aspects of you, that you’d rather not see, the jealousy, the anger, the shame is not pleasant. On the flip side, as you process all the underlying emotions of the ‘ugly’ aspects of yourself the space and the lightness that results, is incalculable.

The relationship we have with ourselves is the most challenging. We can ‘pretend’ with others create a mask (often more than one) or play a part/role. It is more difficult to pretend to ourselves, because the truth has inconvenient ways of showing up, in our behaviour, our emotional outbursts or in the quiet time before sleep when the little voice whispers.

Ultimately what we all really want is to fit in, to be accepted, and to be valued for our own individual contribution and uniqueness.

We want to be happy, to be content, to be whole.

We want to be loved, most of all by ourselves.

What I know, is life, is a paradox.

It is beautiful, magical and something to be traversed with wonder. On the other hand can be messy, cruel, and just down right hard. Being able to hold that paradox is one of the truly sublime things about being human and is far easier when you are able to stand in your truth. Your light.

Each and everyone of us has our own inner spark.

However you choose to describe it, nature, the universe, God, star stuff; thisis who we are. It is our humanity drives our unique experiences and the magic of our lives.

As I launch the new iteration of my business out into the world, the name remains the same.

The Spark Inside.

And just as a friend did for me back in 2010, this is the spark that I’m seeking to draw forth with and for others.

Because ‘… As we let our own light shine we unconsciously give other people permission to do the sam.As we are liberated from our own fear our presence automatically liberates others.’

Let your light shine.

Much Aroha