What are the spiritual benefits of meditation and vegetarianism

     By choosing to be a vegetarian or trying a system of meditation you will be exploring a bit more afield. There is always the concern that the distance will become too great and you will find that you have moved to a new place. If you are prepared for that possibility then you should also know that you are not the first or the last but it is an individual choice of what is best for you. I have been a vegetarian for more years than I have not There are many different forms of being a vegetarian depending upon both what you allow and your reasons for being a vegetarian. You can look elsewhere for the first (1&2), I will mention the second as it relates to your initial question. Those who choose to be a vegetarian for reasons of economy, politics, taste, health, society, environment or culture may exclude any spiritual reasons. If one becomes a vegetarian for moral, religious, or ethical reasons there is more likely to be a spiritual component. For the Orthodox Christian being a vegetarian if only occasionally is compared to fasting. "Fasting is seen as purification and the regaining of innocence. Through obedience to the Orthodox Church and its ascetic practices, the Orthodox Christian seeks to rid himself or herself of the passions, or the disposition to sin."2 The East has a very different perspective. "Sin" is not really a factor. Consciousness is more important. I think our famous Star Wars writer must have gotten his idea of "the force" from the Eastern concept of consciousness. Some people will talk of "vibrations." The disturbance of the often required death of an animal to supply food is considered not beneficial for the spiritual seeker. You might find similar ideas in Islam and the Jewish faiths and their special requirements. Being a vegetarian attempts to avoid that disturbance.

     But the real question is how important is this for the overall progress of the seeker. I would suppose it depends upon the seeker rather than the path. It may be similar to the way that some people seem so personally strong that they laugh at comments about them that would wilt another. Some seem to have weaker "spiritual constitutions" than others. Some people have described feeling lighter, with more energy, but it is hard to discern if this is a physical or a spiritual effect. My opinion is that it is both. Spiritual practices, like meditation, are a way to build up that "spiritual constitution." I have recently discussed the distinction between the spiritual practices of prayer, concentration and meditation in another question posted by Phae. 3 Your question is much more difficult. Again benefits will vary from person to person. Benefits may also be only received after a long time for some people. It does not necessarily follow that something else will be quicker. What exactly is a "spiritual benefit" compared to a psychological or personality benefit. I am not sure most of us could easily discern the difference. If we accept that the spiritual side of most of us is "hidden" from easy viewing, then the same may be said of spiritual benefits. But it does seem to be true that some people seem to have an unseen glow about them. You might want to be around them, to listen to what they have to say… If you are not in love or being seduced it may be something else. I have heard this comment often (some kind of inner glow) after I have introduced people who do not meditate to friends of mine who do. Others are answering to physical, psychological, personality or emotional benefits, but you didn’t ask and I won’t respond as I think that is a different question. With respect to occult power, opening chakras and the like I am of the opinion that this is also unrelated and potentially a hinderance to spiritual progress.

Feel connected to God, See divinity in all the beings

     I would like to share my ideas regarding empowerment with you. I feel that for women we must make a special effort, especially for those who do not have many opportunities. We need not look far, the maidservants working in our house, we can help by contributing to their daughter’s education or giving them free tution. We can teach yoga in our building and locality. We must spare some time for the underprivileged. The Senior Citizens also need our seva and help. At home, we may be having parents and grandparents, as well as elderly people in the neighbourhood. We can run small errands for them, bringing medicines and provisions, reading to them, taking them to the doctor etc. Even a smile and a note of enquiry about’s people health and general well-being works wonders. I have found that if I meet people in the neighbourhood while on a walk or going to work or to the market, just a nod and a smile (even though I do not know the people and have just seen them around often on the road) brings a smile to the other person’s face. Sometimes when I ask a driver, liftman, security guard or shopkeeper, ‘kemon aacho? (how are you?)”, they also feel wanted and I somehow feel connected to god since I seek to see divinity in all beings. I also feel pleasantly disposed to animals, which was not there before (because the awareness has come that I was probably an animal or bird in one of my previous lives and could be again born as one!). Our beloved Gurudev and the shakti team are doing a great job for the girl child and I would also like to help them in this endeavour. I feel ladies are the ones who can help to bring women empowerment for women who need education and other facilities, ably supported by the men in society. We can also do seva by spreading awareness of our Ashram and Gurudev. In case there is no Centre in your city or neighbourhood, please contact Rishi Amrit subscribers, advertise in newspapers or through word of mouth, start Group Meditation on a weekly basis. Try to spread this as a movement so that maximum people can benefit from the great opportunity which God is giving uS.

