The Energy of Obligation

Step into of your most recent memory of doing something out of obligation. What did it feel like?

This summer I traveled up to Washington State, from Arizona, and along the way I stopped at spiritual centers to speak, teach, and sign books. I have two new books released in the past several months, one in May and one in June.

I stopped at one church which invited me to speak as a favor to one of my colleagues. Favors can be dangerous, at minimum energetically unclean, as implied within them is the energy of owing and obligation. Let’s call this church, The Church of We Are Having You as a Favor (CWHYF). As a spiritual detective, I allow myself to explore various energies as a bonus to the work I do of bringing forth Divine Love, my real job. Exploring obligation, then, was definitely on the menu at CWHYF. Why waste this grand opportunity? I stepped smack into the middle of obligation and immediately my body tensed up. It assumed a cautious, almost defensive posturing. I went from limber to rigid in no time flat. I then leaned further into this energy and I felt almost compelled to “prove my worth” in order to gain acceptance. I was an outsider. I felt the feelings of separate, judged, and as though there were numerous expectations for which I did not receive a memo. Obligation felt, as I touched it, stiff, cautious, and as though I were set up as an opponent. The dictionary uses the words “bound” and “duty” when describing obligation.

As you and I know, The Presence of God is much bigger than obligation, and with prayer from many friends and my holy practitioner, I delivered the talk to a group of hungry souls. I left the CWHYF doing back flips, leaving it energetically different than when I’d arrived.

Then, I jumped into my car and headed to the next spiritual center, which reeeeeeeally wanted me. Let’s call this church The Church of We Have Been Waiting for You (CWBWY). I was invited by a community who wanted me in their midst. Their invitation came from desire. Now the word de-sire means, literally, “of the Father.” I was invited from and with the consciousness of God. Fulfilled desire feels like the Red Carpet Hollywood Awards of emotional states. I was wanted. The CWBWY felt like a warm home baked meal on a cold Seattle day, shared curiosity, a limousine with a motorcade to navigate easily through any kind of traffic; ease. No egg shell stepping, no need to prove or defend, no separation. Within twenty four hours I experienced the contrast of the feeling states of obligation and desire.

Why do I share this story with you? Because where we come from is everything.

I call it, the From Factor. As Powerful Spiritual Beings, we have suited up as humans and we have a set point from which we operate. The Soul emits desire, and when acted from, calls forth a satisfaction which is incomparable.You and I can choose if we come from obligation, or Divine Love/Joy (desire) or a whole host of other states. We are at choice.