Ministries & Spirituality

It seems that we are in a time of spiritual enlightenment, as more people are gaining an awareness of the value of meditation techniques, yoga practices, and other methods of self-awareness that are instrumental in fostering spiritual growth. However, there are many different aspects of spirituality to consider and often it can be easy to miss some of the most fundamental and simple things. One of these fundamentals that can either help or hinder spiritual development is complete honesty.

Everyone knows that honesty is a good and valuable characteristic to cultivate, but it is not as often recognized as a necessity when seeking out spiritual growth. However, as most people move along through their spiritual journey, most people start to really discover the significance and importance of honesty as it relates to their quest. There are four primary areas where honesty comes into play most significantly.

The first area is in facing your weaknesses. In order to enjoy significant spiritual growth, a person must be able to honestly see, acknowledge and evaluate his weaknesses. No one is exempt from have having shortcomings, but they can interfere with spiritual development if the person tries to justify them away or refuses to see them. Only when a person is honest with him or herself will they begin to change.

Secondly, honesty is needed in facing up to the realities of your life. You need to be completely honest about the state of affairs of every aspect of your life. Stop clinging to the image that you want to present to the rest of the world, and begin to embrace the true state of your life and your relationships.

The problem with clinging to the image, which is most likely “perfect,” is that it gets in the way of being able to make real, lasting and significant changes that can lead to real happiness, rather than just an illusion of it. With honesty, one can look at the real truth and then have a realistic place to begin to improve.

Thirdly, honesty is needed to help people eliminate fake personalities, which must be eschewed in order to enjoy true spiritual enlightenment and growth. Most people put an enormous amount of energy, thought, and anxiety into creating and then maintaining completely false portrayals of themselves.

They become more like characters acting in a play than real people engaged in real life. In order to have any hope of enjoying true spiritual healing and development, a person must peel away these false personas and be sincere and forthright beings.

The fourth way that honesty plays a role in the spiritual journey is through the use of meditation techniques. When a person begins a session of meditation, they should be aware their flow of thoughts.

For most people who are just learning to master their minds through meditation, they will discover thoughts that are filled with false reasoning and justifications. The best way to begin to control this flow of thoughts is to deal with them in an honest and forthright manner, then setting them aside and allowing the more centered and real thoughts to come to the surface.

As you continue on your path of spiritual growth and development it will be helpful to always keep these for aspects of honesty in mind and review your progress with them. As you do, you will enjoy moving to higher levels and stages of spiritual development, which will lead you toward your true spiritual life.



By: MIKE SELVON

About the Author:

Spiritual meditation emphasizes on allowing an individual to get acknowledged with your inner self. One is also able to discover the wisdom and peace that exists deep within.

This is possible via developing awareness and harmony in a person. Spiritual meditation can be of great help. One can employ various techniques of spiritual meditation in order to achieve best results.

Spiritual meditation usually involves either physical or mental exercises. One can also involve in both physical and mental exercises at a time. These exercises will help you to reach god. In case, you don’t wish to utilize a specific meditation practice, then here is a simple technique of spiritual meditation to help you to reach god.

First, analyze your faith. You cannot achieve spiritual meditation. Remember that faith is an important part when it comes to achieve absolute spiritual meditation.

Next, you need to find a suitable environment for spiritual meditation. The environment should be peaceful where you can be alone for the maximum amount of time.

There is no particular pose you need to acquire when performing spiritual meditation. All you require to do is to look for a position you can hold on for about fifteen minutes.

Experts feel that spiritual meditation is a two way process. It may not seem to be. However, in the process, you see yourself speaking to god and god speaking to you.

You need to start off the process with a lot of breathing exercises in order to let your mind feel relaxed. The relaxation of body also matters a lot here.

You need to forget about all your problems and worries for the moment and focus on enjoying the whole opportunity of union with the almighty.

Most people who are lucky, usually reach the ideal state of consciousness.

You should not allow bad memories to hurt you as these were just some of the experiences that teach you to be tougher and wiser.

Now, focus on who you actually are look yourself within. You need to be very true about what your actual strengths and weaknesses are.

The second last step is to focus on your relationship with god. Ask a few questions on this relationship. Who is god to you? In what way you allowed god to take part in your relationship. What do you actually want to achieve out of spiritual meditation?

Do you have any questions to ask from god, if you just pour out?

The last step is to wait. You need to believe that god will answer you prayers. Have faith that he is hearing you and in each session of spiritual meditation, you will be getting answers to your questions. Believe in god and your prayer will be heard.

Spiritual meditation is a great option for those who want to know their real self and want to unite themselves with the almighty without any selfish motives.

This guide to spiritual meditation will definitely help you to achieve what you are looking for, provided you perform this art correctly.



By: Bertil Hjert

About the Author:

There seems to be greater interest these days in the general populous about feeding and nourishing the spiritual side of a person’s life. While not always attached to a religious organization, the idea of developing a more spiritual life is starting to take a higher priority for many people these days. Many people believe that this has to do with the widespread interest in the “Law of Attraction,” which has gain a great deal of attention in the last few years thanks to the movie, “The Secret.”

The fundamental principle of the Law of Attraction is that you will draw into your life the very things that will you give most of your attention to. When it comes to increasing a person’s spiritual life and fostering spiritual development, this would mean that the more attention you put on spiritually oriented thoughts, ideas and activities, the more you will be able to enjoy an increased level of spiritual growth.

At the same time, if you want your spiritual life to flourish, then it is best to let go of any kind of fear-based thinking. Focusing on what you fear or on other negative things will impede spiritual development and will sidetrack you from what you really want out of life.

One of the practices that many people find to be very helpful and supportive in their quest for spiritual enlightenment is meditation. Meditation techniques can be very helpful in the two main areas of the Law of Attraction, which are intention and attention.

First, you must figure out what it is that you want from life, or from a specific event. This would be identifying your intention. After you have clarified what your intention is, then you can put your energy toward focusing on that, or giving it your attention.

The more clearly you can define your intention and the more focused and consistent your attention toward it, the better you will be able to start manifesting your desires. Mindfulness meditation can help to clear the mind, calm it down and focus thoughts, allowing the development of clearer intentions. When the mind is calmer and not distracted by a myriad of cluttered thoughts, attention can better be focused as well.

