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in our batter. When we extract the wisdom from these experiences, we find the unique ingredients for our recipe. We have all the qualities, the capabilities, the wisdom, the perfection, the imperfection, and the wherewithal that it takes to bring forth and give the gift that only we possess.
    In metaphorical terms this process is about gathering, sifting, mixing, and blending the ingredients we already have in order to make the best dessert imaginable. In Universal terms it’s about embracing and integrating each piece that has contributed to making us who we are today so that we can deliver our unique creation to the world. Accepting ourselves at the deepest level and offering our unique recipe to the Universe is the greatest feast of the human spirit.
    Our dramas are an indestructible part of who we are. No matter what we do or how hard we try, we cannot get rid of them. The only choice we have to make is whether we are going to use them or they are going to use us. I’ve chosen to use my dramatic life story to write books, to contribute to others, and to earn a living. Maybe that was the master plan for me: suffer endlessly for twenty-six years and then learn from my past, heal the pain, and turn around and help others learn to transcend their suffering. Today I feel grateful for my pain, knowing that I could never teach what I teach without it. I thank God for the trash and trauma of my past; otherwise, half the pages of my books would be empty.
    Look into your recipe, look into your story, and see what you are not accepting and blessing. This is a good place to begin. Until 36
    y o u r u n i q u e r e c i p e
    you see the necessity of owning all of who are, you can’t extract the jewels from every experience of your life and your story will continue to use you. It will continue to clobber you over the head and make you act as though you’re small. But the moment you see the value in the parts you hate as well as those you feel good about, the moment you recognize that painful event as the perfect ingredient to make your recipe complete, you will witness the magic of transformation. You will bless what you formerly saw as a curse. You will watch as the horrid becomes holy.
    Remember, you can spend the next forty years trying to take ingredients out of your batter, or you can just stir it and allow all your trauma, victories, heartaches, and joys to blend into the Divine mix called you.
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    T h e S e c r e t o f t h e S h a d o w H e a l i n g A c t i o n S t e p s 1. Think back over your life, recalling the experiences that most profoundly shaped who you are today. Make a list of the significant victories, losses, joys, heartbreaks, and disappointments that have made your life distinct.
    2. Make a list of the aspects of yourself and your life that you have had difficulty embracing—the parts of your recipe that you have tried to get rid of. Maybe you have long resisted the fact that you are not athletically inclined or the perception that you are less attractive than others. Have you felt cheated or defeated because of a handicap, a loss of love or money, or a trauma that occurred many years ago? Make a list of all the ingredients in your recipe that you believe have no value or have been a thorn in your side.
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    Contemplation

    =
    “Every aspect of me and my life
    contributes an essential ingredient that allows me to fulfill
    my Divine purpose.”
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    = Chapter 3 <
    E xploring the
    Great and Mysterious
    Story of You
    Each of us has a story that is uniquely ours. Like a fingerprint, it distinguishes and separates us from those around us.
    Etched within our stories is the accumulation of everything that has left a mark on our lives. Every person, event, circumstance, and situation that has touched us deeply traces itself into our psyche. Whether our lives have been touched by a great parent, a childhood illness, an inspiring teacher, or a neglectful caregiver, each of these experiences remains with us, becoming an