Entering the Divine Flow Part 5

October 10, 2026

Though entering divine flow can sometimes be effortless, at other times it can be an arduous swim against the prevailing current. It is like the salmon’s journey home. The salmon swims upstream, so why would we call its movement a flow?

Not every flow follows the prevailing current. Some flows move against it and may eventually overcome it. Take the Enneagram’s inner flow, for example. (See Sandra Maitri’s The Spiritual Dimension of the Enneagram, Chapter 11, “The Inner Flow and the Child Within.”) In this flow, we move against the direction of the arrows—from our ego point toward our soul point—and then continue against the arrows through the other points of the Enneagram. In doing so, we put enormous energy into remembering and embodying our Holy Idea, Virtue, and other qualities of the soul. It takes real effort to cross the bridge to our soul and live from it. In short, we go against the flow of our conditioning in order to recover the deeper flow of our soul.

Whenever I need to establish a boundary, politely correct someone’s misperception, or refuse to participate in something unhealthy, I may appear to be outside “the flow.” I may have to be decisive. I may have to say “No.” I may have to speak a truth that is not popular. I may even have to be strong and forceful. Yet if my heart knows that these actions are aligned with divine order, then they are part of divine flow—even if others perceive them as going against the flow.

These are not times when my ego takes over, and I speak from its defenses. There are plenty of those times. But I am speaking of times when I know that strength is the most loving response, even if that strength is misunderstood.

The difficulty comes when we believe we are in divine flow, but those around us respond negatively. They may not only misunderstand us but also push back. Some may not like our boundaries, our truth, or the actions that spring from our inner alignment with the Divine. And we may not like the strength of another who is aligning with and flowing their truth— a truth we may not readily agree with or see.

When we behave from our divine flow, we must choose whether to stay with it or simply go along with the prevailing current. But when we ignore divine flow, only to avoid conflict, there is a price to pay: something within us becomes dammed up. We may please others, but in doing so, we may deny our soul’s need to flow with God.

I believe that when we follow our inner alignment with the Divine—by setting boundaries, standing firm, and speaking our truth—we are given the strength to endure the pushback and unpopularity. These are the very things that may make us appear to others to be outside divine flow. Yet we are given more than strength. How so?

Today’s reflection brings the Beatitudes to mind once again. It is interesting that each of the nine Beatitudes corresponds to one of the nine Enneagram type’s flowing with the soul rather than with the ego. The result of this movement is a blessing—a tremendous blessing from the Divine.

Remember that we carry all nine energies within us. This means that all nine Beatitudes speak to each of us. Among them is this promise:

“Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”—Matthew 5:11–12

In this Beatitude, the words “for my sake” can be understood as meaning “in alignment with me” or “in divine flow.”

As we pray to enter divine flow, we may actually be praying to begin an upstream journey. Yet the blessings that come from making that journey can cause us to rejoice and be exceedingly glad.

Spiritual Practice

What upstream journey have you taken to remain in divine flow? How have you dealt with the reactions of others?

Inquiry

What might cause you to follow the prevailing current rather than divine flow?

Prayer

Dear God, Give me the courage and strength to choose divine flow and to trust that, whatever comes, You remain with me.

Amen