Enjoying a rich spiritual life comes down to how we choose to spend out time, energy, talents and focus while in this mortal existence. The choice always exists of whether you want to live in a fear-based world or in a love-based world. What people on a spiritual path come to realize, after investing their time, prayers, meditations and focus, is that the world you ultimately experience has more to do with what you consciously choose to think about and focus your attention on.

Those who have been actively and eagerly engaged in developing their spiritual life will also be the first to say that the spiritual journey of each person will be quite different. Because all people begin at different stages in life and circumstances, even when the goal is exactly the same, the experiences that a person will have along the way will be unique to each individual.



By: MIKE SELVON

About the Author:

How can we find our optimum spiritual self in recovery?

The answer to that is a process that unfolds before us over a period of years or even decades. Why is it like this? Because everything in recovery is essentially a process. Take, for example, the process of surrender when an addict or alcoholic is first coming to terms with their problem and decides to ask for help. For most people, this moment of surrender is not an event, but instead it takes years and years of fighting and struggling with addiction–desperately trying to control their drinking and drug use–before they can finally admit to their problem and take steps towards a healthier life.

Finding our best spiritual self in recovery is no different. This journey is a process just like everything else, and it can take quite a long time for us to seek out our highest spiritual self. The reason for this is mostly because we block ourselves from achieving such a state of spirituality. All of the great spiritual teachers and leaders have essentially said as much–that the answers are within us all if we just take the time to seek them out and practice some simple gratitude in the stillness and quietness of our lives.

One big problem that many recovering addicts and alcoholics have is that their minds are filled with dogma and limiting beliefs that have possibly carried over from their childhood. These might be mental blocks, such as believing that only religious people are spiritual, or that the only way to connect with a higher power is in church. Spirituality is much broader than that and goes outside the boundaries of what other people think and believe. True spirituality is derived from your own personal quest for knowledge and inner peace; it has little to do with what is in books or what a religious figure might tell you.

Another major problem that people have is that they do not give themselves enough credit for their own spiritual progress. We have hectic lives and do the best that we can in recovery, so why beat ourselves up for not meditating for 8 hours each day? Sometimes we have to take peace and serenity when we get it, and be grateful for it as it comes to us. This is the secret of gratitude and in finding your optimum inner self. Celebrate those inspiring spiritual moments and focus on them and recognize them for the gifts that they are. Do not disregard your own spiritual growth just because you are not walking on water or claiming complete peace and serenity during every waking moment. Finding our optimum spiritual self in recovery is about finding peace among the chaos that will inevitably come with your normal, everyday life.

Finding your spiritual self is a natural function of living the creative theory of recovery, as spirituality is the “glue” that holds the creative life together. Pursue the creative life in recovery and your spiritual self will naturally fall into place as you practice the spiritual principles that drive a successful recovery.



By: Patrick Meninga

About the Author:

Great philosophers have always opined that Gayatri is the best mode of spiritual worship. At other places one finds variedness in the opinion of various thinkers. But as far as Gayatri is concerned everyone in unison accepts the prime importance of Gayatri worship. Over here we present the gist of the opinions of some important thinkers.

Lord Manu says – Brahmaji created the Gayatri Mantra of 3 legs which is the gist of the 3 Vedas. There is no other Mantra other than Gayatri that can purify us in totality. That individual who regularly chants the Gayatri Mantra for 3 years in a row shall definitely attain the Lord. That Dvij (twice born) who chants the Gayatri at dawn and noon attains the fruits of reading the Vedas. One attains the desired goal by just chanting the Gayatri Mantra and thus there is no need of any other spiritual practice. A man who regularly chants the Gayatri Mantra is absolved of all sins just as a snake easily discards its old skin. A Dvij (twice-born) who fails to chant the Gayatri Mantra is looked down upon by one and all.

Yogiraj Yajnavalkya says – Once the Gayatri Mantra and all the Vedas were weighed in a weighing pan. In one pan was placed the Vedas along with its 6 parts and in the other was placed Gayatri Mantra. The result seen was that the pan of Gayatri Mantra was seen to weigh more. The Upanishads are the gist of the Vedas and Gayatri Mantra is the gist of the Upanishads. Gayatri is the mother of the Vedas. She destroys our sins and there is no other Mantra apart from Gayatri in either heaven or earth that purifies one and all. There is no greater pilgrim spot other than the river Ganges, there is no greater God than Keshav and likewise there is no greater Mantra than Gayatri. Gayatri Mantra will outshine all Mantras of the past, present and future. A man who deeply understands the import of Gayatri Mantra becomes the knower, eminent scholar and pious philosopher of all Sciences. That Dvij who instead of chanting the Gayatri Mantra becomes a scholar of the Vedas will be looked down upon as a Shudra and all his other efforts will go in vain. He who does not know the deep import of the Gayatri Mantra can never be called a true Brahmin and will instead be labeled a sinner.

Rishi Parasher says – Amongst all the Suktas (hymns) and Vedic Mantras, Gayatri is the best. In comparison to the Vedas, Gayatri outshines them. A man who devotedly chants the Gayatri Mantra gets liberated and thus is purified on all fronts. Even if a man studies all the Vedas, Puranas, Itihaas etc. but does not chant the Gayatri Mantra, he will never be called a Brahmin.

Rishi Shankha says – Gayatri is like that hand which helps one lift a person who is drowning in the ocean of sins. Whether on earth or in heaven, there is nothing greater than the Gayatri Mantra. The knower of Gayatri definitely attains heaven.

Rishi Atri says – Gayatri worship is the best way to purify one’s soul. Due to its great power one’s taints and lowly character are purified. That person, who truly understands the Gayatri principle, attains all joys of the world.

Maharshi Vyas says – Just as the essence of a flower is honey, that of milk is clarified butter, in the same way the essence of all Vedas is Gayatri. When one worships Gayatri one-pointedly, it becomes Kamdhenu (wish fulfilling cow). The river Ganges purifies all the sins of the body and Gayatri in the form of divine Ganges purifies the soul. He who instead of worshipping Gayatri pursues other spiritual practices is definitely a fool because instead of eating delicious food of his home he is begging for stale food elsewhere. Nothing is greater than Gayatri if one wants to augment one’s austerities and attain desired goals.

