And what is that uncomfortable sensation you feel when things don't happen like you picture them? You discover that this is an emotion called "frustration," and comes from not succeeding at what you are trying to do, and you think to yourself, "this place, with all its obstructions and emotions, is complicated."

But as the clouds of emotion pass and your mood brightens, you tell yourself, "I can do this. I'll just have to focus my efforts a little more, and learn more about how things work here." So you apply yourself to the task, and little by little you become more adept at creating the circumstances you choose, despite the limitations of physical reality. You also get better at accepting those things that simply will not materialize the way you want.

As you meet these challenges and overcome the various obstacles in your path, you stretch your abilities and grow in many ways. And although you don't remember that this was part of the plan, somehow it feels good.

As you grow up, you are shocked to discover that everyone here does not necessarily act in a loving manner. In fact, some of the individuals here are so unloving that they actually harm or even take the life of their fellow beings! How could this be?! You realize that this will definitely present a big challenge... how to be loving toward people who appear to be so unloving.

You sense that there is a spark of love in everyone, which is the same as the spark of love that is in you... that you are all part of the same loving existence. So you try very hard to find that light in people, even though it may be covered by clouds of fear and pain. And when you can sense the light that you share, it's a lot easier to love people, even when they are not acting so loving themselves. Little by little, you master this new challenge... and similar to having mastered the previous challenge, it feels good.

So you go through your human lifetime encountering various challenges like this. Each time a new problem presents itself, you lose a bit of your inner peace. But you solve the problem and your peace returns, and you feel good about yourself and about what you've accomplished.

But your life in the physical world is not just a series of obstacles to overcome and problems to be solved. Much of your life here is a real joy, filled with a variety of pleasures, many of which you had never encountered in other worlds. So your Earth experience becomes a blend of pleasures and pains... delights and dilemmas.

And so it goes throughout your lifetime. And so it goes throughout a whole series of lifetimes. Until... after you have mastered so many challenges... after you have expanded so much of your light and wisdom... after you have learned to express so much more of your love, joy, intelligence, creativity and other divine qualities... you re-awaken completely to the memory of who you are - a spiritual being journeying through this limitless universe.

What an ecstatic experience it is!... as the memory of your spiritual nature returns and the illusion of separation dissolves. How blissful it is!... to experience the power of spiritual energy surging fully and freely through your physical body. What a great relief it is to come home to the unfettered freedom and unshakeable peace of your true spiritual self and your Spiritual Source.

You have played the game here in this physical world and won. And reflecting on it all, you think to yourself, "Yes, the Earth experience was indeed challenging... and fulfilling in ways I never could have imagined. Now where in this limitless universe do I want to go from here?"

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Worldwide Online Meditation Center Jim Malloy E-Mail: jmalloy@meditationcenter.com