Awakening so often begins with questioning: from slight whispers to very loud demands, we begin to look for answers. Honesty with our selves is the first step. It is crucial for building a solid foundation in a life with depth and meaning. As we grow and expand, we come back to this basic tenant, time and again. Honoring and respecting our feelings for just what they are--feelings--begins to free us from the entanglement of believing we ARE our feelings. To awaken means to decide to pursue self-mastery. This decision comes with taking responsibility, in the most loving way, of our inner landscape. As we love and respect our inner lives--or our Selves--our exterior lives change. We also begin to live from our own deep, innate wisdom that has always been there. We then begin to (and eventually fully do) trust who and what we are, understanding on a visceral level how we can further serve humanity. Yes, even you! This is not a pipe dream and while it may feel that way while we're clearing out the old, out dated ways of thinking and being, we are gaining a depth and clarity of real experience. Our minds were never put in place to facilitate true understanding, or wisdom, in order to awaken. Rather, our bodies and the choices we make in our lives, are the true vehicle for awakening and self mastery. Our minds just run the program, but our bodies and feelings decide what that program is. As we change and grow with our inner experiences (and change the program we're running), this then is reflected in our outer lives.