Welcome back to The Spiritual Serenity Series: 7 Steps to Inner Peace and Happiness. Last week we looked at step 4, Self-Searching. This week we are looking at:
Step 5: Confession
Oh great you’re saying… I have to confess my sins? Actually… yes. Admitting our faults to another human being, someone qualified to hear them, is an important step in being honest with ourselves. We hold back nothing for I am as sick as my secrets.
How is telling someone else our deepest secrets being honest with ourselves? It is the process of saying the words, getting them out into the open, which helps in our healing. By healing our self-image and moving closer to a real perception of ourselves, we move towards truth—truth about ourselves. Not until we truly know who we are, can we move forward into what we might become.
We often find that many of our secrets, things that we secretly condemn ourselves for, are not as bad as they may seem. It is important we share them with someone else for this amazing and spiritual transformation to work. So we find someone who is familiar with the process and understands what we are trying to accomplish.
Sitting in a room with myself and admitting to the wall my deepest secrets does not accomplish anything. I tried that for years and nothing happened. Remember, we cannot fix a broken mind with a broken mind. Moreover, we have already accepted something has to change, so we are wiling to move forward in the process.
I have used chaplains, life coaches, counselors, and therapists for this process. If we are serious about change, we find someone!
I have gone through this process several times, and I can tell you it is not as bad as it seems. In my experience, the wrongs I have done are causing more soul sickness then the actual acts themselves. It is important that I get them out into the open and discuss them with someone if I am ever going to forgive myself and move on.
The result of this process is a clear and objective look back at the patterns in our lives. This is another reason why we must share our inventory with another person. The person can help us see events in our past for what they really are—events in our past. Maybe we have been too hard on ourselves for something we have done. Conversely, maybe something happened in our past that is influencing our behavior more than we realize.
My experience with this process has been amazing. The act of sharing my deepest secrets with someone brings me more into the spirit of the universe. It is one step closer to being a part of as opposed to a part from. When I reach out to another human being and ask for help and guidance, I become receptive to the possibility of miracles and the power of love. True happiness and inner peace begins with self-acceptance. Self-acceptance begins with forgiveness, forgiveness of oneself. By confessing my faults to someone else, I confess that I am open to the power of forgiveness. It is from this place I have a start for forgiving myself. Only then may I experience the true power of forgiving others.
Next up, Step 6: Action!
What do you think about confessing your deepest secrets to someone else?
Photo credit: h.koppdelaney