Looking At It Until We Smile

The White Stone Ceremony---a symbol of releasing, renewal, and new beginnings. It is very important that we release painful things---things that are not helping us, things that are holding us back---but we must do so consciously, not carelessly. Mark Nepo in Facing the Lion, Being the Lion says "there is a crucial difference between gratefully burning what no longer works and coldly discarding what is still living because we don't have the patience to care for what has cared for us." We must face ourselves with wisdom and an honesty that knows the difference, so that we know which parts of our past to burn carefully---full of care---so we aren't just burning out of spite or anger or frustration, because behind every feeling is a belief. Only when we see the beliefs for what they truly are can we gratefully release the past, know the word of God for us, and be more free.