Definition of an experience and a spiritual experience

The Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) defines that which is experienced through the medium of the five senses, mind and intellect as an ‘experience’. For example, the experience of eating one’s favourite dish, feeling love for one’s child, resolving a problem at work by using one’s intellect, etc., fall into the category of an ‘experience’. Experiencing something which is beyond the comprehension of the five senses, mind and intellect constitutes a ‘spiritual experience’. Even if one can perceive an event through the five senses, mind and intellect but the reason behind it is beyond the gross intellect of mankind, it still constitutes a spiritual experience.

Articles and Reflections on Spiritual Life

This news feed shares articles on living a spiritual life during these extraordinary times of spiritual transformation and Earth changes. Occasionally I also share my own personal reflections here. Some articles are received from the Realms of Light for World Blessings and some are written by my teacher Julie Redstone of Light Omega.

The Spiritual Side of Yoga

The main idea behind yoga is two fold. Yoga is designed to strengthen your body although it is not as much of a cardiovascular type of exercise as it is a meditative exercise. All of the movements that are associated with yoga are slow and controlled as well as the breathing. This is designed to help strengthen your lungs as well as your body and mind. Everyone has their own understandings of the spiritual side of the practice of yoga. The basic idea behind yoga is similar, the unity of all things. This includes the earth, stars, and universe all exist as one. It is believed that the aura or layers of energy emanate from all things. For many people there is a strong feeling of having a connection with all things. Yoga is known as a strong variable in creating a healthy balanced body and a much more peaceful state of mind. Patanjali Yoga has been known to have eight limbs which include Yama, Niyama, Asans, Pranayama, Pratyahara, Dahrana, Dhyana, and Samadhi. Your technique and posture are extremely important when practicing Yoga. All seven charkas much remain in a specific alignment and the movements should always be slow and graceful. When practicing yoga you should have perfect body motions combined with the correct breathing. There are many people who believe that there is a divine energy about Yoga. For many people the power of Yoga has been known to be an alternative to conventional medicine for patients who are suffering from specific addictions, asthma, cancer, depression, headaches, high blood pressure, rheumatism, and general to severe backpain. Yoga has been known to help people ease their mind and let go of their day to day stress. Others consider it sufficient treatment for multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, and osteoporosis. Always ask your doctor what is the best idea for you.

The spiritual aspect of music

I remember vividly my two years of lessons with Vladimir Horowitz and how I felt when I first met him. It was as if I was transported onto a movie set of my past memories of seeing him on television, since those films were made at his home on 94th street in Manhattan. And there I was, sitting across from the pianist I had so much admired all my life.

We would have two to three hour lessons and at certain times I was invited to be his guest for dinner before the lesson, which was a rare treat. Our conversations would cover a variety of topics: some were profound and others friendly and comical. We once talked about how some pieces had an overall masculine feeling, while others, like a nocturne or soft piece were more feminine, or passive. There would also be pieces that would not apply to such a generalization, such as the Polonaise-Fantasie of Chopin.

Perhaps the masculine/feminine way of looking at a piece of music is directly related to our emotional nature and how we respond emotionally to music.

