Andrea Hylen

My friend, Kate and I were drinking our morning coffee on the deck of her beautiful home in Baltimore, Maryland last week. The sun was shining, birds were flying from one tree to another. A family of baby blue jays were learning to fly. The flowers were in full bloom, filling the yard with red, orange, yellow, purple and pink. Kate and I were sharing the latest stories from our lives. It is one of the things I treasure in life. Moments like this with family and friends.

In one of our stories, the idea of someone living a charmed life came up. I told Kate that I feel like I have lived a charmed life.

Now, someone looking from the outside might disagree. The definition of a charmed life: “extremely lucky or prosperous.” I have also heard it described as someone who has lived without “hardship or challenges.”

Of the top 20 stressors that can trigger anxiety, depression and sadness, I have experienced 16. And many of them, I have experienced more than once. Here is the list:

Death of a family member

Terminal illness (family member)

Physical incapacitation, chronic pain, or chronic illness

Drug or alcohol abuse (family member, partner)

Divorce

Marriage

Loss of job or job change

Moving house

Change of school (primarily for children or teens, but this can effect adults, too)

Primary relationship problems (spouse or parent/child/sibling)

Persistent Relationship Problems, non-primary (difficulties with other family members, conflict and loss of friends, difficulties with coworkers)

Victim of abuse

Victim of crime

Criminal actions towards others

Extreme loneliness/lack of community membership or friendships

Severe financial problems

 

So, why do I think I have lived a Charmed Life? Because my life has been filled with rich experiences where I have discovered things about myself that I did not know were possible. I feel blessed that even in moments where I was hitting bottom, there was always a gift. I have been surrounded by signs and messages and people who were students and teachers. I have been surrounded by spiritual gifts.

And at the foundation I have a belief that my life is to be lived as an experience with a wide range of feelings. It is all in the perspective.

 

One of the foundational teachings of my spiritual journey has been The Course in Miracles.

The Course is a unique process for teaching forgiveness and how to remove barriers in the student’s mind to the awareness of love’s abiding presence.

Lesson 25:

I do not know what anything is for.

“Purpose is meaning. Today’s idea explains why nothing you see means anything. You do not know what it is for. Therefore, it is meaningless to you. Everything is for your own best interests. That is what it is for; that is its purpose; that is what it means. It is in recognizing this that your goals become unified. It is in recognizing this that what you see is given meaning”

Some of the things I have learned from this lesson.

Be present to the moment.

Let the little things delight me

Feel gratitude for everything

See life as a series of experiences

Feel the interconnectedness of life

 

For more about the course go to this link: https://acim.org/Lessons/lesson.html?lesson=25

 

I would love to hear about your charmed life and the spiritual tools and resources you use in your practice. Post in the comments and connect!

 

*****

 

 Andrea Hylen believes in the power of a woman’s voice to usher in a new world. She is the founder of Heal My Voice, a Writing and Transition Coach, Orgasmic Meditation Teacher and co- author of Conscious Choices: An Evolutionary Woman’s Guide to Life. Andrea has discovered her unique gifts while parenting three daughters and learning to celebrate life after the deaths of her brother, son and husband. She currently lives in Los Angeles following the inspiration to collaborate with women in organizations and to travel around the world speaking and leading workshops. Her passion is connecting women to support each other in the full expression of who they are.