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Strategic Monk

Rising to New Depths

Last updated on: April 13, 2013 at 3:27 am   by Greg Richardson

Rising to New Depths 2013-04-13T03:27:08-08:00 Greg Richardson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

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Part of the challenge is that when we hear the word “depth” we sense danger.

We assume that going deeper in life is like diving in water. Deeper feels more dangerous than being on the surface. We need special qualifications and equipment to go deeper. We could go too far or come back to the surface too quickly.

We assume that we will get lost if we go deeper, like going deep into the wilderness. Deeper is further away from home and safety.

Depth is intimidating. We fear depth.

That is not the depth we are exploring. Deeper in our lives is not the same as deeper in the ocean or deeper into the forest. We do not need certification or special apparatus to go deeper. In reality we need to let go of some of the assumptions and equipment we have already accumulated.

We are going deeper in a way that brings us closer to home, not further away.

We are exploring our deeper selves. It is like the depth of an ocean or a forest because we have not been there before. We are familiar with living around the edges, and exploring the depths can feel uncomfortable.

Of course, there is one way life is the opposite of the ocean and the wilderness. It is staying in the shallows and on the familiar path that is dangerous. Exploring may not always be safe, but not exploring means that we may never live life at all.

We are drawn to find our own depth, to celebrate our deeper selves. We will see things we have never seen before, and begin to see in new ways. We will become who we have the potential to be.

Where are the hidden depths you would like to explore?

How will you rise to new depths today?

[Image by josh-n]

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