Once, when talking about concerts and audiences, he said that a large percentage of the people in his audiences would immediately respond to his brilliant technique, or how he would play the virtuosic, showy pieces. Of that larger percentage, maybe 30%-40% would respond on the emotional level, or to the musicality of his interpretations; the mood or feel of the piece. He would then say that it would be only about 2-5% of the audience that was in tune to what he was doing spiritually. He must have really been aware of his audiences and sensitive to them.

I wonder if the larger group may have still been responding spiritually, but perhaps on a more subconscious level. It would seem that audiences often do have an instinctive knowledge of what a "good" performance is.

It would seem to me that the spiritual nature of music is that music is a reflection, or mirrored image of the something heavenly or not of this world. It exists as an invitation perhaps to another way of living, beyond the everyday concerns that we all seem to get caught up with. Music can take us someplace and take us away from our troubles, but whether we choose to live out lives that way is entirely our choice. The music is a reflection. If it were heaven or the divine itself, then people would surely be transformed once hearing a piece of music, and they rarely are. We usually go back to our basic way of living.

Perhaps we all have an invitation of some sort when we hear music of a spiritual nature, an invitation to another way of living that is there for anyone. I would think that the mirror is in some way inviting us to this way of living, or maybe letting us know that there is more to life than all that we sometimes get caught up in.

Music has always been a very special part of my life and I am thankful for the experiences I have had when sharing my music with people and the feedback they give me. I sometimes wonder if it really does make a difference? But when I do, I will quickly get a reminder from a fan that a piece of mine saved them from depression, or that they love to hear my CD's throughout the day, and that is a beautiful feeling: to know that perhaps it really is making a difference.

Spiritual Warfare

  You and I each have the power and authority to rule the world and do a great job of it. What we lack is the wisdom to know how to apply this power and authority. What a shame it is we are too busy with more important matters.
  Because we are so busy with such important matters as overfill our waking hours, the wisest among us have taken time out to teach the rest of us what to do with our time out when we decide to take some. But then we always have better plans for any free time, I’m sure. This allows the weak and fearful to rule the world while the media reports on the violence and regression. We are left to wonder what will be next on the global stage. It is easy for us to subscribe to the accidental theory of history; summarized as stuff happens. Yeah, stuff happens – just like your weekly paycheck. Take a long vacation and see how long that continues to happen.
  Is anybody making money in or because of Iraq? Will they be glad when it’s over? Will they be ruined by peace? Or will they simply suffer smaller profits? Or will they just move on to the next crisis - or create it? Let us all suffer peace profits.
  If you or I rule the world and outlaw war, we can be sure we will be martyred in short order, so there seems to be no point in backing away from our busyness. On the other hand, if each of us just backed off for thirty to sixty minutes each day in a joint effort to create peace - and we amount to a few million souls around the world; it will require global destruction to martyr us all. This becomes pointless to the weak and fearful for they need someone to rule over. Therefore, in our current circumstance, our easily accessible power lies in our spiritual practice and our numbers. How many of us will devote an hour or less each day to a global effort? Only those of us who understand spiritual power and authority? Perhaps all of us and those who would merely like to believe enough to spend the time and develop a daily spiritual practice - if only to see what happens. Adventurers. We could become so many in such short time if we were not such die hard skeptics. It’ll never work. It never worked before. I only ask when it was last tried.
  We can daily pray for and bless the puppets we call leaders until the cows come home and see very little progress. But once we acknowledge they are the puppets of those who buy elections, we can begin blessing and praying for the puppet masters. We need not know their names. Wisdom is the principle thing. Wisdom is the world’s greatest need. If the people with all the economic and military power were wise, we would have peace on earth. When you create just a little more peace in your own life and I in mine, the world becomes a more peaceful place. When we are at peace, in and with our busy, harried selves we become part of the solution, while we are yet part of the problem. We can call this progress and we can call ourselves progressive. Even if the regressives make progressive a dirty word, there will be no cause to hang our heads. We will be winning the war on regression. We will be winning the spiritual war.
  When we are at peace in and with ourselves, if only for thirty minutes, we can send wisdom to all regressives everywhere, but especially to the mega profiteers who make war, not love. Who are devoid of compassion and caring. We can do this even without having great wisdom ourselves. There is enough wisdom in desiring that others possess it. While sending wisdom, we can as easily send compassion and caring, which is the first result of wisdom in any case. While we are at it we can acquire wisdom for ourselves and loved ones. It is only a matter of intention and desire. I leave you with just one question: Is wisdom and world peace worth any of your time?