Rishi Bharadwaj says – Gods like Brahmaji etc. always chant the Gayatri Mantra which helps in realizing God. Because of Gayatri those who execute lowly actions are able to stop them totally. A man devoid of Gayatri worship is lower than a Shudra too.

Rishi Charak says – He who chants the Gayatri Mantra while abstaining from sexual intercourse and partaking the fruit of myrobalan attains a longer life span.

Naradji says – Gayatri is Bhakti (devotion) manifest. Wherever there is Gayatri – manifest devotion, there none should doubt the presence of Narayan (God).

Vasisthaji says – Even those who are weak- minded, or live a degraded life or have an unsteady intellect, attain a high status due to Gayatri worship. Most definitely he will attain a high spiritual status after death. Those who worship Gayatri with a pure resolve and in a steadfast manner attain the wisdom of the soul.

Generally all other Rishis too have the same opinion about the importance of Gayatri worship as mentioned above. Great spiritual and philosophical Seers of this century have accepted the importance of Gayatri worship. This is very much similar to the opinion of the great Rishis/thinkers of the past. Amongst contemporary thinkers following are the names of those who have the same view regarding the importance of Gayatri.

Mahatma Gandhi says – Chanting the Gayatri Mantra incessantly is very useful to cure diseases and attaining high spiritual growth. When Gayatri is chanted with a steady psyche and a serene heart, it helps in overcoming dire situations and trying times.

Lokmanya Tilak says – Merely via political aggression we cannot overcome the shackles of bondage in various fields undergone by Indians. For that, the inner soul of each Indian needs to be lit up and thus he/she will realize what is true and what is false. The Gayatri Mantra harbors a pious sentiment that every individual, after giving up the path of lowliness, gets inspired to follow the path of righteousness.

Mahatma Madanmohan Malviyaji had said – Amongst the many jewels handed down to us by the Rishis, is the most valuable jewel called Gayatri. Gayatri worship purifies our intellect. The Lord’s divine light radiates in our soul. Due to this light, infinite individuals have crossed this ocean of bondage of the material world. Via Gayatri worship our devotion becomes more intense towards God. Along with this we gain material benefits too. Gayatri worship is most necessary for Brahmins. That Brahmin who fails to chant the Gayatri Mantra is committing the sin of not executing his righteous duty.

The great poet-thinker Rabindranath Tagore says – That Mantra that has awakened India as a nation is so easy that one can chant it in one single breath. This Mantra is the Gayatri Mantra. There can be no opposition on the front of logic or no difference of opinion or any obstruction as far as chanting this extremely pure Mantra is concerned.

At many places Yogi Aurobindo has directed people to chant the Gayatri Mantra. He maintains that Gayatri has such a power which helps us attain desired goals. He has advised so many of his followers to take up Gayatri Mantra chanting as part of their spiritual practices.

Swami Ramkrishna Paramhans’ message is – I always tell people that there is no need for spiritual practices for longer periods of time. Instead try this short spiritual practice of Gayatri worship. By chanting the Gayatri Mantra, you attain great spiritual goals. No doubt that this Mantra is very small but its Divine Power is infinite.

Swami Vivekanand says – One should ask for only great things from a King rather than ask for petty gains. In the same way one should ask for only a pure intellect from the Almighty Lord instead of perishable material comforts. Whenever God is happy with his devotee, he gives this devotee a pure intellect. Via a pure intellect one walks on the path of righteousness and thus one attains all kinds of joys. When a man follows the path of truth, he automatically attains all joys. Gayatri is a Mantra of a pure intellect. Thus amongst all Mantras, Gayatri is a crest jewel.

Jagadguru Shankaracharya says – Man is incapable of singing the greatness of Gayatri Mantra. The intellect is so important that nothing comes near it as far as its value is concerned. It is Gayatri worship that activates a pure intellect so as to attain God. Gayatri is the Primordial Mantra. This Gayatri Mantra has specifically manifested so as to destroy falsehood and establish truth.

Swami Ramtirth says – The biggest task in the world is to attain God. Gayatri helps in converting a desire based intellect into a desire less divine intellect. Only a pure intellect can attain God. Gayatri proclaims that one’s intellect should be so taintless that it gives more importance to God realization than material gains.

Maharshi Raman says – Within Yogic Sciences, Mantra Science is of utmost value. Mantra power gives one immense success. Gayatri is such a Mantra which gives both material and spiritual gains.

Swami Shivanand says – By chanting the Gayatri Mantra between 3.00 a.m. to 6.00 a.m. everyday (Brahma-Mahurat), one’s psyche is purified and the heart becomes sacred. The body overcomes diseases, the character becomes pure, one attains far-sightedness because the intellect becomes subtle and one’s memory sharpens. Under trying circumstances the power of Gayatri Mantra comes to your aid. As a result, one realizes that all-pervading soul (God).

The famous spiritualist of South India T. Subbarao says – Gayatri is nothing but the divine nature of Savita Narayan (God). Because it is the primordial energy it is called Gayatri. In the Bhagwad Geeta it is described as “Aditya Varna”. Gayatri worship is the very first leg of Yoga.

Shri Karpatri says – Those who have necessary spiritual capability should chant the Gayatri Mantra very regularly. It is the Dvija’s (twice born) righteous duty to chant the Gayatri Mantra.

Swami Vidyanand who gave great discourses on the Geeta says – Gayatri purifies our intellect. There is no greater benefit than purification of the intellect and hence Gayatri is the Mother of one of the greatest benefits.

Shri Radhakrishna says – If we delve deep into this great prayer Gayatri, we will realize how greatly beneficial it is. Gayatri is a great prayer that helps in producing the very foundation of life.

The great Arya Samaji Mahatma Sarvadanand says – The Aryans have always worshipped God via the Gayatri Mantra. Rishi Dayanand too by following this path of the Aryans had ordained his followers to deeply study the Vedas and chant the Gayatri daily at sunrise, noon and dusk. Because of this one’s psyche and intellect gets purified and thus one’s life and actions are beneficial not only for that individual but also society at large. To the extent, one has faith in this sacred action, to that extent one’s spiritual ignorance, sorrows etc. are destroyed. Those spiritual seekers who devotedly chant the Gayatri Mantra for them, it becomes the boat which aids them in crossing this ocean of sorrow (material world devoid of spirituality) and thus is a path to attain God.

