By Iyanla Vanzant
A friend, devastated when a long-term plan fell apart, insisted she had
prayed and held a vision for her desired outcome. She was sure she had followed
internal guidance and was aligned in consciousness with principles that would
manifest exactly what she wanted. Convinced that something had gone wrong or
that something negative was blocking her, she flat out refused to give up on the
dream. “I’ll wait,” she said, “for the universe to turn this back in my
direction. If the law is the law, it must come back around. I will wait.”
Listening to her I became aware that there is an important distinction between
waiting and wading.
The traditional Negro spiritual instructs seekers
to, “wade in the water;” to be still, allowing God to move the energy around us.
In scripture, we are encouraged to, “wait on the Lord and be of good
courage.”
While both are excellent faith-building practices, one indicates a divine
delay that may ultimately work to your benefit. The other is an assurance of
divine intervention with an outcome we can hardly anticipate.
When we are clear about waiting time and the opportunity to wade, there is
less likelihood that we will short circuit the way the universe of life intends
to bless us.
Wading is a full internal surrender and relaxation of mind and body with no
expectation, no demands, and no requirements of fulfillment. Wading has no
direction or destination. It is an immersion, release and willingness to be in
the flow.
We live in the flow of universal energy. At times, the tide flows in. At
other times, it flows out.
Wading, or “being in the flow”, means allowing the good to come to
you rather than demanding it show up as you believe it should. Wading, however,
has a very specific requirement. You must be perfectly aligned with the energy
of that which you desire. Wading requires a sense of knowing and trust that at
the right time, in the right way, your deepest intent and desire will be
realized. If there is any doubt or hesitation in your wading, trusting or
knowing, your wading will become waiting.
Waiting requires an internal and often external pressing into time and space
with a specific demand. It means anticipating that the expected will happen,
hopefully as expected. Waiting also encourages watching. You must keep looking
to make sure that the thing is coming like you want it to come. Waiting demands
a sort of mental and emotional holding pattern that can easily slip into an
active control.
In the process of waiting and the attempt to control one thing, many others
things can be missed or avoided. While wading calls us to let go totally,
completely with a deeper level of trust that requires no energy or effort,
waiting means remaining alert for some sign or signal indicating a time to move
and capture what we are waiting to receive.
When we are wading we float.
When we wait, we pace.
When we are wading we soak in the environment, the energy, the Presence.
When we are waiting there is a part of the mind that still wonders, “if?”
It is the waiting part of the mind that innocently wanders off course and
disturbs the unfathomable possibilities that lie just beneath the surface.
Waiting can be driven by the ego.
Wading always rests in Spirit.
What are you waiting for?
———————————————————————————————————————————-
About Iyanla Vanzant:
Iyanla Vanzant is the best-selling author of five books on self-empowerment,
personal growth and spiritual healing, with the most recent book being
Peace from Broken Pieces. As the
founder and executive director of the Inner Visions Spiritual Life Maintenance
Network, she conducts workshops, seminars and lectures nationally. Drawing from
her own experiences of family dysfunction, abuse, and poverty, Iyanla encourages
us all to look at ourselves, laugh at ourselves and then take the necessary
steps to heal ourselves. Her practical message is based on the principles of
universal law, self-determination and the power of Spirit. You can learn more
about her work at www.innervisionsworldwide.com.
Iyanla has recently appeared several times during Oprah’s Lifeclass webcast
segments. You can view the classes here: http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/oprahs-lifeclass.html
She also recently appeared on Super Soul Sunday with Oprah, speaking
about what she had to go through to get to where she is now. You can view these
segments here: http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Full-Episode-Oprah-and-Iyanla-Vanzant-Soul-to-Soul-Part-1-Video
Iyanla has a new show on the Oprah Winfrey Network called “Iyanla, Fix My Life!”. To learn more
about it and apply to be on Iyanla’s show and have her help you, please visit http://www.oprah.com/ownshow/index.html?team_
A friend, devastated when a long-term plan fell apart, insisted she had
prayed and held a vision for her desired outcome. She was sure she had followed
internal guidance and was aligned in consciousness with principles that would
manifest exactly what she wanted. Convinced that something had gone wrong or
that something negative was blocking her, she flat out refused to give up on the
dream. “I’ll wait,” she said, “for the universe to turn this back in my
direction. If the law is the law, it must come back around. I will wait.”