The spiritual experiance

Most scientific literature asserts that spirituality is a product of the peculiar mechanisms of the brain.These interpretations make heavy use of neuroimaging techniques which crudely depict the activity of the brain during specific cognitive (thinking) processes. While most scientists regard spirituality as a consequence of brain activity, a slender group of neuroscientists are supportive of spiritual and religious ideology, or at least do not consider scientific explanations to be inconsistent with the (potential) presence of a genuine spiritual realm, including the existence of one or numerous supernatural agents.For the moment, however, causality will be overlooked; whether a supernatural agent stimulates a spiritual experience or not, there is no question that it manifests through the brain. This section will consider the evidence yielded from neuroimaging studies. These studies include neuroimaging analyses derived from techniques like positron emission tomography (PET), functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) imaging, and single positron emission computed tomography (SPECT). Each of these techniques provides information on neuronal (brain cell) activity through technological proxies such as the decay of radioactive isotopes injected into a subject, and the magnetic properties of a hydrogen nucleus excited by radio frequency radiation, which can map oxygenated blood flow. The data provided by neuroimaging have been central in revealing features of brain activity during various cognitive functions such as language, consciousness and even degree of religiosity.However, before it is possible to appreciate the findings of neuroimaging studies it is first instructive to review the brain structures under examination. The cerebral cortex of humans is relatively larger than those of other mammals and consists of four lobes: occipital, parietal, frontal and temporal. The temporal lobe is of particular interest to us because it houses the limbic system, which along with parts of the brain stem is amongst the oldest legacy of evolution. The limbic system is believed to be responsible for generating emotional reactions to the information it receives from the five sensory channels. Roughly, this response is subsequently shunted to the frontal lobes where the higher brain functions of conscious thought and goal-directed activity take over.Both the cruellest and the most exhilarating emotional experiences are an outcome of the primal reaction of the limbic system and the cautious rationality of the forebrain.  The limbic system also contains the hippocampus and amygdala. The former is believed to be involved with recording memories, particularly those with strong emotional content. Pathology in, or damage to the hippocampus, has been associated with changes to spiritual and religious beliefs, as well as changes to long-standing values.The amygdala is believed to play a senior role in coordinating unconscious emotional states. Noteworthy is its connection with the autonomic nervous system. Physiological responses to stressful emotional experiences like 'fight or flight' are largely orchestrated by the amygdala. In addition, because it is linked to the prefrontal cortex, it has a hand in the conscious awareness of emotion.

What is spirit?

Another word for soul a ghost, in some faiths, a member of a superhuman order of beings unlimited by space and time. Good spirits are called angels; evil spirits are called demons.

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Spirits, whether good or evil, have played a large part in popular belief and practice in many parts of the world.

Christian theologians have taught that human beings are an amalgam of body, soul, and spirit, the spirit being regarded as that part which is most open to divine influence, and which may survive death. Modern Christian thinkers have identified the human spirit with the person's inner psyche or true self. According to the Bible, God himself is spirit. In Christian theology, the third person of the Trinity is the Holy Spirit. In the charismatic movement, the Holy Spirit is invoked and people speak in tongues.

Spiritualists claim to communicate with the spirits of the dead.

