Being Congruent with your Livelihood

Determine what’s working and what isn’t.

This class uses Circles from the workbooks  “Soul Prayer Charts” and “Gifts from the Rainforest” to clear your mind and thinking.

The question has been raised as to why it is that some livelihoods work for some people and not for others. Perhaps a big part of the answer has to do with being congruent with the livelihood that you’ve chosen. Please keep in mind that when we talk about our Right Livelihood here, we are going beyond the concept of a “job” where you receive a set wage. We are talking about a livelihood that is prosperous for you in the true sense of being balanced and supported in your life. You can be a mother, a caregiver or a volunteer and still prosper. When we talk about being congruent, we mean that we are in harmonious agreement with the subject in question.

The Five Elements

What are the elements involved with being congruent with anything? Based on my experience, I would say that being congruent includes the sense that all the pieces of the puzzle fit. Have you ever felt like you were a hoola hoop in a game of dominoes? Being a good fit and belonging in the game is important.

Then there is the sense of purpose. The purpose of the game of hoola hoop is to keep the hoop moving through the synchronized movement of your body. The purpose of dominoes is to create an experience of cause and effect through matching designs within a larger design. One is not better than the other, yet one may be more attractive to you.

So attraction is another element. As a domino player, the experience of planning, structure and postponing gratification for a big show at the end may really appeal to you. Or, you may prefer being fully involved in a spontaeneous and kinestetic experience with immediate gratification, such as playing with the hoola hoop. What if you like them both? That brings in the fourth element - choice.

You can choose one or the other. You can also choose another game that provides a combination for you, like bowling. Or you can choose to do something entirely new, which requires that you be congruent with being able to follow the opportunities that are presented to you. Many times talented and creative people have difficulty choosing, which has them playing the game of speculation by default. They place themselves in a position of being at the affect of external circumstances. Gambling is the primary example of this kind of game. This brings us to the fifth element of congruency. Does this activity bring you true enjoyment?

For the purposes of this class, we will define true enjoyment as participating in life, health, purpose and fulfillment. Many gamblers would tell you that they enjoy playing the game, however, does the evidence support that statement as being the truth? Perhaps what many of them really mean is that they are compelled to making their choices through the lense of their personal ego, rather than their Soul.

These five elements constitute the internal process of congruency. However, what about being congruent with the outside conditions of your life, which in this case would mean your current livelihood or the one that you hope to create for yourself? 

Being Congruent with Your Community

The main way I know of is to realize that every livelihood has its own purpose in the community and method of expression. If they are similar enough to a person’s own purpose and method of expression, an “open gate” is created that allows the person to resonate and prosper with that particular livelihood because they are happy and are meeting a genuine need in their community.
How does one know whether or not any given livelihood will provide that open gate?

Step One: Ask yourself if you are congruent with your current livelihood.
If you are considering other livelihoods, ask yourself if you are congruent with them as well.

When your livelihood is at odds with you internally, your body will react and go into a fight or flight response which weakens all the tissues, including muscles, organs, glands, connective tissue and the nerve endings. If you are internally congruent with your current livelihood, your body will remain calm and you will feel strong.  If your inner calm becomes disturbed or chaotic, it’s a pretty good indication that there is something about this particular livelihood that you are not currently congruent with.

It’s also possible that you are congruent with the livelihood you have chosen, and incongruent with the specific environment you are working in.

Step Two: Check how you feel about your working environment.
As you look at this graph, think about your current working environment, do you feel chaotic or calm?

 

 

 

Step Three: Get clear.
Take a few minutes to get clear about what’s missing or what you would like to change for yourself. Look at this sequence of Circles out of Gifts From the Rainforest and Soul Prayer Charts.

Note - G indicates Gifts From the Rainforest and SC indicates Soul Prayer Charts.

Remember that when you are viewing the Circles
Read the affirmation provided below and then look at the indicated circle one at a time with a soft gaze for approximately one minute. A shorter or longer time may be necessary. The circle is providing structural support for the contents of the intention, affirmation or question that accompanies it. Just breathe deeply and relax. Allow yourself to be open and receiving. You may notice subtle energies, memories or emotions running through you or the Circles may begin to move, pulsate or even change colors. This is all part of the experience. Just keep breathing; relax into your body and stay objective - just as you would in a state of meditation. You are encouraged to journal on insights or new ideas that may come to you during the exercise.

G #24 Electric Eel
Do you feel stressed or calm?

G #38 Shaman’s Leaves
Do you feel balanced or out of sorts?

G #42 Rainforest Tree
Do you feel tired, or energetic?

G #37 Seed
What you are attracting that is not in your best, long term interest?

What would you like to attract, but don’t seem to be able to?

Step Four: Ask for help.
Begin by releasing the agreement that agreements exist to hold you back or keep you down.

Make a new agreement that the purpose of any agreement is to keep things functioning and moving forward within the natural limits of nature.

During this class and in the future, you can use this criteria to determine whether an agreement is still working for you or not. 

“The purpose of my agreements is to keep things
functioning and moving forward.”

 

Step Five: Make the corrections.

Go through this series of Circles to ask for help and find solutions for any incongruencies you may be experiencing. 

SC 18
Begin by establishing the goal of being placed in the conditions under which you are congruent with a livelihood that is prosperous for you.
Remember that you do not know exactly how that might happen. It could be a minor adjustment or a major one. Make an agreement to stay open to help from wherever it comes.

G #49 Old Sol
Ask for help from your inner wisdom.

G #33  Llama
Decide that you can accomplish your goal as stated above.

G #37  Seed
Determine what kind of help would benefit you. Be sure to write it down so that you can refer to it later.

G #15  Spider
Look at the Circle and imagine you can build a  container in your solar plexus that holds positive energy for what you just wrote down.

G #13 Sting Ray
Surround your container with strength, courage and determination to be loyal to yourself. While you’re at it, surround yourself with those things as well.

G#14 Otter
Fill your container with fun, enthusiasm and creativity.

SC #14  Soul Color
Bring the essence of your Soul into your body and fill it up. Allow your Essence to expell any energy that you are incongruent with.

SC #11  Earth
Release any habits, behaviors or attitudes that make you fearful about your livelihood.

SC#1 Clearing Inhibitors
Imagine that you can clear the field around you of darkness by shining the light of hope and faith.

SC 16 Rhythm
Slow down. Breathe deeply until you feel very calm.

G #40  Mapacho
What do you want in a nutshell? Write it down.

G #27 Hummingbird
Are you ready, willing and able to fully enjoy your livelihood? If not, why not?

G #26  Bat
Put out a call for help and surrender to the process of not knowing how help will come.

Congratulations! Now that you have asked to be placed in the conditions under which you are congruent with your livelihood, watch the Universe begin to work for you.

Rheanni Lightwater © 2003