This week my guest writer is one of my dearest friends, Siphokazi Mata.

I’ve always known her as a strong creative writer and a very sassy business woman!

We went to school together from when we were babies at the well-known Collegiate Girls’ Junior School & Collegiate Girls’ High School.

I always knew we would remain life-long friends.

Since parting ways after school to further our studies, we’ve always found time for what is usually a 2-hour phone call once a week and an ice-cold G&T when we’re in the same city!

I’ve asked her to write a post today on spirituality.

I am hoping she will become a regular guest blogger here on The Starlit Path.

Gooday bloggers!

I am Siphokazi Mata.

Originally I come from Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa, but since 2007 I have created a home in Grahamstown where I do business, study and spend most of my week.

My interests include the field of study I have chosen – politics, philosophy and economics- all centred around the idea of humanity and women empowerment!

I also have what Xhosa people would call ‘inyawo lemfene’ (a monkey’s foot), the strong urge to be on the road.

I travel as often and as far as I can! Well, in fact, I enjoy spending time out of the house interacting with people and all things beautiful.

In my spare time I design garments for fuller figured beauts and am intending on soon launching my own label.

I am the daughter of a single parent mom and she is the inspiration behind all I do because she has groomed me into the strong willed woman that I am, fulfilling my purpose and knowing which direction and path are mine to follow.

Switch on your spiritual self

I’m touched by the idea that when we do things that are useful and helpful- collecting these shards of spirituality-that we may be helping to bring about a healing.

- Leonard Nimoy

To speak of spirituality is not to express a complex concept described by a foreign language and words that are beyond anyone’s grasp and understanding.

It is not to formulate a philosophical argument and create a debate!

It is, rather, to tap into the well of one’s own experience and to look into a place which is deep within oneself to make sense of life.

To live as a spiritual being, understanding spirituality’s essence to one’s self, we ought to understand the creator of one.

We should constantly remember that the life we live was bestowed upon us by a greater being that had an intention for us.

Nothing that happens to us is by chance and luck. Therefore nothing we do should be based on the two, either.

God has a purpose for each individual whom he created according to his image and no two have the same destiny.

It is for that reason that we carry an attached value to who we are.

Switching on our spiritual self affords us the opportunity to experience and appreciate that value fully.

Living life with the remembrance of the greatness passed down to us by grace and love means we, too, push towards living a full and ‘greatness-filled’ life where there is a deep rooting rather than a shallow ‘go with the flow’ attitude through life.

As Newton would suggest, every action has a reaction.

This means that there is a lot to be encountered and dealt with along the way, including that force which causes destruction and distraction to the purpose.

There can sometimes be a derailing of the path and a change of direction.

‘Switching on’ therefore arms, guides, protects and heals the wounds as we collect the shards of life experiences and walk to our destiny.

Siphokazi x

We should take Siphokazi’s words and remember them as we head on in to 2013.

Let’s learn to ‘switch on’ our spirituality like we switched on the lights of our Christmas trees over the festive season!

By doing so, let’s arm ourselves with it, along with the faith that there is a ‘bigger picture’ to all of this.

Everything happens for a reason.

And everyone’s destiny is as unique to them as their own fingerprint.

Let arming yourself with the knowledge that there is a higher power guiding your life, protecting you and moving you towards what is ultimately for your greater good, give you peace.

Don’t be scared to go into battle with the world this year!

Be an adventurer, be daring and live outside your comfort zone!

Take bold steps and don’t be afraid to take risks.

You may get ‘de-railed’ at times along the way, but you can take on anything with a bigger greatness within you than anything man-made outside of you.

Take moments to spend on your own to meditate and to pray.

When you do this you will find a clearer direction of what your creator wants of you; needs of you.

Let that guidance then give you the positive motivation and inspiration to move forward and be fearless!

… To ultimately make a difference.