In Chinese belief, both Buddhist and Taoist, the spirits of the dead, especially of ancestors, are present and active in the world of the living, and must be appeased and consulted. Islam teaches that there are three orders of created beings: angels, created from light; djinns, created from smokeless flame; and humans, created from clay. The first two are not strictly speaking spirits, but imperceptible beings.

4 Ways to Improve Your Spiritual Health

1. Take time for yourself each day.
This time can be spent however you see fit and can last as long or as short as your schedule allows.
If you don't have a lot of time, you might simply stand up and stretch. With more time, you might read a book or magazine. If you meditate, pray, say affirmations, perform visualizations, or any other type of similar activity, take the time each day to do it.
Solitary activities, no matter how long you spend doing them, give you a break from everyday tasks while also giving you a chance to focus on your own spiritual well-being.
2. Manage your time.
If you're going to take time for yourself each day, why not plan it? The twenty-four hours in a day are spent mostly on sleep and work, whether that work is with an employer or not. Between household chores, jobs and commuting time, and familial commitments, let alone many other tasks and errands, little time is left in the day for personal interests.
If you learn to manage your time wisely, you will be better equipped to get a handle on everything you want or need to get done. You can lessen your anxiety over things you still have left to do and strengthen your assurance that the things truly important to you are getting done
3. Commune with nature.
You don't need to trek to a national or state park to open yourself to nature. You can heighten your sensitivity to the natural wonders that are right around you.
For example, bend down and feel the soft grass you might normally avoid walking over. Smell the "woody-ness" of a tree's bark. Buy some flowers from a local grocery store and put them in a vase in your house where you can see and appreciate them. Try growing your own flowers!
These brief interactions with nature can help restore your sense of peace and composure in an otherwise stressful world.
4. Enjoy a hobby.
With a hobby, you have control over your efforts. You don't have to become anxious by pushing yourself beyond your capabilities, yet you can overcome boredom by expanding your skills through learning and being challenged

Spirituality Quotes

“Religion is for people who are scared to go to hell.  Spirituality is for people who have already been there.”  Bonnie Raittthe-path-to-spirituality

“That which you resist stays.”  David R. Hawkins

“Would you rather be right or free?”  Byron Katie

“Misery is complexity. Happiness is simplicity.”  Lester Levenson

“The more you have, the more you are occupied, the less you give.”  Mother Teresa

“Doubt is a pain too lonely to know that faith is his twin brother.”   Khalil Gibran

“And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to the span of life?”  Jesus

monk-in-the-garden-of-zen

Photo found on Pixdaus

“To be in time is to be asleep: to be awake is to be in eternity.”  Osho

“Wherever we may come alive, that is the area in which we are spiritual.”  David Steindl-Rast

“When you do things from your soul, you feel a river moving in you, a joy.”  Rumi Quote

“Success is a welcomed gift for the uninhibited mind.”  Adlin Sinclair

“I love all religions, but I am in love with my own.”  Mother Teresa

“I consider myself a student of many religions. The more I learn, the more questions I have.”  Dan Brown

“Wisdom tends to grow in proportion to one’s awareness of one’s ignorance.”  Anthony de Mello

“The Church has its problems, but the older I get, the more comfort I find there.”  Bono

“The less you open your heart to others, the more your heart suffers.”  Deepak Chopra

“The purpose of the heart is to know yourself, to be yourself, and yet one with God.”  Edgar Cayce

“The lust for comfort murders the passions of the soul.”  Khalil Gibran

“The personal life deeply lived always expands into truths beyond itself.”  Anais Nin

“If you reflect within yourself and find nothing to be ashamed of, how could you have anxiety or fear.”  Confucius

“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”  Jesus

“You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold. That is how important you are!”  Eckhart Tolle

“Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens.”  Carl Jung

“I believe in myself. I believe in the hands that work, in the brains that think, and in the hearts that love.”  Richard Branson

“It enables me to go to bed with an enriching feeling in my soul and the belief that I am changing myself.”  Nelson Mandela