The founder of Arya Samaj, Maharshi Dayanand was an ardent follower of Gayatri. Swamiji while speaking to Rajasahib of Gwalior said Gayatri Purascharan (a type of congregational worship) is more important than a discourse of Bhagwat for 7 days. He had taught the correct mode of chanting Gayatri to Sacchidanand, Hiralal Rawal, Ghodalsinh etc of Jaipur. While he was in Multan, Swamiji taught them all, the right manner in which to chant the Gayatri Mantra and proclaimed that this is the greatest of all Mantras. The root of all the 4 Vedas is this Guru Mantra. Right from primordial times all Rishis have taken recourse to chanting this Mantra. In many regions, Swamiji had conducted Gayatri worship programs in which about 40 scholarly Brahmins participated. This Gayatri Mantra chanting continued for 15 days.

A senior member of Theosophical Society Prof. R. Srinivas says – In Indian spiritual philosophy, Gayatri is said to be the most potent Mantra. Its meaning too is very widespread and deep. This Mantra has many meanings and its influence varies from person to person because of their varied psyche. It has the power to concentrate the visible/high/low via mysterious nerve fibres. When a man of apt spiritual credentials correctly chants the Gayatri Mantra knowing fully well its deep import and meaning and by concentrating his heart and mind, he establishes a bond with the great consciousness hidden in the visible sun. Such a person may chant the Gayatri Mantra anywhere, yet there is a cosmic spiritual influence on him self and his surroundings. This very influence is a great spiritual blessing. As a result our ancestors have eulogized the Gayatri Mantra for its extraordinary power.

In this manner we have with us the valuable opinion of innumerable great men of the present century. On delving deep into these opinions, we are forced to conclude that Gayatri worship is not some blind faith or tradition but behind it is the potent power of perceptible principles that advances our soul. All those who have endeavored to imbibe this great Gayatri Power have benefited in the truest sense of the term. Gayatri worship never goes in vain.



By: Yuga Rishi Shriram Sharma Acharya

About the Author:

At one time the human condition consisted primarily of survival and adaptation.  We did not have the conveniences that we do today that essentially does the surviving and adapting for us.  Today controlling our temperature is as easy as turning up or down the thermostat.  When hungry we get food from the cupboard, refrigerator or freezer, pop it into the oven or microwave and in minutes we are eating.  Out of milk?  Pop over to the corner market and pick up some more.  Without being in the survival mode our souls are entering a different phase of life that offers a spiritual evolution in place of the physical one of the past. 

 

When our soul is ready to become more, to glide beyond the basics of spirituality there becomes a prominent longing for light and spiritual connectedness.  We start to listen for guidance and we begin to become intone with our intuition; even our dreams bring us to a higher level.  It is now that our spiritual evolution becomes a priority and we long to be closer to our personal Divinity and the sources of light, love and understanding.

Today, more than any other time on Earth we are faced with an infinite number of opportunities for spiritual growth.  The vast number of paths, beliefs and methods of growth only go to show the need and longing that the human condition is bringing us to.  We are all becoming spiritually conscious and are being guided to that next step in our spiritual evolution.  The growth of a higher spiritual light on the Earth is generating a new atmosphere that allow penetration to the universal spiritual realm and allows access to that more enlightened spirituality for even the inexperienced in the process of awakening to the light.

There are simple ways that you can personally begin to create a greater light in your life and purposefully create a sacred environment in your home and in your life.  You begin this by letting go of what you no longer need.  Let go of the objects, the energy and the emotions that hold you back and no longer serve you.  By consciously aligning yourself with your own personal understanding of the Universal Spirit and your own personal understanding of your inner divinity you can raise your vibration and enter into the light.

 

Begin your journey into the light by cleansing your living space.  Center yourself and walk into and through your home with grounded vision.  Look at all your belongings and make a conscious judgment to let go of the objects, clutter, clothing and stuff that does not reflect what you really want in your life.  All that is left must be cleaned well, open all the windows and allow fresh air to come in and push away the old air.  While you are cleaning the items that you have left in your home take a moment to really connect with them and notice how they make you feel.  If the item does not make you feel the light and warmth or if it actually makes you feel bad throw it out.  Acknowledge all your emotions while doing this exercise and consciously exchange it for the light and love you bring into your spiritual life.

With everything cleaned and purified you will now create sacred space in your home and in your life.  Find an area in your home that can become a focal point for your spiritual center.  Choose a location that will not be used for anything else and place a small table in your new sacred space.  You may choose to place a candle and a few items on the table that feel spiritual to you and place them in a way that feels good to you.  This sacred space and sacred table will be a place that you can pray, meditate and focus your spiritual light.  This space will take on a higher light and vibration and can be a source of healing and peace for you.  You can go to your sacred space when you need comfort and peace and when you want to give thanks for the light that is restored into your life.  Remember, this is your own space, invoke in it the spiritual path and feelings that you are aligned to and that feel right to you.

 

With your sacred space defined you can begin to align yourself with the Divine as you understand it to be.  You may have been injured by a particular spiritual path in life; however, you can let go of that and discover the path and the Divine that is right for you personally.  Use this time to discover just what Universal Spirit brings you light, love and peace; this is your personal Divinity.  Each day you will want to spend a few minutes in your sacred space and breathe deeply and quietly as you align yourself with the divine light.  You may do this as your own meditation or as a guided meditation.  The more you meditate in your sacred space the stronger your connection with the light will become.

These simple steps will begin to create a pathway that leads to an intense light in your life and a higher vibration.  New doors will begin to open, new possibilities will arise to bring you to a place of healing and enlightenment as the light expands over you and over the Earth.  The more people who begin to align themselves with the Divine light that is personal to them the higher the vibration of the Earth will become; leading to a healing and enlightenment that will be felt universally.

For more information about Holistically Alive’s Metaphysical Services: Holitically Alive ~ Balancing the Mind, Body and Spirit.



