WHY OUR DEVOTION IS INCOMPLETE WITHOUT THIS…
Rachael Cannard
Sitting in the dark, on that incense-scented warm night, listening to an angelic choir of women chanting the Gayatri mantra, I was in deep devotional bliss. Suddenly though, I felt as if I had been slapped in the face. I instantly knew Kali Ma was honouring me that night in Bali with a visit, and bringing me a greater understanding of devotion.
I was a peer mentor on the recent Third Level retreat, a role assigned to me as part of my Postgraduate Diploma with the Institute.
My Sankalpa (intention) was to build my capacity to support women who are increasing their power to serve. The other beautiful intention that God dropped into my heart as we prepared to welcome the 12 baby priestesses, was to learn more facets of God’s love.
Early on in the week, Isis had visited me in meditation, my Queen archetype was quickly being invited forward as a mix up with rooms meant I would have to repack all that I had just unpacked and be moved to another room. As I journaled that night I came to realise that when I stood my ground and really asked for what I wanted, a whole suitcase full of fear presented itself to be unpacked. I tapped and journaled it out until I came to a point of release and surrender. This archetype was setting me up so to speak for a major key that was waiting to drop and unlock my understanding of true devotion on a whole new level.
It all dropped after one night when in our Circle we chanted the Gayatri Mantra 108 times in unison. Nineteen beautiful angelic voices becoming one. As I entered that delicious silence after generating a high frequency of sound and vibration, I heard a voice command my attention, it literally felt like I was slapped across the face as the presence frankly stated, “Alright, listen up you. All this devotion is pretty and cute and while our ascended selves take great pleasure in being sung to so sweetly, it’s absolutely devoid of power.”
I was initially confused and a little taken aback but I was also very familiar with this suffer no fool energy that is Kali Ma. I became curious & asked for more understanding of why my devotion was incomplete.
As I listened Kali Ma continued, “This devotion is meaningless because you have left YOU out of it. Child, do not fool yourself anymore. Do not dishonour me by forgetting that I am you, stop dishonouring yourself by forgetting that you are me. We are ONE. All of us. There is only ONE. You know this, yet you place yourself outside of that which you raise your voice to praise.”
It was farcical, and I was trying very hard not to laugh out loud as I found this so hilarious. In its simplicity, the truth had eluded me – the sudden realisation that I had been excluding my Self as being a part of WHAT, and WHO to which I was chanting. A stupid grin spread across my face. It may be apparent to you or maybe this is the first time you have even considered if and how you include yourself in your devotional practices. Like me, it’s possible you might not have even realised how incomplete your practice is without the small and simple act of placing yourself at the centre of your practice.
So how do we do this? How should we change or adjust our practice? It’s a simple act to consciously choose to include ourselves and does not have to involve a huge ritual or process. I have found that the intention setting prayer I have used for many years can be tweaked slightly and take on a new meaning as I consciously shift myself into the middle of my circle of devotion.
“Divine Mother, Ancient Father & Christ Child, walk with me through this day and into this night and honour my intention that I know myself as God. That my devotion is to myself as God. May my highest self interact with the highest selves of all that I encounter, for the highest good of all that exists. Amen. A’ho. Om Tat Sat. Om Namo Bhagavate.”
Yet it goes further than just the intention being set. Our actions in all things must match that intention. The way we nourish our sacred vessel each day with food and exercise, the choices we make to allow ourselves rest, the presence we remain within every moment rather than trying to check out with mindless entertainment.
This is the essence of remaining congruent between our faith and our actions. We can make every action, every word, every movement and every breath a devotional practice. As we raise our consciousness and our vibration to make every choice in alignment with that devotion, we truly start knowing our self as God. Only then will our devotion truly be complete.
*This article was first publishing the Spiritually Fierce magazine issue 2 2019
Bio
Rachael is a Certified Intuitive Guide, Intuitive Intelligence Method® Practitioner & Quantum Priestess of Consciousness. She has a deep love for Mother Gaia and the unquenchable thirst to know and explore the mysteries of life, consciousness and interpersonal relationships. After 3yrs of dealing with chronic illness, her healing has uncovered not only her medicine but also her service – remembering our true nature extends far beyond the flesh and bone of this human form. She lives in a sub-tropical rainforest surrounded by trees, wildlife and her little white pooch who never leaves her side.
Dr Ricci-Jane Adams is the principal of the Institute for Intuitive Intelligence, a world-class, global professional intuition training school. She trains exceptional spiritual women as new paradigm priestesses, socially conscious leaders and profound mystics. Ricci-Jane is the author of bestselling Spiritually Fierce, as well as Intuitive Intelligence Training and the forthcoming Superconscious Intuition. Ricci-Jane has a doctorate from the University of Melbourne in magical realism. She has spent over twenty-five years devoted to her spiritual awakening and is a qualified Transpersonal Counsellor. Subscribe to the Mailing List