“But maybe, by raising my voice, I can help the greatest of all causes – good will among men and peace on earth.”  Albert Einstein

monk-in-meditation

Flickr photo by Eddi 07

24.)  “Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.” The Buddha

“One hour’s meditation on the work of the Creator is better than seventy years of prayer.”  Muhammad

“In the attitude of silence the soul finds the path in a clearer light, and what is elusive and deceptive resolves itself into crystal clearness.”  Gandhi

“…where we entirely miss the obvious-that is, that we are all trying to decipher life’s big mysteries, and we’re each following our own paths of enlightenment.”  Dan Brown

“When a warrior learns to stop the internal dialogue, everything becomes possible; the most far-fetched schemes become.”  Carlos Castaneda

“Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”   Joseph Campbell

“It is love alone that leads to right action. What brings order in the world is to love and let love do what it will.”  Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Death is not the biggest fear we have; our biggest fear is taking the risk to be alive – the risk to be alive and express what we really are.”  Miguel Angel Ruiz

“It’s just such a freeing thing to set these great challenges for yourself, to travel, to learn more about the world, to just go out there and get crazy and get free and get strong.”  Angelina Jolie

“I think there’s an invisible principle of living too. If we believe we’re guided through every step of our lives, we are. It’s a lovely sight, watching it work.”  Richard Bach

“Look at every path closely and deliberately, then ask ourselves this crucial question: Does this path have a heart? If it does, then the path is good. If it doesn’t, it is of no use.”  Carlos Castaneda

“However many holy words you read, However many you speak, What good will they do you If you do not act on upon them?”  Buddha

“It is only by grounding our awareness in the living sensation of our bodies that the “I Am,” our real presence, can awaken.”   G.I. Gurdjieff

“We have always been involved in spiritual evolution. We are spiritual beings, we have always been spiritual beings and we will always be spiritual beings.”  Gary Zukav

“Christian, Jew, Muslim, shaman, Zoroastrian, stone, ground, mountain, river, each has a secret way of being with the mystery, unique and not to be judged.”  Rumi

 “In the sky, there is no distinction of east and west; people create distinctions out of their own minds and then believe them to be true.”  Buddha

“The Buddha’s teachings on love are clear. It is possible to live twenty-four hours a day in a state of love. Every movement, every glance, every thought, and every word can be infused with love.”  Thich Nhat Hanh

“The continual awareness of what was going on made me feel ashamed I wasn’t saying anything. I burst out because I could no longer play that game any more, it was just too much for me.”  John Lennon


“Without faith, hope and trust, there is no promise for the future, and without a promising future, life has no direction, no meaning and no justification.”  Adlin Sinclair

“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.”   Buddha

“We must have the faith that things will work out somehow, that God will make a way for us when there seems no way.”  Martin Luther King

“Through awareness, you get a certain attitude. That’s the way, you see, to achieve more peaceful, more compassion, more friendship through that way.”  14th Dalai Lama

“Spiritual practices help us move from identifying with the ego to identifying with the soul. Old age does that for you too. It spiritualizes people naturally.”  Ram Dass

“The sage seeks freedom from desire. He does not collect precious things. He learns not to hold on to ideas. He brings men back to what they have lost.”  Lao Tzu

“If we knock on the door until it opens, not taking no for an answer, our lives will be transformed as we step up into a higher awareness.”  James Redfield

“I see the potential for a new world being born in front of me and all around me, and I feel the only way to bring that potential into being is to know myself.”  Gary Zukav

“No one in the world was ever you before, with your particular gifts and abilities and possibilities. It’s a shame to waste those by doing what someone else has done.”  Joseph Campbell

“We will discover the nature of our particular genius when we stop trying to conform to our own or other people’s models, learn to be ourselves, and allow our natural channel to open.”  Shakti Gawain

enchanting-spirit

Flickr photo by Eddi o7

“The highest level of creativity consists in being, not doing. When the being is intense enough, when the words are spoken enough, when the thoughts are thought enough, the doing will automatically follow.”  Marianne Williamson

