The beginning of the year is the perfect time to think about vocation. People like you who are able to follow their muse are the most fortunate of all. Keep writing about this. As you do, you'll inevitable find more ways to illuminate the path for others.

- Mary

I feel that this is validated by the fact that now and then, I get a flash of understanding, that shows me why I did a certain thing before, and how it is useful to me now, even though I didn't see it at the time.

I enjoyed this post Mark. More like this please!

Oh, and I definitely buy the “higher self” thing. I just “know”

Its kind of complicated.. to try and describe the underlying psychodynamics of the calling.. of hearing voices, and all the rest of it.. But basically.. the best advice one can give is to listen.. for it is often of a higher order then the silly stuff our conscious mind takes as reality.. and even if its not of a higher order.. the more you listen, the more you follow, the more the voice matures.. just liking using any other muscle.

There is a spiritual dimension to life.. but often when we hear someone say something like that we think.. well some of us might thing that kinda talk isn't really grounded in anything solid.. or I mean saying you believe something is different from saying you know something, and its a common misunderstanding to think you can't get to KNOW the spiritual dimension of things.

There is a whole self that extends far beyond whatever is occupying our consciousness at any given moment. Many times I will say “this is the position I'm taking on this thing” and not quite know why I'm taking that position, cause whatever it is that lead me there is not in my conscious mind.. though it might have been there a month ago.. and if I went to the trouble of trying to call it up.. then I'd understand.. but the point is that what we have to go on.. is very limited.. when you try to tie things down rationally.. when your basis of rational has to be limited to what you can be conscious of this moment..

So the calling and voices speak for this larger self.. a larger version of you then you even realize you are. I mean if you really want to get deep about it.. who do you think you are? Who you really are.. well, that's a mystery.. but… we all live more or less by these mythologies of who we area.. and somehow that seems safer then the crazy voices!?

So I think it's important to be open to the mystery of who you are, to acknowledge that you're more then your definitions.. and the same holds true for when we look at the people around us… and spend a little time, regularly, entertaining the possibilities of who you could be.. and engage in that becoming process.