Keep The Faith
Recently I was asked for a definition of faith. The person asking didn't trust such words, he informed me, and why was I introducing such a word into a secular discussion? I'll call him Doubting Thomas (DT) after another famous skeptic. I could see DT was spoiling for a fight.
I explained that in Visionmaking, faith was seen as an unshakeable belief in Destiny. DT didn't care for that idea much either.
Since he had asked, I continued to define the term. The conventional definition of faith, I explained, requires a belief in something that carries no proof or guarantee. In Visionmaking, faith is seen as the energetic link that is set up between a Visionmaker and Destiny.
We all have an individual Destiny, a path we were formed for specifically, which no one else can follow. That is why we are born unique. We all have an original body and a never to be replicated configuration of aptitude, gifts, talents, character qualities, knowedge, life experiences and other resources. These are not random or haphazard. They are the hand of Destiny shaping us for a specific journey of meaning.
DT became even more agitated. Undaunted, I continued.
Faith provides an umbikical linkage with Destiny that serves as a guide for the pursuit of one's life dream. This linkage is called Intuitive Vision.
Faith also funds the power to make the life-long journey towards our singular Destiny despite the circumstances and challenges that we meet. Through faith, each of us has the power to take that next courageous step into the unfamiliar and unknown territory of life's experience. And to do so without an illusionary guarantee of safety or success.
Supported by faith, the fire to act grows stronger than our fears and concerns. Mohandis Ghandi writes, "A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history." Of course, he is right.
Every Visionmaker knows that whatever we fear, we will face it on the journey of meaning. Without the faith that we are up to the challenge, we would never get out of bed in the morning.
My friend was unconvinced. We agreed to disagree. Was he satisfied that he was living his life fully and that life was the meaningful adventure that he had hoped it to be? Things were ok, he said rather flatly.
There is a Doubting Thomas within each of us. There is also a capacity to believe in ourselves, trust that we are capable of achieving our dreams and that we have the resiliency to learn from our experience. The unshakable conviction of a Visionmaker is that each of us has a greater purpose and that this purpose is attainable.
Keep the faith.
© Patrick O’Neill 2010. All rights reserved