Monday, December 19, 2011

Turning Crisis into Opportunity

Namast'e! With this, my first blog, I welcome you to join me as I share with you some experiences from my life's journey, in my quest for healing, happiness and inner peace.

Many years ago, I learned that according to Chinese astrology, 1962, the year of my birth, was the Year of the Tiger. Characteristics of this Chinese zodiac sign include: courage, fearlessness, honesty, altruism, and warm-heartedness. Whether or not all of these characteristics are completely true of my personality, I have always disliked dishonesty immensely, and I've been determined to face and overcome my fears throughout my life with the hope that this will help me to heal and become whole. I am also a fierce protector of my children! For these reasons, I readily identify with the tigress as a symbol for key characteristics that guide my instincts, intuition and determination; thus also serving as the inspiration for my blog title.

In addition to inspiration from the Chinese zodiac, I also recall the pinyin (Romanized Chinese) term for crisis,  wei ji, often popularly cited in motivational speeches as meaning "danger and opportunity". The two symbols for wei ji are:
While both Chinese and Western linguists and philologists have claimed "danger and opportunity" to be a misinterpretation of these symbols for crisis, the importance of recognizing opportunity in the face of adversity has never been lost on me.

As a survivor of both family violence and domestic violence, I have certainly encountered my fair share of personal crises in my life. As a result, I have faced many inner struggles and a great deal of turmoil in both my personal and professional relationships. I can't tell you how many times I felt completely overwhelmed and was tempted to succumb to defeat during these times of crisis. Yet for reasons I can only attribute to the existence of an Awareness greater than my own (some call this God), I have an "inner guidance" that pushes me to persevere; to keep searching for answers to my difficulties and never give up hope in finding greater happiness and peace. For this reason, I choose to turn my crises into opportunities for growth.

Over the years, a number of friends and colleagues have encouraged me to write a book about my experiences. While I love to write, the thought of writing and publishing a book is an effort that seems too daunting for this single, full-time working mother of two adolescent boys. However, a friend of mine recently shared a blog written by one of his acquaintances, in which the author shares stories of her very intriguing life experiences and the wisdom she has gained from these. My friend encouraged me to follow this simpler and more direct path to sharing my own stories with others; I owe my inspiration to begin this new journey of writing to him!

I've found that my greatest catharsis and personal salvation comes from reaching out to help others overcome adversity. I have seen over and over again in my life that there truly is a universal balance in which we must be willing to give of ourselves in order to receive ... and vice-versa! This is the spirit in which I will share my thoughts and experiences, with the hope that something I share can serve as inspiration for others to seek their own paths toward healing and greater happiness. Perhaps you can inspire me, too!

I look forward to walking beside you on the path of your seeking, if only for a few moments in time.

With love,
Aurora Renata