“Only as a warrior can one withstand the path of knowledge. A warrior cannot complain or regret anything. His life is an endless challenge, and challenges cannot possibly be good or bad. Challenges are simply challenges.”  Carlos Castaneda

“If you deny yourself access to the child within because you’re too serious, you also block your connection to the divine Light and your feminine self. Every creator who’s any good uses their feminine side to create with.. Whether a scientist working on a hunch, a painter working on the interplay of colors, or a musician dealing with the juxtaposition of notes and chords.”  Stuart Wilde

“Love the animals, love the plants, love everything. If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day. And you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love.”  Fyodor Dostoyevsky

“The secret of attraction is to love yourself. Attractive people judge neither themselves nor others. They are open to gestures of love. They think about love, and express their love in every action. They know that love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of the universe.”  Deepak Chopra
flowing-zen

Flickr photo by Ben

“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.”  Neale Donald Walsch

“I have an almost religious zeal… not for technology per se, but for the Internet which is for me, the nervous system of mother Earth, which I see as a living creature, linking up.”  Dan Millman

“Where is the peace in more is better?  This idea keeps us exclusively in the physical domain.  You can replace the more is better belief with an inner serenity that doesn’t need more to be acceptable.  There is no peace in more is better, and if it doesn’t being peace to your life, then it’s something you want to discard.”   Wayne Dyer

“Happiness is not pleasure, it is victory.”  Zig Ziglar  

Spirituality and spiritual blogs

A merchant that use a faith have to know that every item in his or her property is being watch by the watchfulspiritual gaze. The Shemchoose the verdict, when a certain object – whether a airplane or a shoeis sold and, to whom, and at what price. A Kabbalistic theory says that, every object has a spiritual sparksof spiritthat owns a ones soul. The soul will be acquire the object,as a soul correction both for itself and the object. Elaborating on this concept, Rebbe Nachman of Breslov that everything has its time, when it ultimately come back to its dvinie form.
For example, the shardsof spirit in a specific vegetabletake rootsin thesoul of a tzaddik, the pious person bride will go to a certainvegetabledecide on a specifichourand pay a certain price for a specific pound of fruit. She'll then come back to her houseand feedher husband, theparticular vegetable whose spiritual snippet took roots in themoral person soul. Once the moral person enchant a blessing over the vegetable and eats it, the fruit achieve a lofty spiritual correction. In the case of a fruit or anyother food, it physically becomes a part of the pious person!
Due for the example above we understand that ,any business proprietor purchase executed only where and when Hashem determines. At the best time is ready for a certain commodity or piece of goods to reach the area of a specific soul, the deal is finished, not before and not after. 

Spiritual Child Development

   The concept of child development is easy enough to understand. If you need any help, Wikipedia.com is just a few keystrokes away. Intellectual child development... emotional child development – the definitions are all there. But spiritual child development is nowhere to be found, and it’s the “spiritual” part that makes us start to hem and haw when we try to define the term.
   Why should we even bother trying to nail down a definition for such an esoteric term? Well, according to the Center for Spiritual Development Center, there are at least 13 quantifiable reasons for wanting to support this initiative:

   Spiritual development lowers a person's risk for:

1. Hypertension
2. Depression
3. Suicide
4. Promiscuity
5. Alcohol & drug use
6. Delinquent behavior
7. Physical injury (this is not a misprint)

   Spiritual development heightens the likelihood of:

1. Civic engagement
2. Well-being
3. Hope, purpose and meaning in life
4. Positive self-esteem
5. Educational attainment
6. Longevity

