Cycles
Our world operates in cycles. Just like the seasonal transitions that occur each year, our personal lives and the outside world, also function in a similar manner. This is why personal development, as well as the development of humanity as a whole, moves in a spiral pattern rather than a straight line. When we embrace this pattern, instead of resist, it can work in our benefit.
Acknowledging the fact that history can and most likely will repeat itself is a very unsettling concept for many. When we experience fear or pain from conflict our initial instinct tends to be to avoid ending up in a similar situation. Unless the lessons we need to learn from conflicts are completed and released, we will find that we must cycle back through to a similar experience. The good news is that when we revisit the same point on the cycle, we return with a greater understanding and more wisdom. It may feel unfair but the spiral is a gift that allows deeper healing and deeper understanding; revealing more truth with each rotation.
Recognizing Loops
The spiral is conducive to spiritual growth, but sometimes we get stuck and find ourselves caught in a loop. Unlike the spiral, the loop is a holding pattern that does not allow further development. It is the definition of insanity; repeating the same actions and expecting a different outcome. There is a fine line between the loop and the spiral. When in the loop, your conscious mind is unable to recall the pattern it is repeating, while in the spiral you are aware of the past and are unable to utilize it as a means to alter the present, and ultimately, your future. This means that in order to break the pattern of insanity, or the loop, all you must do is recognize it. No need to resist, just acknowledge the loop for what it is. It is through simply identifying the repeating pattern that you are able to eventually transcend your current reality.
Breaking Out of Loops
After recognizing the loop our soul will urge us to break out of it while our lower ego will cling to it. When we come back with a higher level of consciousness, or an inner urge within us to transcend, we will need to make changes in both our thoughts and actions. This is where affirmations may serve as a powerful tool, reprogramming our thoughts so that they do not lead to old actions. For example, you may notice that an individual or event is triggering thoughts of self doubt, in the past you may have placed the blame on the person, labeling them as the perpetrator. Now your soul is urging you to move past this trigger and use this individual’s behavior/circumstance as a catalyst for growth.
You tap into your higher self, realize that the power has always been within you, and refuse to take on the role of the victim. You may say, “I have seen this pattern before, different person/situation, but similar interaction/reaction, and this time I know that this is only here to serve as an opportunity for me to reclaim my inner strength.” Hours, days, weeks, months, or even years of affirmations may need to be consciously run through you inner voice, but eventually you reach a place where you no longer react to the trigger but instead you place healthy boundaries, release old expectations, and/or extend your self love by projecting it back to the individual/event that has provided this service. This is where growth occurs, when the loop breaks and you continue on the spiral of life.
This concept is discussed in relation to conscious manifestation in Life Experiences.