I have come to realize that to live spiritually in any kind of relationship, be it with oneself, with another or with the world, is to keep the spirit flowing no matter what. Spirit has no time or space boundaries, no limits. It demands that we be aware and be wholly there. This entails living in the constant present, fully, wholly and authentically - in other words, to find meaning in the 'now', in the awareness of what is, without judgments - knowing at the same time, that what 'is' has many layers which are not yet known or understood. This is no easy matter and requires an ongoing courageous inner work.

In the previous chapters, we have pursued some of the outlines of this inner work. It starts with getting to know our inner structure, our life circumstances, genetic inclinations, parental influences and experiences and their multiple workings within us. In short, we must start with getting to know our inborn limitations. Once we can discern them and accept them for what they are, we then need to realize how they work dynamically within us: how they influence us in relating to others and influence our view of the world around us.

Also we have to bear in mind the ever present 'shadowy' side cast by these same elements. Whatever works within works both positively and negatively, especially when we are conscious of only one side - in which case we usually disown the other. The spirit moves in mysterious ways in order to help us become aware of our disowned parts. Life circumstances, people we encounter or become involved with and to whom we strongly react, constantly present to us this opportunity. We tend to project our unconscious, disowned 'shadow' sides onto others around us. The others may, of course, possess these same characteristics (to some degree), but this is not relevant for our own inner work, which is to become conscious of what we have within, even if only in an infinitesimal way.

Our demands, anticipations, ambitions, frustrations, opinions, criticisms and feeling judgments may so fill our inner spaces, making our life dreary and dry, that the spirit finds little venue to flow in and through. Being spirit, flow it must, and if it cannot flow naturally, wholesomely, it will tend to flow in its negative aspects, both globally and personally.

Through the many years of working on myself, with clients and patients, I have found that the main and the most difficult inner work lies at this stage. It seems it is a lifelong strenuous work. However, it becomes easier with time, the more we seriously take responsibility to become aware and conscious participants in the mysterious drama of our lives.

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