Discussion
(This is an excerpt from a University Of Metaphysical Sciences course at www.umsonline.org,
please feel free to visit the school website)
In looking at the challenge of practicing exercises to help with awakening, I have found that the process of beginning and continuing spiritual practices come naturally when the rest of my life is supportive for such development. Even if you or someone you know doesn’t feel that their lives are supportive for spiritual growth, you can create such a reality. The process of doing so includes looking at the energy of each aspect of our lives, setting goals for improvement, and creating change through action, whether it be physical or intentional. It is highly beneficial to first look at the energy of each aspect of our lives and see how harmonious each is to cultivating a spiritual life of awakening. What are you taking into your body through conversations, television, books, internet, food, and activities? Are these life-enhancing for you? All aspects of our lives have effects on whether we feel like practicing meditation, yoga, devotional chanting, or any other type of practice to connect to Source. What is your environment like? Is it noisy, cluttered or otherwise negative? Do you have time set aside each day that could be your personal time for something you want to do?
I have found that food plays a tremendous role in my spiritual motivation and general outlook on life. Food can be a touchy subject for many of us because we often have deeply rooted addictions to certain foods as ways to cope with emotional and mental patterns. The vibrations of anger, sadness, and fear that we’ve felt while eating in the past become stuck in our bodies. This is where the benefits of some sort of cleansing can be profound. We can release the stuck vibrations in our bodies and then be open to filling ourselves with new vibrations of energy. A great place to start with all of this is to begin to look at the energy of the foods we are putting into our bodies, even if it is just once in a while. We can assess the energy of food by thinking about where our food has come from. Is that energy conducive to spiritual growth? Also, taking notice of how we feel after a meal is a wonderful way to tune into how foods affect us. For example, heavy, cooked foods make me feel uninspired and tired. On the other hand, fruits and vegetables help me feel energized, clear, and engaged with life.
As mentioned above, another area of life to look at is the content of what we fill our minds with. What types of books, movies, television shows, and conversations do you regularly engage in? How do these leave you feeling? To change such habits in our lives can be very challenging. It can take time. We can always begin with noticing our own thoughts and feelings around each aspect of our lives and then figuring out what we can do to make positive changes. This is a very self-empowering, life-affirming process. We are taking responsibility for our own spiritual growth instead of waiting for something outside of us to point us in that direction. How great this can feel! Even small steps toward creating a life filled with harmonious energies for spiritual awakening can lead to transformation and growth. Our motivation and openness toward spiritual growth can be a great catalyst within itself.
Reminding ourselves of our ability to know the true Self during this lifetime, regardless of our age right now, is a wonderful way to have this seed planted in our minds. It can be helpful to fill ourselves with inspiration from outside sources as well. Spiritual literature, groups, and any other forms of inspiration can serve as reminders that the quest of awakening can indeed be fulfilled and that it is the only quest that will give us lasting peace, joy, and clarity.
There may be many paths to awakening, yet there seems to be one Self to which we awaken. As more of us “step” into the path of awakening, the energy will continue to spread throughout the earth. Many teachers say that a time of great opportunity for spiritual awakening will be here soon for the masses and that what all of us choose in our lives is highly important to whether this opportunity will be taken or not. May the desire to know the true Self blossom in each of our hearts, and may the teachings of how to kindle this desire continue to spread to all those who are attracted to its path. Blessings to you on your journey.
Once the journey of soul recovery
is begun in earnest, Life itself
conspires to support us. It is up to
us to learn to cooperate with it.
For one who is surrendered to
God, a change in consciousness is
inevitable. It comes like the
approaching dawn. There is a long
time in the dark, then slowly,
barely perceptible changes occur
until finally the entire landscape of
our life is illumined. (178)
—Ellen Grace O’Brian
A Single Blade Of Grass: Finding The Sacred In Everyday Life (2002)