Stepping Stones

The Ruby Slippers - Moving to a Deeper Space Within

We live in a world that seems increasingly in peril. Every day we are bombarded with fear-based messages that raise our anxiety and diminish our sense of peace and well-being. Whether its news about politics, parenting, the environment, climate change, crime or economics, it’s all supercharged with fear of the other, the uncontrollable, or the unimaginable. When these anxiety-based ruminations overtake our minds, creating panic and stealing our peace, we go scurrying around looking outside of ourselves for the right expert, politician, therapist or guru who has the power to protect us or save us. But the only real respite from the fear-based thinking of our small mind, is to enter into a relationship with our soul, with our inner life, with a deeper way of knowing and discerning what is true.

Remember that Glinda told Dorothy that nothing could ever harm her as long as she wore the Ruby Slippers. The Ruby Slippers represent our ever-present connection to our Soul. Our soul is the gateway to our Big Mind – to our Mystery Mind – to a deeper and more peaceful consciousness that runs deep below the surface noise of the world. This is the goal of the hero’s journey—to discover yourself as consciousness itself—as an emanation of the Divine that is always connected to All That Is—to a mystery and power that is beyond the terrifying imagination, anxiety and panic of our small mind. While our western religious traditions too often leave us in the throne room of the Great and Powerful Oz hoping to be rescued from our fears and insecurities, the Oz myth takes us the next crucial steps on our journey where we are invited to discover this deep well of peace and truth that resides within. The Oz story teaches us that through the use of our own creative and conscious forces, we can recognize ourselves as connected to the ultimate source of power and love in the universe. When we learn to connect to this deep place inside of us as our source of wisdom and power, where we are always safe, loved, cared for and protected, we have moved from Oz to Om.

Weekly Stepping Stones

Where in your life do you experience feelings of vulnerability, fear, separation or abandonment? As you bring this situation to mind, can you practice breathing deeply into your heart center until you find a place where you can hold that feeling of vulnerability with love and compassion? Remember that our small mind is like the monster hiding under the bed of the toddler, it creates mental images that are not real. Remind yourself that it isn’t real, breathe into the deeper space inside of you, and let your mind and body relax and calm.