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| ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What Is The Spiritual Path?For many years of my life, I thought the spiritual path had something to do with following one of the major world religions or pursuing an Eastern practice. I even thought it had something to do with morality and ethics. Today my comprehension of the spiritual path has changed completely. Instead of the complexity of any of the disciplines to becoming a good person, I have found that the path is simple. In fact, some of the greatest atheists have followed it better than many theists. An example that comes to mind is the famous British Philosopher Bertrand Russell, who lived an impeccable life of wisdom, compassion, and grace.. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." That is the spiritual path. Everything else--all the theology, philosophy, and practices--lead you to that singular ideal. Physically, do you like to be murdered, wounded, beaten, or raped? Emotionally, do you like to be humiliated, disenfranchised, betrayed, abandoned, disrespected, alienated, and cast aside? Mentally, do you like to be cheated, swindled, lied to, vilified or misinformed? Of course not. In fact, your whole body just cringes at the thought of such mishap. Yet, this is what we do to others. If we are truly savage, we abuse others physically. If a little more sophisticated, we abuse others mentally and emotionally. And in this process we abuse ourselves. In actuality, there is no enemy, for we are all connected at the collective unconscious, and the misperception that "they" are different from "us" has been the historical cause of most human suffering. Often this abuse is perpetuated from the collective rules referred to as ethics and morality. What is ethical and moral is defined by who is making up the rules. Yet the bell that tolls for another, also tolls for thee. Why do we act in a way that injures others? It is because we feel a deep void inside of us and we lash out like a wounded animal. We relate to the world from the wounds of apathy, grief, fear, lust, anger, and pride. By striking out, however, we only deepen our own anguish. Although we are only trying to survive, we achieve only more peril. A spiritual person, however, comes from a completely different perspective. He or she is motivated by feelings of courage, acceptance, and peace. What does the spiritual path have to do with good psychology? Everything. A sound mind in a sound body. Can the spiritual path be defined in an even simpler way? Yes. It can be defined as love. When you love, love, love--you'll be happy, healthy, wealthy, and wise. The opposite of grief, misery, and unending travail is the spiritual path. While many disciplines may lead to it, the heart will show you the way. Once we shed our habitual narcissism, then the way to courage, acceptance, and peace becomes possible. Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory About the AuthorSaleem Rana got his masters in psychotherapy from California Lutheran University. His articles on the internet have inspired over ten thousand people from around the world. Discover how to create a remarkable life. Free information. http://theempoweredsoul.com/enter.html Copyright 2005 Saleem Rana. Please feel free to pass this article on to your friends, or use it in your ezine or newsletter. It's a shareware article. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Self Enrichment, Self Improvement Products -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------TRANSFORMATION: It's ALL Spiritual TransformationTransformation is the buzz word of the day. I know; I use it regularly, it is a word that calls me. I have spent thousands of dollars, hours and work on my own transformation. I have read the books, done the affirmations, gone to the seminars and it's all been wonderful, and again, I remember, it's ALL a spiritual transformation. In other words, as I surrender what I was, the identities, the roles, the beliefs, I become what I AM. In all our practices, may we come closer to the truth of which we are ultimately... a spiritual being revealing the beauty, love and presence of the One Life which lives as us. I want lots of things. I really do. I want more money, more success, more, more, and more. And that's great, because it causes me to transform the beliefs that keep me the same and helps me to be receptive to the new, therefore attracting the more. But in this wanting, it is easy to get trapped into thinking I don't have, it's not within me, and I have to do something outside myself to make it happen. Aha! Again, I am realizing that it is not a doing (although doing does come into play), but it is an inner experience of the realization that takes place by taking time to put my awareness on my inner presence, the life of the infinite peace, beauty and abundance within me, my eternal Self. From the New Testament scriptures we read, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and all else is added," and I say, "Yep, that's it!" Seek ye first the kingdom of peace, beauty and joy that is within me, which I experience every time I let go of my attachments and demands and accept what is right now in front of me. Every time I do this, I experience a piece of heaven, a bit of peace and sure enough, the universe begins to pour forth a blessing unto me. Good grief, I love this stuff. Right here in the middle of the dualistic world, which calls us to enjoy it, I can experience the oneness of perfection, the bliss of unity, and all else is added unto me. I guess the lesson is "Seek the kingdom first." It really does save a lot of time. Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory About the AuthorDr. Janette Marie Freeman, author also of "Why Did This Happen to Me Again? Keys to Lasting Transformation," and "Live the Life You Love - In Spirit" For your free subscription to the popular "Live Richly" Newsletter go to http://www.janettemariefreeman.