..Spirituality..

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Developing Spirituality

Spirituality means that we know we are more than just the physical
self. We have an energy or spirit attached to us. In some religious
circles our spirit is referred to as the soul and is immortal and that
the spirit was created by some divine maker or creator.

On the other hand, spirituality to some is a sense of
connectiveness to the spiritual nature of the universe, the
collective universe that is a part of us all. What the psychologist
Carl Jung referred to as the collective unconscious. The collective
unconscious is the reservoir of the experiences of all humans.

Some believe that spirituality is simply getting in touch with your
higher consciousness because we all have the divine spirit within
us and it can be accessible. Regardless of your definition, when
you begin a spiritual journey, you will begin to change your
perception, learn to wean yourself from societal morals, traditional
thinking and the conditioning of childhood.

Spirituality is not a fad or a brief moment but a way of looking at
your overall environment or world view and is a lifelong pursuit.
Regardless how one person defines spirituality, there are common
characteristics. There is the development of love toward others,
which is not defined as a true love or romantic love but a positive
feeling of concern for other peoples' welfare.

Getting in touch with one's own Deity is important for those who
have a Deity. It is not necessary to believe in divine being or God to
be spiritual. Many people see our spirit as divine in its own right.
Therefore, communicating with your inner self will be the order of
the day.

Although you may not hear a clear voice, you may suddenly have a
thought come to mind and as you become adept at contacting your
spirit, the more answers or outcomes will take place. It's at this
time that many people contact their spirit guide, a thought or vivid
dream/visualization of a person or sometimes an animal that is
helpful in answering questions or steering you in the right
directions.

Not everyone believes in organized religion due to the fact many
types of religions tend to be more dogmatic with church beliefs
rather than that of studying or worshiping a creator or son of a
creator. Not everyone is happy with an idea of a supreme being,
but everyone can relate to the spiritual. This is the reason why
many people see a distinct difference between religions and
spirituality. But when we start to communicate with ourselves---
our higher selves, we actually begin to understand ourselves and
the world around us much better and it gives us a sense of the
divine without having to describe it of define it.

Conrad Raw is an expert in practical techniques for personal and spiritual development. He is the author of "Forbidden Secrets Of Personal And Energetic Development." He travels the world to learn and teach and is the founder of Greater Human Potential, a website devoted to bringing you easy to learn techniques to increase your human evolution. Visit his website for a free newsletter filled with tons of great tips and advice.

Spirituality Simplified

Spirituality Simplified, by author Jeff Maziarek, is an excellent resource for spiritual seekers, and the perfect guide for anyone curious about, or new to, the spiritual path. With dozens of excerpts from top authors such as, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Anthony DeMello, Neale Donald Walsch, Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, and Alan Cohen, among many others, this book offers a comprehensive road map to the spiritual path.

In this book, Jeff Maziarek explores many of the questions we all ask -- or will ask -- at some point in our lives. Jeff Maziarek also delves into other important questions, such as: "Who are you at the physical level?;" "Who or What is God?;" "Who are you at the spiritual level?;" and, "What about past mistakes and forgiveness? Is anything unforgivable?" While the answers to many of these questions differ from one person to another, Jeff Maziarek provides an excellent cross-section of answers from some of the great spiritual thinkers of our time, like Dr. Joseph Murphy, and the authors mentioned above, for example.

Among other such important questions, author Maziarek also provides a good overview of practices and concepts often associated with the spiritual path, such as: Prayer; Meditation; Awareness; Consciousness; Healing; Abundance; Forgiveness; Personal Growth and Development; and a broad array of other topics fundamental to spirituality. These subjects, like the answers to some of the important questions of spirituality, are given as thorough a treatment as any one book possibly could give such a comprehensive overview of such a tremendous subject.

One of the more interesting features of Spirituality Simplified is the use of song lyrics, along with quotes and book excerpts, to paint a very colorful, and "melodic," work that highlights the similarities among the great religions and philosophies, rather than just the differences. Jeff Maziarek has truly written a book that bridges the philosophical gap between mainstream religion and the spiritual path -- showing us all that there is room for everyone on the spiritual path. This book is a timeless classic which will remain a useful tool for any spiritual aspirant for many years to come.

For more information about Spirituality Simplified, or author Jeff Maziarek, go to www.SpiritSimple.com, or look for it on Amazon.com.

Pete Koerner, author of The Belief Formula
http://www.ExploreExpandEvolve.com

*For a Free Report on Making The Belief Formula Work for You, visit: http://www.TheBeliefFormula.com

Develop Your Spirituality – Be a Saint!

