A Modern Day Prophet by Norma Gentile

reprinted from September 2000 PhenomeNEWS Magazine

Is it being psychic and foretelling the future, or perhaps writing books that thousands or even millions of people read?

Or is it the quality of one's living, the integrity to follow through according to one's own inner voice, regardless of what opinions are voiced by others? How much credence do we give to someone's opinion, because they are well known, wealthy, or looked up to by others?

I wonder if in their own time those who we consider prophets had the fame or prestige we assume they had. Certainly most religions put little stress on the fame and fortune angle of spiritual enlightenment for prophets such as Buddha, Jesus, Abraham or Moses.

It has always been fashionable to travel to see famous speakers and teachers, or to visit sacred sites. It is as if these modern day pilgrimages will some how help spiritual enlightenment to 'rub off'.

Now, there is certainly much to be said for being in the presence of others who may be a bit further down the spiritual path. For example, meditating with someone who has a broader or different vision than our own tends to help us arrive at new insights.

Our own thinking and processing can be stimulated by listening to another speak, and certainly when praying on sacred ground we are a bit more focused and aware of the presence of nature and of our own powerful connections to the earth as spiritual beings.

Notice that in all these situations I am stressing what is awakened from within us. This comes as a result of our own receptivity and listening to that aspect of spirit which naturally resides inside us. None of this 'rubs off' from being with someone or standing on sacred ground. These things can only touch us because they resonate with our own inner voice, our own spirit.

There is a principle in relationships known as 'mirroring'. Simply put, it is the acknowledgement that what is outside of us is already inside. Therefore, that which we admire in another is what we are learning to admire within ourselves. Those things that we ascribe to our modern day prophets or celebrities are qualities that we have, each of us, in our own personal self.

The movement of spirit that I seek, and that I invite others to seek, is one of finding their own prophetic voice. The voice need not foretell grand dramas or tragedies, nor would it know the winning lotto numbers. This is the voice of inner guidance that we each have, the connection to spirit that we all share.

We often lose this connection through fear &endash; of another's ridicule, of 'being wrong' or of being considered different. Sometimes the worldly voices around us speak too loudly, and we forget to listen inwardly.

Each one of us has this inner voice. Leading gently through nudges of hunches or intuition, it shows us the way in the many choices of a day

This inner voice is the prophet. It is the voice of the heart's desire. The prophetic heart leaps when confronted with the possibility of fulfilling its own desire. It knows that the true desire of any one heart fulfills the true desire of the Universe.

Following our desire leads us on a prophetic path not by coincidence, but because all of life is a dance of love. Prophecy is merely acknowledging that our own hearts already know the dance.

When you follow your desire, you are creating at the level of love, and actually using love as the power behind your creation. Love then is also the result of your creative effort. How ironic it is, that when the motivation for doing mundane, daily tasks is love, that the result can also be a generation of love.

There are so many things to keep track of today. We do it by email and fax, cell phone and regular phones, lists and post-it-notes. But ultimately we do it by connecting, not disconnecting, with our desires. Life is dancing, are you?

Your first and most loving guidance comes from within yourself. Only you know when the counsel of a friend 'hits home'. You alone know when a truth is voiced. Your inner voice, your connection to spirit tells you this internally.

You may consult numerous people deemed to be prophets, seers and psychics. But ultimately only you can heal yourself, because only you created you. So who is the modern day prophet?

Dance with life.
Let another prophet sing.

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Norma Gentile is a singer, teacher and healer offering private appointments near Ann Arbor. Her healing recordings of include Unfurling Love's Creation, chants by Hildegard of Bingen. She can be reached through her website, www.healingchants.com, or by email: norma@healingchants.com