By: Laura Cass

About the Author:

Beyond the Secret:

Spiritual Power & the Law of Attraction

By Dr. Lisa Love

(Book Excerpt, Copyright ã 2007, All Rights Reserved. Book Available NOW on Amazon.com)

Chapter One: Orient Towards Spirit

If there is one secret truly worth discovering, it is not the secret of the law of attraction. It is the secret of Spirit. True, the law of attraction can bring you whatever you want in life, but as I mentioned before, it won’t necessarily bring you what is good for you. Only Spirit understands what you really need and why you are here.

Seek to understand what Spirit wants for you in this life.

As you will discover the law of attraction can be used in healthy or unhealthy ways. A child can be attracted to a flame, but the best result is not to put her hand into the fire and get burned. Metaphorically, Spirit can be seen as a divine parent, seeking to guide you into greater wisdom and maturity. And what Spirit ultimately wants for you is simple—to be conscious of the universe.

Spirit also wants you to live an abundant life. But, let’s be clear on what spiritual abundance is and what it is not. An abundance of Spirit is an abundance of spiritual wisdom and insight. It includes an abundance of spiritual values like patience, love, compassion, maturity, respect, appreciation, intelligence, harmony, inner peace, joy, and a dedication to what is often called the good, the true, and the beautiful.

Spiritual Lessons Are Everywhere

Yes, your dharma, or spiritual purpose in life, may involve great monetary wealth. But, then again, it may not! While meditating on wealth and spirituality, I remember one particularly powerful experience. I was reflecting on the times when I had money and when I did not. At the time I was near the ocean. It had just rained, and slowly my attention was drawn to the vast expanse of water in front of me and then to a puddle by the side of the road.

Oceans and puddles. My attention went back and forth between the two. Should I damn the puddle for being so small? Wasn’t it serving a purpose? Wasn’t it helping to collect a pool of water until the sun could evaporate it? Didn’t I have multiple childhood memories of splashing about in puddles? Didn’t I remember the delight, the laughter, the squealing in joy at seeing water splash all around me as my boot stomped down into the water? Yes, puddles had brought a lot of joy into my life.

As for oceans, having grown up in the Midwest, I always found it a magical experience to head down to Florida to see the vast expanse of water before me: the waves rolling in and out, surfers riding the waves, sea creatures of all kind inhabiting a whole new universe below. Oceans were always mysterious and magical to me, not to mention healing and soothing, which was why I was standing in front of the ocean at that time.

Of course, lakes had always brought a lot of joy to me as well. There were lots of lakes in the Midwest. I loved the water. I liked both sailing and water-skiing, and swimming was always one of my favorite things. Picnics on the grass. Family outings. Those early teenage romantic rendezvous. Except for the jiggers, which could bite you, I never had a memory of a lake I didn’t thoroughly adore.

Even water in a glass has a purpose. I don’t know about you, but when I am thirsty, it is water in a glass and not water from a lake, ocean, or puddle I most want to drink. I realized that no matter what form or shape water tookit wasn’t how much water any person did or did not have. It was the function of the water and how well it was put to good use.

And, in that moment I realized that money and all of the “stuff” people acquired with it was exactly like water in this world. I came to understand that it wasn’t how much any person had or didn’t have that mattered. It was the spiritual lessons they were learning from what they possessed and how well they consciously, lovingly, and intelligently managed their possessions, and how capable they were of sticking to spiritual principles no matter how much wealth, or what kind of circumstances they faced in their lives. Perhaps this is why so many spiritual people go through both prosperous and adverse situations. Like the double dorje, they are learning to stand poised at the center of the circle, staying spiritually balanced no matter the outer circumstances of their world.

Spirit Overcomes Fear and Selfish Desire

As you’ve probably figured out by now, when I talk about using the law of attraction, I am not talking about getting a lot of stuff. Stuff may or may not make you happy, and I will go into that later in this book. It’s just that people acquire stuff as a way to avoid their ultimate fear—that stuff may really be all there is in this universe. Just like the stuff of our bodies, one day all other stuff will disappear. The only thing that will remain is Spirit, and even that is difficult for some stuff-driven people to accept and comprehend. Though I have personalized Spirit metaphorically as a divine parent, it really is the vast, all-encompassing force that pervades the universe. As my own mystical experiences have revealed to me, Spirit lives within everything. Nothing can escape it and everyone is “it” in a very fundamental way.

Understand that Spirit is infinite; forms are finite. Spirit is abundant; forms are not.

Thus, those who know Spirit intimately understand beyond a shadow of a doubt that nothing in this universe can be destroyed. Death is an illusion. Whenever anything appears to die, it simply changes shape and form. As Albert Einstein said, “Energy, cannot be created or destroyed. ” This realization radically shifts your experience of death and desire. Though The Secret also mentions this Einstein quote, the book fails to illuminate or appreciate how, when you remove the fear of death, you don’t desire things in quite the same way.

For starters, you no longer act as a human being who wants to consume everything in sight, leaving nothing of real value for your children and grandchildren in the future. You begin to understand that humans who are only focused on consumption are really like a cancer on this Earth. Just as cancer cells in your body could use the law of attraction to get what they want despite your ultimate demise; humans need to understand that if they are not careful they will use the law of attraction in a destructive manner reaping devastation on the larger world around.

Of course, even if the law of attraction is used in a selfish way, Spirit will ultimately turn it toward the good. But why make those mistakes? Why set yourself back and misuse the law of attraction instead of using it in a spiritual way?

The difficulty with the law of attraction is that it is entirely neutral. Just as The Secret shares, the law of attraction is like a genie in a bottle here to grant your every wish. Often, what you are wishing for is not what Spirit is wishing for you! Just as a child can wish to eat nothing but cookies all day long, what you wish for as an adult may or may not be good for you in the long run. And, since the law of attraction is neutral, it doesn’t care. It will give you want you want regardless.

Remember the law of attraction is neutral. Though you can use it to get whatever you wish for, it doesn’t always give you what Spirit wishes for you!

Spirit Reveals Your Ultimate Destiny

So, here’s the rub: The next time you are busy polishing that lamp so all of your wishes can come true, think twice about what you are doing because the most powerful use of the law of attraction is ultimately to attract to yourself a clear understanding of how to wish! And, one of the best wishes you can make is to gain insight into yourself and your spiritual purpose, mission, or ultimate destiny in this world.