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spiritual Growth: the Spiritual Challenge of Modern TimesTo grow spiritually in a world defined by power, money, and influence is a Herculean task. Modern conveniences such as electronic equipments, gadgets, and tools as well as entertainment through television, magazines, and the web have predisposed us to confine our attention mostly to physical needs and wants. As a result, our concepts of self-worth and self-meaning are muddled. How can we strike a balance between the material and spiritual aspects of our lives? To grow spiritually is to look inward. Introspection goes beyond recalling the things that happened in a day, week, or month. You need to look closely and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and motivations. Periodically examining your experiences, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, and the things you engage in provide useful insights on your life goals, on the good traits you must sustain and the bad traits you have to discard. Moreover, it gives you clues on how to act, react, and conduct yourself in the midst of any situation. Like any skill, introspection can be learned; all it takes is the courage and willingness to seek the truths that lie within you. Here are some pointers when you introspect: be objective, be forgiving of yourself, and focus on your areas for improvement. To grow spiritually is to develop your potentials. Religion and science have differing views on matters of the human spirit. Religion views people as spiritual beings temporarily living on Earth, while science views the spirit as just one dimension of an individual. Mastery of the self is a recurring theme in both Christian (Western) and Islamic (Eastern) teachings. The needs of the body are recognized but placed under the needs of the spirit. Beliefs, values, morality, rules, experiences, and good works provide the blueprint to ensure the growth of the spiritual being. In Psychology, realizing one's full potential is to self-actualize. Maslow identified several human needs: physiological, security, belongingness, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. James earlier categorized these needs into three: material, emotional, and spiritual. When you have satisfied the basic physiological and emotional needs, spiritual or existential needs come next. Achieving each need leads to the total development of the individual. Perhaps the difference between these two religions and psychology is the end of self-development: Christianity and Islam see that self-development is a means toward serving God, while psychology view that self-development is an end by itself. To grow spiritually is to search for meaning. Religions that believe in the existence of God such as Christianism, Judaism, and Islam suppose that the purpose of the human life is to serve the Creator of all things. Several theories in psychology propose that we ultimately give meaning to our lives. Whether we believe that life's meaning is pre-determined or self-directed, to grow in spirit is to realize that we do not merely exist. We do not know the meaning of our lives at birth; but we gain knowledge and wisdom from our interactions with people and from our actions and reactions to the situations we are in. As we discover this meaning, there are certain beliefs and values that we reject and affirm. Our lives have purpose. This purpose puts all our physical, emotional, and intellectual potentials into use; sustains us during trying times; and gives us something to look forward to---a goal to achieve, a destination to reach. A person without purpose or meaning is like a drifting ship at sea. To grow spiritually is to recognize interconnections. Religions stress the concept of our relatedness to all creation, live and inanimate. Thus we call other people "brothers and sisters" even if there are no direct blood relations. Moreover, deity-centered religions such as Christianity and Islam speak of the relationship between humans and a higher being. On the other hand, science expounds on our link to other living things through the evolution theory. This relatedness is clearly seen in the concept of ecology, the interaction between living and non-living things. In psychology, connectedness is a characteristic of self-transcendence, the highest human need according to Maslow. Recognizing your connection to all things makes you more humble and respectful of people, animals, plants, and things in nature. It makes you appreciate everything around you. It moves you to go beyond your comfort zone and reach out to other people, and become stewards of all other things around you. Growth is a process thus to grow in spirit is a day-to-day encounter. We win some, we lose some, but the important thing is that we learn, and from this knowledge, further spiritual growth is made possible. Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory About the AuthorDr. Janette Marie Freeman, author also of "Why Did This Happen to Me Again? Keys to Lasting Transformation," and "Live the Life You Love - In Spirit" For your free subscription to the popular "Live Richly" Newsletter go to http://www.janettemariefreeman.com---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Spiritual Growth, Will Definitively Help Manage Your StressTo grow spiritually in a world defined by power, money, and influence is a Herculean task. Modern conveniences such as electronic equipments, gadgets, and tools as well as entertainment through television, magazines, and the web have predisposed us to confine our attention mostly to physical needs and wants. As a result, our concepts of self-worth and self-meaning are muddled. How can we strike a balance between the material and spiritual aspects of our lives? To grow spiritually is to look inward. Introspection goes beyond recalling the things that happened in a day, week, or month. You need to look closely and reflect on your thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and motivations. Periodically examining your experiences, the decisions you make, the relationships you have, and the things you engage in provide useful insights on your life goals, on the good traits you must sustain and the bad traits you have to discard. Moreover, it gives you clues on how to act, react, and conduct yourself in the midst of any situation. Like any skill, introspection can be learned; all it takes is the courage and willingness to seek the truths that lie within you. Here are some pointers when you introspect: be objective, be forgiving of yourself, and focus on your areas for improvement. To grow spiritually is to develop your potentials. Religion and science have differing views on matters of the human spirit. Religion views people as spiritual beings temporarily living on Earth, while science views the spirit as just one dimension of an individual. Mastery of the self is a recurring theme in both Christian (Western) and Islamic (Eastern) teachings. The needs of the body are recognized but placed under the needs of the spirit. Beliefs, values, morality, rules, experiences, and good works provide the blueprint to ensure the growth of the spiritual being. In Psychology, realizing