On first thought, developing one’s spirituality may seem an impossible task, let alone being a saint. However, both are possible and not as difficult as it may seem.

What is Spirituality?

Spirituality is only the acceptance that you are basically spirit in essence and not the material body. Moreover, that all of creation is spirit in essence and not material. How so?

A spiritual person has no doubt that they are spirit. A saint lives this truth in his or her life.

How Can Spirituality Be Developed?

Each person is different, in respect to their experiences and psychological composition. However, each person is the same, as if they acknowledge they are spirit, then spirit, as gold, is the same, no matter where it is found.

This is what makes someone spiritual. It is no surprise that saints of whatever religion all share common traits.

Often when saints (or holy men) from different religions happen to meet, they feel an instant affinity, and act as brothers.

Spirituality can be developed by embracing creation, the creator, and all of living creatures as a physical impossibility.

The conditions for life are so obscure and statistically impossible, that one must see it in spiritual terms only. Just considering this fact, and dwelling on it will reinforce your basic spiritual nature.

The saint, takes this advice quite seriously, and does nothing else.

The saint rejects the world and materialism and accepts and lives the world of spirit. The saint begins as anyone would begin, by developing their spirituality.

However, they do not stop there, they begin to live the principles they have developed.

So therefore, its up to each person, to ask, do I wish to be a saint?

How Can One Be Spiritual and Still Live in the Material World?

This has been a dilemma for ages, and a question not easily answered. It is enough to say you can be “in” this world but not “of” this world.

The material conditions of the world change continually. The spiritual conditions of the world never change. So as you are developing your spirituality, you can even enjoy the world, only not be bound up in it.

This binding is called Karma, and keeps even saints from being liberated in spirit.

You must not be ‘of’ the world, as this will deny its spiritual reality. While “in” the world, you can still understand that all moves, all exists, all that ceases to exist, were expressions, or rather reflections from a spiritual reality.

If you can accept this, you can become spiritual, live and do your work in the material world, but never be bound by it.

You can in this simple way, not incur Karma, and should you carry this principle out to its logical end, you can become a saint.

What is Sainthood?

Depending on what particular religion you follow, a saint can be defined differently in general terms.

However in its basic terms, all saints have realized the spiritual basis of all creation, and have joined it, and are well attached not to creation, but to the creator.

MORE FREE INFO

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The Difference Between Religion and Spirituality

For years, there's been a great debate between religion and spirituality. Some people believe that they are one in the same, yet others believe they are distinct and separate ideas. But there's a difference between religion and spirituality. One dictates how you worship, the other how you live.

Often times, people use the terms interchangeably. They consider their religious beliefs to be spiritual ones or their spiritual beliefs to be religious ones. The two can go hand-in-hand, and most frequently do, but a person doesn't necessarily need to
be religious to be spiritual or spiritual to be religious. Actually, a person can be both, either or none. To truly understand their differences, be them subtle or overt, we need only look at their meanings.

Religion is a man-made system of worship. It is an organized practice that gives a framework in which a believer may interact with his or her higher power. It is based on tradition and teachings that have been around for years. Spirituality, on the other hand, is the belief within the believer. It is the recognition and acceptance of that connection between the inner self and a power that lies outside of his or her personal being. It is based on feeling and faith in something unexplainable.

You see, spirituality is innate, and religion is by design. We are born with our spirituality, that connection between ourselves and the world around us, an inherent confidence in what cannot be seen or heard. We are taught our religion, a method in which we practice our beliefs, a set of guidelines established through word of mouth. When you experience that connection or believe that things happen for a reason, this is your spirituality. In essence, it guides you in how you live your life. When you practice a doctrine of beliefs or pray a specific prayer, this is your religion. It tells you how to live your life.

A person's spirituality and religious beliefs can stem from the same foundation. However, within any religion there is a personal relationship between the self and the higher power. If we attend services at a church, we practice a certain religion amongst a group of people. Most of the followers in attendance possess the same general belief in the doctrines of that particular sect. For the most part, each person accepts the scriptures taught within that organization as truth. But our spiritual nature, even within our practice, is individual. Our interpretation or perspective of what we are taught is unique from one person to the next. We each take something different from our religion. We each apply it in our own personal way to our life.

There's a difference between religion and spirituality, just like there's a difference between how we worship and how we live our lives. Simply because someone goes to church doesn't make them more spiritual than someone who doesn't. It merely means they're practicing differently. Simply because someone leads a spiritual life doesn't make them more religious than someone who leads a secular life. No matter how you observe your faith, it is personal.