Now, I cannot tell you what your ultimate destiny is. Though I can attempt to guide you, only Spirit knows what it is for certain. But, I believe Spirit has a fundamental purpose—to wake you up so you can realize that ultimately you are Spirit, and so is everything else around you. Call it enlightenment, self-realization, unity consciousness, oneness, or being filled with the Holy Spirit. It all leads to a quest where you understand that you are here not to consume but to contribute. You are not here simply to acquire but to give! All that you receive in life is ultimately a gift from Spirit that teaches you to be more loving and aware on this Earth. And, you might as well face it: No matter how much you use the law of attraction to wish it would not be true, your time on this Earth is finite! How you spend your time here is important. So, what on this Earth will you do?

Will you spend your time and energy only trying to obtain your material desires? Especially in the world today, it is possible to attract to yourself a lot of material goods! And, quite frankly, attracting stuff is easy. Just think of all the people you know who have knowingly or unknowingly used the law of attraction to get what they have wanted in life. They may have cars, money, a dream home, the best-looking partner or spouse, good health, and even well-dressed and educated children. On the exterior, their lives look like a dream. Yet, despite all of this, they may also remain lackluster and walk through life half-consciously. To cope, they often medicate themselves with alcohol, Prozac, illegal drugs, adrenaline-rush activities, sexual conquests, and much, much more. Sadly, despite all of their prosperity, too many people in our present society act like empty zombies. Maybe that is why our culture is so increasingly obsessed with horror movies. As a whole, we are trying to wake up to the horror of the empty lives too many people are currently living.

Attract More Spirit into Your Life

This is why it is so important to attract the things of Spirit no matter what the outer circumstances of your life. Then you will know that if you can stay connectioned with Spirit, grow in wisdom, and have a heart capable of love, you will remain in a very good mood, just like Job in the Bible who was stripped of everything and everyone he loved for a while; you will discover it ispossible to stay in touch with Spirit for better or worse, in sickness and health, till death do you part, no matter what.You will learn to remain in a state of inner joy and peace whether you take on the role of a Bill Gates or Mother Teresa. My research and life experiences have shown that me that people can accomplish this. But, I have worked hard and long to know the secret of Spirit in my life. I know this secret of Spirit really has the power to free you.

So, get busy trying to attract an understanding of the purpose Spirit has for you. But, remember that you cannot write that purpose yourself, especially if it is selfish in nature, without paying a price in the end. What does Spirit want most from you? To become conscious and to love. How do you love? By experiencing yourself as connected to everything around you, and as everything and everyone, to learn how to take better care of yourself. Despite the illusion that you are separate from other people, we are all interconnected. Similar to a hand, even though you may believe you are only a finger, you are part of a hand nevertheless. As you wake up to this fact, you realize how important it is to care about what happens to the people and the overall planet around you. This is not an easy task. To truly love, you have to understand what everything around you needs to grow and prosper. Try attracting that information to you!

Of course, learning to love everyone and everything around you may seem like an impossible task. That is why it is important to begin in small ways. If you can just learn to love and care for yourself, that alone is a huge accomplishment. If you can also learn to love, care for, and respect your family, neighbors, co-workers, and community—wow! What a wonderful world it would be if we could all do that!

So, why not begin right now to use the law of attraction to help you live a loving and spiritual life? And, don’t forget to attract to yourself an understanding of just how much you have to offer. That way you will seek to make your life more about contribution, instead of acquisition, as you live from day to day.

Therefore, use the law of attraction to benefit not only yourself, but everyone around you.

Orient toward Spirit—Key Insights

1. Seek to understand what Spirit wants for you in this life.

2. Understand that Spirit is infinite; forms are finite. Spirit is abundant; forms are not.

3. Remember the law of attraction is neutral. Though you can use it to get whatever you wish for, it doesn’t always give you what Spirit wishes for you!

4. Use the law of attraction to benefit not only yourself, but everyone around you.



By: Dr Lisa Love

About the Author:

What is spirituality? Very simply put spirituality is the core of our belief systems. These belief systems are often based on deities, supernatural forces, or universal energies. The purpose of which is to provide a deeper meaning for our physical existence. Furthermore, the need to define our existence beyond the five senses is deeply rooted in the fundamental development and differentiation of our id into the ego and super-ego.

So, why is spirituality so deeply rooted in our human development? To answer this question we need to first look deeper into the psychic connections we form as infants. These psychical connections, as you will see, form the core of our spiritual “self”. They in fact truly determine our ability to differentiate between good and bad.

Now let us take a look at why the need to understand or define our existence starts in our infancy. As our id develops and the ego evolves from it we are able to differentiate between “self” and “other” by forming the “repressed”. The “repressed” is formed during the Primary Repression phase of our development and is cut off from the ego via repression.

However, the repressed may still be accessed via the id. During this period of development we also form our ability to differentiate between good and bad. Furthermore, this ability to differentiate between good and bad forms the core of our spiritual nature by creating the means of forming the super ego.

Secondary repression brings about the formation of the super-ego. This is primarily caused by the anxiety produced, in direct response, to certain desires. This anxiety acts as a negative stimulus or punishment and causes the desire to become repressed. Once the threat of negative stimulus has been internalized it forms the super-ego.

This evolution from the somatic instinctual id into the “evolved” id/ego/super-ego complex is the ongoing developmental process that leads to the formation of our adult spiritual belief system. In addition this spiritual belief system allows relief of ongoing stress and anxiety without forming complex neurotic coping mechanisms of continued repression.

So, it should be apparent that spirituality not only gives a deeper meaning to our existence but also provides an important outlet for stress and anxiety. Stress and anxiety unchecked or repressed wreaks disastrous consequences, in our lives. Leading to unhealthy neurosis with devastating repercussions.

Consequently, without spirituality we would truly be a society of neurotic individuals with a plethora of maladaptive personality traits. These personality traits can manifest them selves in many forms. From anti-social behavior to alcoholism the list of potential pathologies are beyond the scope of this article.