Listening to her I became aware that there is an important distinction between
waiting and wading.
The traditional Negro spiritual instructs seekers
to, “wade in the water;” to be still, allowing God to move the energy around us.
In scripture, we are encouraged to, “wait on the Lord and be of good
courage.”
While both are excellent faith-building practices, one indicates a divine
delay that may ultimately work to your benefit. The other is an assurance of
divine intervention with an outcome we can hardly anticipate.
When we are clear about waiting time and the opportunity to wade, there is
less likelihood that we will short circuit the way the universe of life intends
to bless us.
Wading is a full internal surrender and relaxation of mind and body with no
expectation, no demands, and no requirements of fulfillment. Wading has no
direction or destination. It is an immersion, release and willingness to be in
the flow.
We live in the flow of universal energy. At times, the tide flows in. At
other times, it flows out.
Wading, or “being in the flow”, means allowing the good to come to
you rather than demanding it show up as you believe it should. Wading, however,
has a very specific requirement. You must be perfectly aligned with the energy
of that which you desire. Wading requires a sense of knowing and trust that at
the right time, in the right way, your deepest intent and desire will be
realized. If there is any doubt or hesitation in your wading, trusting or
knowing, your wading will become waiting.
Waiting requires an internal and often external pressing into time and space
with a specific demand. It means anticipating that the expected will happen,
hopefully as expected. Waiting also encourages watching. You must keep looking
to make sure that the thing is coming like you want it to come. Waiting demands
a sort of mental and emotional holding pattern that can easily slip into an
active control.
In the process of waiting and the attempt to control one thing, many others
things can be missed or avoided. While wading calls us to let go totally,
completely with a deeper level of trust that requires no energy or effort,
waiting means remaining alert for some sign or signal indicating a time to move
and capture what we are waiting to receive.
When we are wading we float.
When we wait, we pace.
When we are wading we soak in the environment, the energy, the Presence.
When we are waiting there is a part of the mind that still wonders, “if?”
It is the waiting part of the mind that innocently wanders off course and
disturbs the unfathomable possibilities that lie just beneath the surface.
Waiting can be driven by the ego.
Wading always rests in Spirit.
What are you waiting for?
———————————————————————————————————————————-
About Iyanla Vanzant:
Iyanla Vanzant is the best-selling author of five books on self-empowerment,
personal growth and spiritual healing, with the most recent book being
Peace from Broken Pieces. As the
founder and executive director of the Inner Visions Spiritual Life Maintenance
Network, she conducts workshops, seminars and lectures nationally. Drawing from
her own experiences of family dysfunction, abuse, and poverty, Iyanla encourages
us all to look at ourselves, laugh at ourselves and then take the necessary
steps to heal ourselves. Her practical message is based on the principles of
universal law, self-determination and the power of Spirit. You can learn more
about her work at www.innervisionsworldwide.com.
Iyanla has recently appeared several times during Oprah’s Lifeclass webcast
segments. You can view the classes here: http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/oprahs-lifeclass.html
She also recently appeared on Super Soul Sunday with Oprah, speaking
about what she had to go through to get to where she is now. You can view these
segments here: http://www.oprah.com/own-super-soul-sunday/Full-Episode-Oprah-and-Iyanla-Vanzant-Soul-to-Soul-Part-1-Video
Iyanla has a new show on the Oprah Winfrey Network called “Iyanla, Fix My Life!”. To learn more
about it and apply to be on Iyanla’s show and have her help you, please visit http://www.oprah.com/ownshow/index.html?team_