Baptism of Fire
Baptism means to immerse. When I speak of “baptism of fire”, I am not referring to a physical fire, but rather a psychological and spiritual one. I am referring to a process of purification and refinement. Precious metals such as gold and silver go through a purification process in order to burn away impurities and bring out their brilliance. Diamonds are also formed out of exposure from intense heat. As humans , we have the opportunity to be “purified through our challenges(fire) if we disipline ourselves to find the good in any and all circumstances . This is growth. This mindset creates an opportunity for those who are determined to be “trained” by their challenges. This is key to developing a growth mindset,
The baptism of fire is the furnace that we go through when facing challenges. The furnace can be painful. It is a purging process. Our challenges present us with opportunities for growth. Challenges can prove valuable lessons for us. We grow in character. The furnace purifies us. It makes us stronger. It prepares us for even greater opportunities. It shows us what we are made of.
Life gives us numerous opportunities to grow and learn. We are not meant to stay stagnant. We have the ability to choose whether or not what we are going through is a good or bad experience. It is a matter of perspective. We can train ourselves to identify the good in any and every situation no matter how traumatic. No circumstance is permanent. A baptism of fire or water is symbolic of our preferred viewpoint of the situations that we find ourselves in. How we recieve these experiences has a direst impact on the outcome. it is all relative. We are each creators of our own individualized life stories, scene by scene. The more we grow in our ability to stay aware of our mental and emotional states, the more empowered we become.
Through this consistent practice we earn the right to play the part of both a character and the narrator of our story. We become conscious, deliberate creators of each scene. Our life experiences start to take on new meaning. There is a constant unfolding and opportunity for self realization. We begin to enjoy the journey further realizing that there is no true arrival . Life is an eternal play with infinite transitional scenes. We are here to create and experience period.There is no judgement. There is no one outside of you keeping score. Everything that you are witnessing in your outer world is a result of what’s occurring in your inner world. There are no exceptions. This is a good thing. You are the creator. If you don’t like your experience, you can create something different. Anything is possible. It is all an illusion anyway. This doesn’t mean that we can’t enjoy it. Ultimately,that is the whole purpose of it.
Baptism of Water
Water represents life. It also represents birth, fertility and refreshment. Water is used to put out fires. Going through a baptism of fire can be followed by a baptism of water. If you choose to learn and grow from your experience, that mindset can open doors to new possibilities. Challenges serve as preparation that position us to take advantage of them. It pays to be a student of life. Each experience and person that arrives in your life comes to teach you something about yourself. Life provides you with numerous opportunities to grow and evolve into the person that you are destined to become if you choose that path. New opportunities and possibilities emerging after a challenging period represent the chance at “new life”. This is the baptism of water.
Both terms , baptism of fire and baptism of water, refer to states of mind that can be adopted as a means of being actively involved in your own creation process. To step into the role of a conscious creator, an evolution of consciousness is required. This is an ongoing process that , at times, seems uncomfortable yet proves rewarding on numerous levels. We each come into this life equpped with all that we need to live our best life.This doesn’t mean that we won’t experience challenge. Challenge is necessary for growth. Each problem comes with a solution. They are opposite sides of the same coin. Choose to define yourself by your victories over your challenges rather than the challenges themselves. It is a mindset. Estabish within yourself to be “purified” by the furnaces of life,. At the same time, anticipate refreshment and renewal on the other side of each one of them. You are a born winner. It is time to claim your inheritance. You are blessed with the gift of choice. You can either choose to be a victim or a conqueror. Set your mind. Go forth and conquer . Until next time…