So, embracing spirituality is not only morally right but also a healthy practice. Whether you choose to worship a deity or talk to a tree for spiritual guidance the ability to transcend this world by unplugging your inner self and connecting it to an external “force” is an integral part of good mental health. It allows us to release the stress and anxiety that we cannot handle or process. Thus discharging it in a healthy manner rather than repressing or “stuffing it” to fester and malinger.

In summation spirituality is not only the core of our belief systems. Even though spirituality does form the core component of our religious and cultural beliefs. It also is an essential component of our psyche. Even more importantly spirituality forms the core of our psychical ability to cope with stress and anxiety, in a socially acceptable manner.



By: Frederick Gimino

About the Author:

0 people to define spirituality will produce 100 different answers, yet most agree it is a needed component in addiction recovery.

How can you define your spirituality?

A great way to uncover your spirituality is to start asking some questions that will lead to self-discovery. Sometimes simply asking the questions will be more important than getting the ‘right’ answer.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to discover what experiences and values define you:

What are your important relationships? Where have you found comfort? What gives you hope? What brings you joy? What if you have survived losses in your life, how have you done so? What do you believe will happen to you when your physical life ends, and how do you feel about that? Describe a time when you felt comfortable and everything in your life was just as you wanted it.

Think of a time when your life was filled with a sense of purpose, meaning, or there was a sense of awesomeness in it.

Answering questions like these will help you identify the most important people, moments and experiences in your life. Armed with this information, you can focus your search for spirituality on the relationships and activities in life that have proved to have real meaning for you in the past. These helped define you as a person and will continue to inspire your personal growth.

Spirituality gives our life texture and color, but at its core spirituality helps to give our lives a sense of purpose or context, if you will. It gives our life meaning. It comes from your connection with yourself and with those around you, as well as the development of your own system of personal values, and the search for meaning in life.

Spirituality can act as the connector from the sense of being alone and isolated as we have been with addiction, to a sense of connection that occurs in recovery.

How can spirituality help you in addiction recovery?

Hmmm…Let me count the ways. It can help you:

1. Focus on personal goals. Cultivating your spirituality may help uncover what’s most meaningful in your life. By clarifying what’s important to you, you can eliminate stress by focusing less on the unimportant things that can sometimes seem to consume you.

2. Connect to the world. The more you feel you have a purpose in the world, the less solitary you feel even when you’re alone. This can lead to an inner peace during difficult times.

3. Release control. When you feel part of a greater whole, you realize that you aren’t responsible for everything that happens in life. You can share the burden of tough times as well as the joys of life’s blessings with those around you.

4. Expand your support network. Whether you find spirituality in a church, mosque or synagogue, in your family, or in walks with a friend through nature, this sharing of spiritual expression can help build relationships.

5. Lead a healthier life. Some research seems to indicate that people who consider themselves spiritual are often better able to cope with stress and heal from illness or addiction.

Cultivating your spirituality

Spirituality begins with your relationship with yourself, is nurtured by your relationships with others and culminates in a sense of purpose in life. Realizing this, two of the best ways to cultivate your spirituality are to improve your self-esteem and to foster relationships with those who are important to you. This can lead to a deepened sense of your place in life and in the greater good.



By: Bill Urell

About the Author:

Spiritual growth is the process of evolving our consciousness. What exactly does this mean? We can define spiritual growth in a number of ways:

1) As we grow spiritually, the way that we perceive the world should be changing for the better. For example, in the early stages of our spiritual development, we might take a relatively bad experience that we have and simply chalk it up to being bad luck, and possibly play a victim role in how events unfold. We react to the experience in a negative way and make little or no growth from it.

As we make spiritual growth, we can choose better actions to deal with such negative experiences, turning them into positive ones. Instead of playing a victim role when something bad happens, we can reflect and look for the deeper meaning, and try to see our part in how we might have brought such an event on.

2) As we grow spiritually, our attitude shifts for the better, in a number of ways. Spiritual growth isn’t so much about changing our world or our lives, but about changing ourselves and how we perceive the world. It is like waking up and seeing the world through “a new pair of glasses,” as it says in the AA big book.

One way that our attitude changes is in terms of pride and humility. As we make spiritual progress, pride starts to melt away as we realize that we really don’t know it all, and that every experience can become a learning opportunity for us if we approach it with genuine humility. People that we might have dismissed in the past come to have new meaning for us, because we know that each person might have a potential lesson to teach us. Pessimism doesn’t play well with this idea. Instead, we start looking for the silver lining in things in terms of our experiences and what we might possibly learn from them.

3) Our connections with others change as we grow spiritually. One way that this happens is mentioned above, in that we come to see others as potential teachers. Another way that our relationships change is that we tend to place more value on them as we grow, and there is also a tendency towards reaching out and helping others. These ideas replace what is normally selfish and self-seeking behavior that used to dominate our lives.

4) A holistic approach to our life and our overall health comes into being, as we start to realize that everything relates to our spiritual growth. For example, we might start eating better, quit smoking, start exercising, and so on. We see the connectedness of these holistic ideas and realize that we can’t make further growth until we address certain problem areas. A balanced lifestyle becomes the goal, as we see how this further helps us to grow spiritually.

In addition to these ideas, spiritual growth is also characterized by a growing connection with a higher power, which some might experience through prayer and meditation. We come to learn that our greatest teacher can be either the stranger we meet on the corner, but also the quiet and still mind that we achieve in solitude while meditating.



By: Patrick Meninga

About the Author:

The word spirit comes from the Latin word spiritus, meaning “breath”. Spirit is the breath of life. The word intelligent is from the Latin, intelligentia, meaning “choosing between”. Spiritual Intelligence is our ability to choose between spirit and ego. We consciously practice spiritual intelligence when we intentionally choose spirit over ego, love over fear, and the highest good for all over selfish interest. 

The Voice of Spirit is the voice of our Higher Self. My Higher Self is that which has never left its creator. All Higher Selves are connected as One. I connect to my Higher Self through my soul. My soul is my dream self — that part of me that has wandered through countless life experiences trying to find its way back home to the Higher Self. My soul desires to wake up and remember who it is.  

