The Things You Can’t See

In the book, Daisy Jones and the Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid, the character of Daisy says, “I had all the things you can see. I had none of the things you can’t see.”

Out of that whole novel, that was the one quote I wrote down. To me, it speaks so perfectly to the work we do at The Centre for Inspired Living.

In the recent past, perhaps even still today, many people have turned away from spirituality due to fears around religious manipulation, or frustrations with hypocrisy and/or dogmatism. I don’t blame them; I can relate. As a youth, I attended a religious school where we were commanded to bow our heads and pray. I didn’t see how prayer was something that could be forced, so I was not impressed by this coercion. Like many, I "threw the baby out with the bath water".

Then I had children, and I promised myself I would always answer any questions they asked, to the best of my ability. One day the children asked me about Jesus. This felt like a problem because I didn’t have any answers for them. Through that, I came to realize that I didn’t know what I believed. So, my children's questions launched me out on a quest - a journey which I thought was for my kids, but which turned out to be for me as well. On that path, I discovered that I had carelessly discarded something valuable along with getting rid of something unwanted in my life.

I began my quest with an open mind, as I explored a wide variety of religious institutions. Some were intriguing, others were off-putting, but I kept searching. At one point, I became aware of some basic teachings from some indigenous people, and that began a new deepening for me. We eventually ended up having a sweat lodge in our yard, participating in healing circles with friends, and I even took my children to a Yuwipi ceremony (a traditional Lakota healing and spiritual ritual). But… I still hadn't yet found a perfect fit for me.

By 1997, seven or eight years into my spiritual journey, I ended up at The Centre for Positive Living in Kelowna. I was gobsmacked by the teachings there, right from the beginning. In that place, I found a spiritual philosophy that was devoid of dogma, logically presented, and seemed open - so open. I still had to be convinced that this apparent openness was real, so I tested the edges of their tolerance by shaving my head, dressing like a hobo, and painting a sunflower on my K-car. Every week they still greeted me with open arms. I signed up for classes in June and never stopped until I was licensed as a minister.

Slowly, I have discovered in my ministerial work, that there seems to be a list of words that are best avoided if i want to share this empowering teaching/way of life with others. Spirituality can be a hard sell, even though many people are starving for insights and a faith they can claim as their own. I believe that the Science of Mind (the philosophy I am trained and ordained in) has the answers so many people seek, but it is important to speak about it in terms that people can hear.

For generations, masses of people have been avoiding the discomfort of spiritual conversations; searching for answers outside of themselves. Like Daisy, from the novel I mentioned at the start, they may have chased money, sex, parties, weight loss and body transformations, houses, boats, cars - yet they still feel depressed and unsatisfied. They have sought more money, more power, more 'success', but there is still something missing. That void can only be filled by "the things you can’t see", such as self worth, self expression, empowerment, wellbeing, faith, contentment, joy and personal vision. Today, my net worth has not changed, but my inner world is transformed.

The Centre for Inspired Living, where I do my work, embodies a philosophy through which we can explore these unseen life treasures together. Through our various programs and gatherings, we cultivate opportunities for each person to discover their own spiritual Truth - one that resonates deeply with their own unique journey. What unfolds from there is a quiet confidence and peace that comes from knowing that one's worth isn’t best measured by external validation. Instead, it comes though the freedom one feels when living from a place of choice, rather than being hijacked by unconscious reactions.

When the Daisy Jones character lamented the emptiness of having, "all the things you can see [but] none of the things you can't see," she spoke to a shared human struggle. Our culture excels at teaching us how to acquire possessions, but it often fails to guide us toward acquiring wisdom, purpose and inner peace.

This is the invitation The Centre for Inspired Living extends: Join us as you are (shaved head, sunflower-painted car and all) and explore the richness of the unseen world within you. The journey may not be linear or comfortable, but I promise it's infinitely more fulfilling than chasing the next 'visible' thing.

Here is what I know for certain: when you finally access 'the things you can't see', you discover they were what you were looking for all along.