Puzzle of Life
It is often said that life is not a puzzle, but an ongoing journey of awakening to be travelled at one’s own pace. My experience defied this notion. In fact, seeing my life as a puzzle to be solved, rather than a problem to be endured, helped me understand the massive personal transformation I had undergone in the spring of 2018, which helped me lay the groundwork for others to follow.
While I was writing Lightworker I was still working full time in a successful Real Estate firm in downtown Vancouver. By 2023, I had made sense of my sudden shift in consciousness but struggled to explain the bizarre breakthrough to others, so (as part of an annual employee wellness challenge) I decided to make a visual aid to help clarify the path to self-actualization.
Concepts from first year psychology courses resonated with my shift, so I incorporated the basic elements from Maslow’s Pyramid of Needs, and Dr. Hawkins’ Map of Consciousness within the heart puzzle at the centre of this chart. Unconditional Love is highlighted as the ‘missing piece’ - a golden key that is present in all of our hearts but trapped behind a dark wall of suffering created by an all-encompassing ego.
Core shame (the lowest vibration of energy at the bottom of the heart) had been my identity for decades, created by layers of trauma, which built resentment and blame and ultimately cemented the belief that I didn’t matter. I lived in victimhood for over 50 years. When I recognized that this shame was a powerful inner critic driving a corrupt ego and pushing me towards self-destruction, I was thrown into the Dark Night of the Soul - a choice point where you either change or perish.
Fortunately, I was guided to the philosophy that enabled me to defy the darkness and choose a different core belief. During a forgiveness exercise, I looked my monster of an ego in the eye and said, “No! You’re wrong! I do matter. I’m not listening to you anymore.” And then I accepted a new belief - that I embody Divine Love. Less than five hours after these bold declarations, the dark clouds of my ego spectacularly disappeared, revealing not only my higher Self (my conscience) but my soul.
I knew immediately that this was not a temporary reprieve. It was a profound and permanent change. Because the destructive core belief was no longer there, the dark thoughts were gone too, replaced by a new belief that I embody Love, a belief that vibrated with truth throughout every cell in my body. I knew who I was, and I felt at peace - completely and totally happy in my own skin.
In changing my belief, I changed my mind…and it saved my life. I had solved my puzzle quickly and (relatively) easily, and all I wanted to do was share this practical path to peace with everyone I knew.