I develop my spiritual intelligence when I join with my soul and choose to identify with my Higher Self, my Spirit. In this state of identification I realize that I am not my body. I am not my gender or my profession. I am not my ethnicity nor am I my religion. I am not my life situation, my illnesses, my financial position, or my status in society. I am not my problems and I am not my past. Spiritual identification has me detaching from all forms and experiences and seeing myself as a spiritual being in this human experience.

Many people in spiritual circles like to call on angels, Jesus, or other beings of light. This is good. Many others make use of rituals, tools, methodologies, and programs to learn and grow. This can be good, too. As we develop spiritually we come to realize that we are the light. You and I are the light that we seek. There is nothing we can seek that we don’t already have within us. There is no person, program, or methodology that can do it for us. Nothing, of itself, will bring you the light or awaken you. It is your intention and willingness that that leads you to the power that lies within you.

This is the real “secret”. There is nothing out there you need. Love, peace, prosperity, and wholeness are already within you. When you trust in this completely, you have all that you need in the physical. When we are hung up on the form–the car, the house, the bank account, the great body, the great relationship– we make the form our source. The source, God, is within us, and is always available. We are not separate from God, and that is the secret.

We are born into this world not knowing the secret. If we knew it, we wouldn’t need to be here. Yet, we are here, so there is something to be learned. Both our tendencies to live from spirit and our tendencies live from ego are manifested in the physical world by way of the Law of Attraction. 

The film and the book, The Secret, is an inspiring piece of work about the Law of Attraction. Certainly you can use the Law of Attraction to build the life you desire. It should be noted however, that both Hitler and Stalin successfully used the Law of Attraction. The movie indicates that wealthy power brokers have always used the Law of Attraction. This is where spiritual intelligence comes in. When you create, are you creating from spirit or from ego? 

Another point The Secret makes is: “Anyone can do this.”  Do what? Create a $4 million home? Own several luxury cars? Live a wealthy lifestyle? If this is true, then are we to conclude that those of us who are not enjoying these riches have something wrong with our thinking? On this basis we would have to make Donald Trump one of our primary spiritual teachers, and Bill Gates would be the world guru. 

Each of us has an individual purpose to be played out in this life. For some, having great wealth is part of their purpose. For others, it may not be. Some people will practice changing their thoughts and emotions and find quick success. Others may practice for twenty or thirty years and find no change in what they have manifested. Neither scenario conclusively tells us where someone is in consciousness. The relationship between cause and effect is not linear. It is unlikely that you will think a negative thought today and the next day something bad will happen to you. Consciousness is made up of your awareness, understanding, and knowledge (or lack of). The physical manifestations in your life are not predictable to the ego mind.

For example, you may have a deep issue with unforgiveness. At the same time you are healthy, wealthy, and have good relationships. In spite of your wealth and health, you feel badly. In another instance, your unforgiveness may play out as indebtedness, poor health, or hurtful relationships, or all three. In truth, you don’t know what you signed up for when you came to this life. Cancer may manifest from deep anger, or maybe you signed up for the cancer experience to learn something else. Our life experiences are not rewards or punishments. They are opportunities for growth that we have agreed to on another level of consciousness. 

I have heard people say, “I would rather be unhappy and rich than unhappy and poor.” Unhappy is unhappy. If you are very unhappy, wealth can provide plenty of distractions that keep you right where you are. Whereas, if you have a load of debt to contend with, you may be motivated to do the work. It is possible to be deeply indebted and ecstatically happy. If you can maintain that happiness the debt will probably dissolve in time. Whether it does or not is not the point. The important thing is that you have found inner wealth, peace and joy within, and that you have stopped identifying yourself with your manifestations. No one is luckier than you. The danger of finding wealth in the physical before you have inner wealth is that you will think the physical wealth makes you special. 

Great wealth, excellent health, and beautiful relationships are wonderful to experience, but they are forms. Forms are effects. It is the cause that you focus on as a spiritually intelligent being. At some point in the spiritual development process, having nice things seems important. Further on your path, you just don’t care about stuff anymore.

Being anti-materialist, promoting the image that you are just not into stuff, is no different than the rich person who identifies himself with his wealth. The attention is still on the form. Being “non-materialistic” doesn’t make you special. Whether you have a lot of stuff or not is irrelevant. What counts is your ability to detach from it and to recognize that you really don’t own anything. You are not your stuff (or lack of stuff). You are a spiritual being on the road home to your Higher Self. 

The secret to your inner joy and wealth is your spiritual intelligence, your ability to choose between spirit and ego. There is a beautiful three step process based on a book called The Song of Prayer from A Course in Miracles. In the first step, you give all of your goals, your problems, and your concerns to God as a gift. Once you have emptied yourself, you join in song with God. That is, you identify with your Higher Self and immerse yourself in its love. In this state you know that you are blessed and loved unconditionally. The third step is called the Echo. That is, miracles show up to remedy problems or that help you achieve your goals. The real miracle is your ability to let go and identify with spirit. This creates inner wealth, inner health, and inner love.

We are 100 % responsible for our lives. This means that opportunities abound for us to respond by shifting our attention to our spiritual identity. Responsibility is not blame. Responsibility is power and opportunity. It comes down to this: in this very moment, who is running your life? Is it spirit or is it ego? Is it love or is it fear? If you are feeling anything less than peace, your ego is having its influence. Remind yourself that you are not your body, not your situation. You are a spiritual being. In this lies your strength. In this thought you know that low self esteem, self condemnation, and blaming others are illusions. They are just stories you have told yourself.

Be the real you. If you knew that you were a powerful spiritual being, how would you stand? How would you carry yourself? What would be the expression on your face? What kinds of thoughts would you allow into your mind? If you knew that you were unconditionally loved, how would you act? What words would you use? What would be your tone of voice? This is one way you practice spiritual intelligence. You become aware, and then you become who you really are.

This awareness, understanding, and knowledge allows you to approach life with confidence. The essence of the successful use of the Law of Attraction is confidence. When you approach life with utmost confidence, your world responds. Confidence based solely on externals, or even based on knowledge of psychology, is fragile. Confidence based on spiritual strength is power.

This is the secret the world has kept from you–that you are God expressing as you. Each moment that you choose to live from your spirit is a powerful and expansive moment. Each moment you make this choice you influence others. You are a light. You are a blessing to the world.



By: William Frank Diedrich

About the Author: