During the time in my life I consider my spiritual awakening, everything I had come to know was transitioning. I had surrounded myself in high school and college with very judgmental people who loved to gossip, chase wealth, party, and position themselves as elite in many ways. It has taken many years to funnel the people out of my life who refused to grow, and surround myself with totally accepting, loving people. I started this journey alone in many respects as I let go of those that no longer had my best interest at heart. I had experienced so many synchronistic moments after my dad had passed that I was busting at the seams wanting to share them. I sometimes worried about what others would think of me if I openly talked about signs from heaven and life after death. The beautiful truth that the dead are never lost is something that I wanted to share beyond myth, legend, and fairytale. Synchronicity made this truth tangible for me, and I felt my story would help others. Synchronicity taught me that all beings are deeply connected, even in death. I felt a deep calling to make this work the center of my life.
There was one day in particular, right after I quit the insurance biz and focused on writing, that I meditated outside behind my apartment in the sun. There was a long stretch of grass near the woods that lined up against my complex that I often liked to visit. It was a gorgeous spring day. I sat concentrating on a patch of dandelions nearby. The only way I can describe my state of being was one of a blissful trance. I was beaming from the inside out and smiling. I felt at peace with myself and finally free from pressures of a stuffy business job and business school. I knew others (at least the others that were in my life at that point in time) would not understand my choices, but I wanted to share this peace I had found with the world.
A thought came to me as I happily sat near a bunch of dandelions, enjoying their beautiful bright yellow color that resonated with me as such a happy flower. I thought about how many people think of this beautiful flower as a weed. I realized that I was very much like a dandelion as well. I remember concentrating on a particular sentence as I continued to meditate: “Some people think I am a weed, but really I am a beautiful flower.” This truth truly freed me from any perceived judgements of others. At that moment, it didn’t matter what anyone said or thought about me. My heart was full of love and my soul was lit by a calling to share my spiritual experiences, no matter how others perceived my choices.
I sat in the sun for quite some time until finally I decided to make my way back to my apartment. As I opened the screen door, I was greeted by my two miniature dachshunds, Reesie and Scooby. Over their happy yelps and wagging tails due to my return home, I heard my email notification on my iPhone go off. I picked up my phone off of the kitchen table to check it out. It was a Live Nation email letting me know I was eligible for a pre-sale for my husband’s favorite band that was going to be playing across the street at Meadowbrook, where they had never played before. I could often hear bands play there from my place it was so close. Extremely interested, I scrolled down the email to get the code. To my absolute joy, the code for the pre-sale just happened to be “dandelion” when moments ago I had meditated so intensely on a dandelion. Albert Einstein once said coincidence is God’s way of remaining anonymous. I took this meaningful coincidence as validation of my break through. When synchronicity happens, I often perceive the meaningful coincidence as the universe’s way of telling me to keep going.
From that moment on, I haven’t cared about what other people think of me. If there is one thing I learned from that experience it is that even if the majority of the population perceives you as a weed, you will still find others out there who know you as the beautiful flower you are. The perception of a weed and a flower is only established by your mentality. The way you view the world is your choice. To let others’ choices define you is a mistake in thinking. My hope is that this story helps you overcome the judgement of others and know true freedom to be yourself.
Julie Tourangeau 