“In this time of the renewal of the Christ Consciousness and our awareness of it, go inside and appreciate yourself and the gifts you have been given and the gifts you have to share.  Be grateful for who you are.” – John-Roger

This article by John-Roger was first published in Rod & Staff Christmas Issue, December 1984.

What is the most beautiful gift you can give?  The gift of yourself.

So often we get caught up in trying to find the perfect gift or greeting card or in trying to find the right words to say to someone.  And although it’s nice to express our love in these ways, the simplest and most precious gift you have to give resides inside of yourself.

For many of us, that’s a difficult thing to accept.  We tend to look outside ourselves and enter the “comparing” game.  Everyone else seems to have more talent, money, happiness — more of everything we think we want.  And yet, the reality is that everything you’ve ever wanted or dreamed of having or being is completely intact within yourself.

Even when we begin to become curious about the spiritual side of our nature, we still think it’s “out there.”  We start the search for what seems to be missing from us.  In MSIA, we encourage you to look within.  The inner journey will reveal the gifts and give you more than you may have thought was possible.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, as the case may be, we may be blind to our own gifts.  Have you ever known someone who berates himself or herself for a quality that you admire?  Maybe that person says, “I see myself as stubborn,” and you view them as persistent.  Or, you may judge yourself for being indecisive, when actually you are very flexible and cooperative.  By going within, you become acquainted and familiar with your true nature and gain the skills and the confidence to use those inherent gifts.

Sometimes people look inside for the first time and don’t like what they see.  So, they stop looking, or they blame someone else for their imagined inadequacies.  It’s important to keep going, to keep looking past those first few images that are presented to us.  We have placed those images there, and they may be false ones.

Many times I hear people say, “I tried to do spiritual exercises, but it just didn’t work.”  I ask them, “How long did you try it?”  “For a couple of days.”  Then I ask, “What happened?”  They may reply, “I fell asleep” or “I couldn’t sit still.  Spiritual exercises just don’t work for me.”

The process of spiritual unfoldment is a lifetime commitment — and it’s as natural as breathing in and breathing out.  The commitment is not a confinement; it’s the doorway to freedom.  If you give up too soon, you may miss a profound insight or discovery.  It’s the same with doing spiritual exercises; every day can reveal something new to you.  It’s so important to persevere past all of the rationalizations, fears, doubts, restlessness, worries, concerns, and misgivings.  Persistence is a form of caring for ourselves and giving the gift of love to the one who matters the most.  And when you are full of that loving, the inner gifts will naturally overflow to others without any effort.

Every day, in every way, you are enough.  Even though you may have habits you’d like to change, physical features you don’t like, or a mind that wanders when you want it to stay focused, who you really are shines forward more brightly than any judgments you hold against yourself.  Have the courage to be you.

Create enough love to accept every part of yourself.  And as you give these gifts to yourself, the more you will receive.

You are a portable gift ready to participate at any given moment.  It may be giving a smile or being patient.  While one person has the gift of laughter, another person blesses us with the silence and peace they exude.  Each one of us is important!

In this time of the renewal of the Christ Consciousness and our awareness of it, go inside and appreciate yourself and the gifts you have been given and the gifts you have to share.  Be grateful for who you are.

It is indeed a blessing that we have so much to share with each other.

Baruch Bashan

John-Roger