Dr. Thomas Maples

Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.

Oprah Winfrey

A Run a Day Keeps the Doctor Away… A Depth Psychology Perspective

Today’s inspirational quote comes from the host of inspiration herself, Oprah Winfrey. Four weeks before the country closed, way back in March, even though it seems to be years ago, I had the opportunity to see Oprah in a Weight Watchers motivational series that was truly inspiring. The only problem, little did any of us know that soon the entire country, no the entire world closed shop. Gyms, stores, movies, parks, even Disneyland closed… and we were stuck to figure out life anew in a world focused on avoiding a 21st century plague. Wow how time does fly when you are having fun, or should I say, trying to survive?

With the humor set aside, I was very moved by this quote from Oprah today. Passion is energy. It is a source of power that comes from our consent to focus. But what exactly does this mean to our emotional and psychological well-being?

If we break this down into its primary components, passion, energy, and focus, we will gain insight into the nature of how the wellspring of the soul excites elements of spirit to achieve the dreams that lie at the heights of our personal intent. A wise adage reads “dream it, believe it, achieve it.” The Secret builds upon this idea when it states that the cornerstone for The Law of Attraction is to “ask, believe, and receive.” But is that all that is needed?

Anyone who has ever prayed for something knows that this is not the case. But I don’t want to be a downer here, because that is not what I am all about. So lets look at the practical side of what it is we are asking for, and whether our energy levels, no our passion levels match the frequency of what it is we pray for.

Ask – In asking we set our intent. Yes, it goes out to the universe. The intent is made clear. But that intent is double edged. It must FOCUS (Follow One Course Until Successful) the brain towards mustering the energy needed to realize its course. This is where energy comes into play.

Believe – This is where many a minds falter. Energy focused is a powerful means of realized development. But to what end. Minds get easily bored, begin to wander, and the energy levels dissipate. This is where the proverbial Angel and Demon come into the picture, one telling you to get up and work towards that goal, the other telling you its OK to hit snooze on the alarm one more time. It is here where the true soul work occurs, and the more practice you have at taming that voice, the more self esteem you build around your capacity to achieve that passion.

Receive – This is the most tricky. Because it is in essence backwards. We receive first; but only in the form of the imaginal. The asking is a gift of receipt in the first place, for which gratitude needs to be in place. Without gratitude, there is no energy to begin with, and nothing can manifest without the energy levels needed to create what is only a dream into reality. Be grateful for what is, and see how things begin to manifest and multiply.

Namaste my friends. May blessings find you on your journey to believe, achieve, and advance confidently in the direction of your dreams.