Copyrighted 2008, Marianne Wells LLC, All rights reserved
Marianne Wells, International Yoga Presenter
Specializing in the Yoga Alliance 200 Hour RYT Teacher Training
http://www.mariannewells.com

Thoughts To Ponder - #21

"I think in metaphysical terms, I would call that increasing the speed of the vibration of life."

"I think that's a result of just a general increase in speed of the vibration of life itself."

"It's a very small and select slice of all the people who have ever been born. I believe we've come back during this time, those of us who are here now, specifically to experience it. And to cause a 'quickening of the spirit.'"

"One either has to believe in a God who's terribly prejudiced, or disbelieve the teachings of such exclusionary theologies."

"Religions have taught us that 'we are better than they.'"

"This thought of betterness has crept into every area of society, where in fact, it becomes insidious. It begins with our children when they are very young. And indeed as you just mentioned they find themselves on teams."

"We've seen in the last half century an incredible shift. This is just an extraordinary time to be alive."

"You'll find individuals agreeing on this, but when they get into collective societies and larger groups they find it difficult to achieve group agreement."

"The new spirituality is that it will produce an experience in human encounters in which we become a living demonstration of the basic spiritual teaching 'We are all one.'"

"I think the new spirituality will be a spirituality that's not based on a particular dogma. And that steps away from the old spiritual paradigm that we have created on this planet, which comes from a thought that there is such a thing as being better."

Dorothy M. Neddermeyer, PhD, Life Coach, Hypnotherapist, Author, "101 Great Ways To Improve Your Life." Mind, Body, Spirit healing and Physical/Sexual Abuse Prevention and Recovery. As an inspirational leader, Dr. Neddermeyer empowers people to view life's challenges as an opportunity for Personal/Professional Growth and Spiritual Awakening. http://www.drdorothy.net

Practical Spirituality

In the book by John Randolph Price, "Practical Spirituality" the author says:

"Your God-Self thinks only thoughts of abundance and never lack or limitation. These thoughts are in form of pure space within the Mind of your Higher Self. This thought energy constitutes a momentous force, a power, a mighty thrust which presses out and radiates through your consciousness. This thought energy - the Mind Power - is pregnant with the thinkingness of unlimited supply, boundless prosperity, overflowing abundance."

"As this copious substance moves through your consciousness, it is either distributed "as is" - or altered according to the vibration of your energy field. It lets itself be impressed with the shape of your consciousness, and then goes forth into the physical world to become, or appear as, forms and experiences relating to your concept of abundance."

This passage is really a jewel. As we become conscious and begin to take heed of our thoughts and the feelings we radiate, we then see how out thoughts become an actual hindrance to prosperous manifestation because The Higher Mind knows far better than any thought we can think in place of it.

Practical Spirituality, for us is living in 'God Space' knowing that as we think we are actualizing the God 'I Am' in all that we say and do. It is not only spiritual to allow God to be God in us but it is also logical. What could be more awesome in our experience than to bring forth the highest possibility in every moment?

As we become more awakened to the Power within we will see more clearly how practical Spirituality actually is.

By: Ananda and John McIntosh

John & Ananda McIntosh are authors and teachers of A Course in Miracles and The Law of Attraction. The couple has ten published books to date related to these subjects and over 40 years of experience applying the principles they teach. To find links to their writings, books and Podcasts go to their web site: http://www.lawofattractioncenters.com or send an email to createmiracles@aol.com

Thoughts To Ponder - #22

"The new spirituality will step away from dogma, will step away from 'We're right and you're wrong.'"

"The new spirituality will also base itself on a third very large spiritual understanding, which is that life is eternal. Most religious people claim to believe that, but very few people actually live as if that were true."

"The new spirituality will bring about what I'm calling the 'end of better.' And that is in fact what is called for in the next of the series of books that I've been writing."

"And we're seeing a higher level of consciousness and many more opportunities for people to challenge their present ways of thinking and move into a grander and larger experience of who they really are."

“Tomorrow's God says that every church is 'his church,' and every faith is 'her faith,' and every soul is God's soul, because it shares the same soul with God! ... And no person or living thing in the universe stands outside the community of God.”

“When we'd go to church, my mother would say, 'Ask the priest your questions.' And the priest was quite indulgent, ... Often he'd say, 'We haven't figured that out yet, my boy.' When I heard that, I was free, I was overjoyed -- I could create [my own] answers.”

"As told in Friendship with God, if we simply decided to believe and act as if first, we're all one, and second, life is eternal, it would render virtually everything we've done all our lives pointless."