Meeting Marianne Williamson, and the power of a “bigger vision”

A couple years ago, I got to meet Marianne Williamson. I must admit that I blathered all over her as I gushed about how much I adored her. And why not? She’s a profound spiritual teacher whose words and teachings inspire so many, including me.

If you’re not familiar with Marianne Williamson, you’ve most likely heard one of my favorite quotes from her:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

- Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”

I met Marianne Williamson at the 25th anniversary and celebration of the work of Project Angel Food. The story of how Project Angel Food started is what I want to share with you.

Marianne Williamson founded the Los Angeles Center for Living in 1987 as a support center for those with life-threatening illnesses.

At the time, AIDS ravaged the lives of so many people and stigmatized many into isolation. The Center for Living provided a safe haven for spiritual community, support and food fellowship. It became a bustling place of activity and provided a community space for joy and non-judgment.

At some point, Marianne realized that many of those who regularly hung out at the Center stopped showing up. It wasn’t because they didn’t want to. They didn’t show up because their debilitating health made it challenging to get to the Center.

That’s when Marianne and others knew that meals needed to be delivered to their homes, and loving support needed to happen right where they lived. This is where Project Angel Food made its mark: by delivering food to the homes of people with critical illnesses.

Since 1989, Project Angel Food has delivered over 9 million meals to people debilitated by critical illnesses.

Yes…9 million!

Sometimes you don’t know where something will lead. Marianne certainly didn’t know at that time that Project Angel Food would come to serve so many people and impact so many lives. But what she answered was an aching in her heart that people needed to be physically and spiritually nourished.

She held in her heart a “bigger” love and vision, so big that she would make sure as many people as possible were fed and cared for.

You see, your vision for your life doesn’t always have to be about what makes only you happy.

When you open your heart a little wider to the people, the animals and the environment around you, sometimes a “bigger” love and vision emerge.

What it takes is for you to tap into that bigger vision and say yes to the greater love that is seeking to express itself through you.

For your coaching assignment this week, I want you to begin tapping into a bigger vision for your life.

• Start with the question: How do you feel called to serve the world? Take some time with this. Where do you feel a longing for change to happen, and how are you being called to bring about that change? Let love be your guide in this quest.
• If you feel the calling in your heart, who do you have to become to help bring about that change? What must you change about how you are living your life now? What beliefs about yourself do you have to let go of? What do you need to embrace?
• Finally, who are you called to bring along with you to fulfill this vision? If your vision is big enough, it will require more than you to make it happen.

At the heart of a “bigger” vision is love and service. Your vision becomes more powerful when fueled by your desire to make the world a better place.

One of the ways that I serve the world is to help people tap into their hearts to reveal the vision that is calling them forth. One of my signature workshops is “Create & Energize Your Vision Board.” The key to a powerful Vision Board is to make sure that it is created from a place of love.

If you are interested in learning more about this workshop, or know someone who might be interested, click here to check it out and register:

http://www.abundantgood.com/visionboard

Abundant Blessings and Namaste.

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Note: This article was originally published at www.AbundantGood.com.