one's full potential is to self-actualize. Maslow identified several human needs: physiological, security, belongingness, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, self-actualization, and self-transcendence. James earlier categorized these needs into three: material, emotional, and spiritual. When you have satisfied the basic physiological and emotional needs, spiritual or existential needs come next. Achieving each need leads to the total development of the individual. Perhaps the difference between these two religions and psychology is the end of self-development: Christianity and Islam see that self-development is a means toward serving God, while psychology view that self-development is an end by itself. To grow spiritually is to search for meaning. Religions that believe in the existence of God such as Christianism, Judaism, and Islam suppose that the purpose of the human life is to serve the Creator of all things. Several theories in psychology propose that we ultimately give meaning to our lives. Whether we believe that life's meaning is pre-determined or self-directed, to grow in spirit is to realize that we do not merely exist. We do not know the meaning of our lives at birth; but we gain knowledge and wisdom from our interactions with people and from our actions and reactions to the situations we are in. As we discover this meaning, there are certain beliefs and values that we reject and affirm. Our lives have purpose. This purpose puts all our physical, emotional, and intellectual potentials into use; sustains us during trying times; and gives us something to look forward to,a goal to achieve, a destination to reach. A person without purpose or meaning is like a drifting ship at sea. To grow spiritually is to recognize interconnections. Religions stress the concept of our relatedness to all creation, live and inanimate. Thus we call other people "brothers and sisters" even if there are no direct blood relations. Moreover, deity-centered religions such as Christianity and Islam speak of the relationship between humans and a higher being. On the other hand, science expounds on our link to other living things through the evolution theory. This relatedness is clearly seen in the concept of ecology, the interaction between living and non-living things. In psychology, connectedness is a characteristic of self-transcendence, the highest human need according to Maslow. Recognizing your connection to all things makes you more humble and respectful of people, animals, plants, and things in nature. It makes you appreciate everything around you. It moves you to go beyond your comfort zone and reach out to other people, and become stewards of all other things around you. Growth is a process thus to grow in spirit is a day-to-day encounter. We win some, we lose some, but the important thing is that we learn, and from this knowledge, further spiritual growth is made possible. Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory About the AuthorSubscribe to my "How To Relieve Stress" tips and secrets mailing list and receive a free copy of "Reduce Stress Now" ebook. 54 pages on how to reduce stress in your life. http://stress-management.ideas-from.us/ -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Spirituality Ultimate PeaceSpirituality is a part of every living human on this planet whether or not you believe in a higher power or a higher purpose. One thing well have is the power to believe in different forms of spirituality which allows us to be free with in our own person. With in the laws of physics there is a common belief that we live in multiply dimensions whether or not we live in the same common earthly plane or an alternate plane somewhere in time or even on an astral dimension that some of believe we visit during sleep and meditation time. As time goes on there are many things learned about the mind and how it works, as well as the body and whether or not we have a spirit which leaves the body after the body dies, the have been scientific studies which use a laser beam and a body scale to determine that the soul leaves the body at the time of death. If we all had better understanding of where it is that we came from we would have better answers for life's ultimate questions. In conclusion we all have a spirit which is our inner consciousness it's the part of us no one can take away, the inner voice which tells us right from wrong, but is our spirit the same thing as our soul? Well there are many theories on that as well some people entertain the idea that our bodies, our minds, and our souls are connected yet they are separate dimensions of reality. When we sleep at night we have dreams which take us to places we have never been. We meet people we have never met before or who we know have passed on. There are vivid memories from these dreams. Understand how the mind works and what connection there is between the places we go when we sleep. We now where are physical bodies are, but what about are spiritual selves maybe that is the form which we take when we go and visit people in our dreams maybe they aren't even dreams at all. Does anyone really know? Spirituality is belief systems which we use to understand why were here? Where were going? And where we have been. Depending on your beliefs which will determine the answers to these questions. If you are a believer in a nature religion than you have an open mind and will investigate until you find an answer that satisfies your curiosity, if you're a Christian than you came from God, and your going back to God when your pass on. It's as simple as what we believe our faith moves us all in different ways but what is the common factor is that spirituality is faith, the free choice is ours to which spiritual path we decide to travel. Until science finds a new way to explain existence, or all the powers of the mind all we can do is wait, or pray for an answer, maybe even meditate, or practice some form of spirit contact. Some times I wonder if the movies haven't advanced more in mental, physical reality than science. Who really knows maybe one day our plants will be able to tell us if they are thirsty through telepathy. Source: http://www.articlecircle.com/ - Free Articles Directory About the AuthorCopyright 2006 - Ivar Rudi. Ivar suggests you find great market for less by shopping online today. For more information and resources about this subject check out: http://www.wicca-guide.com----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More Self Enrichment, Self Improvement Products | |
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