    Johnson, B. R. (2008). A tale of two religious effects: Evidence for the protective and prosocial impact of organic religion. In Kline, K. K. (Ed.), Authoritative Communities: The Scientific Case for Nurturing the Whole Child.
   Most discussions on this topic will center on the child’s faith. The degree of benefit derived (see above) will be directly related to the level of commitment a child has to his or her faith. But we at Little Lamb are taking a different approach. We propose that a high-level understanding of other faiths – or at the minimum an acknowledgement that other faiths do exist – is central to the healthy spiritual development of a child.
   Just as a child’s mind can be poisoned by the hateful vitriol of a bigoted parent or pal, we believe it can be sculpted into a mind that's accepting of other people of other faiths and religions. Our spiritual child development mission is relatively simple in concept, yet at the same time, wonderful and powerful. If done properly, it promotes all the good things listed above. We want our children to develop strong spiritual roots. How about you?
  If spiritual respect and understanding are not taught at an early age, a complex of superiority (or inferiority) spawned by fear and ignorance can ensue, and we’ve all seen the negative – and sometimes horrific – consequences. Faith is an incredibly powerful force. Maybe even the strongest force of all. But it goes both ways.
   The best chance for healthy and blissful Spiritual Child Development starts at a very young age. Is your child ready for this life-changing message? Are you?

Who Are You - Really?

You are a spiritual being. You recognize something in you that is greater than the experience you may be living. Trust that part of who you are.

Our difficulty in our society is due to all the conditioning we have had through education and culture that places so much emphasis on our mind and denying our emotions. You have not been properly taught about your true spiritual nature and that the mind, body, and emotions are tools to serve you.

These concepts can be quite challenging to accept, particularly if your family history and life experience is steeped in religion. Yet, all religions, in some way or another, do not contradict what is being said, nor are they contradictory to what science has discovered at the quantum level and beyond. All that is required is the ability to recognize the time period of religious origins, the knowledge and understanding of the day, and that the scriptures conveyed a message in the best possible way that could be understood at that time.

Even in areas where no organized religion exists spirituality is an integral strand in the fabric of society. From bush people to native americans, Australian aboriginals, prehistoric caveman at some point in time, have all had those within their ranks that had a deeper sensitivity to something beyond the common experience. Shamans, medicine men and women, and whatever other titles they were given, all had a relationship with the divine, were more sensitive to the mystical, and had a capacity to understand mankind's relationship to Creation in the best possible context given the knowledge available to them in that time.

You came into this world for a purpose. Your spiritual self is that part of you that inspires you to action. The soul cries out at the pain of living small, rather than your potential. The soul also carries the pain of the trespasses against the spirit on many other levels; transgressions of mankind against spirit. Remember? Spirit is love and you treat others the way you wish to be treated. These tales and expressions fit the model. Spirit to spirit you and I are the same, are one, and in loving you, I love myself. In violating you, I violate myself. The soul cries in anguish. Live to your spiritual potential, or experience the pain and anguish of the souls experience as it remembers the phsyical experience of being human.

The body, mind, and emotions experience the manifestation of the reality you create. Through socializing and conditioning, particularly between the ages of 10 to 13 years old, as we discover our own reasoning abilities, most will experience some traumatic events in school, family, or life at large. Without the adequate social supports, healthy family dynamics, etc., the child is left to fizzle in the confusing array of contradictory social and spiritual realities that are at odds with each other in their daily experience. Imagine the confusion, particularly in a society that is so bereft of proper spiritual, body, mind, and emotion education.

There is a lot more to us than what we are taught. We are energy, we are spirit, and we are all those aspects we have been taught as well; physical, mental, sexual, and emotional. We are complex and yet, from the energetic spiritual level, everything can be made easier to understand and manage. You then begin to enjoy the experience of being human, of being alive, and learning the meaning and various facets of the physical body:

the mind and its thoughts;
the emotions and the values they represent;
the body and its requirements for safety and security.

We are complex and yet, so simple.

In order to understand the basis of this energetic spirit, it is important that one understand the origins of the universe. All matter is not really matter, it is energy. The science of today has made major discoveries beyond our previous understanding that clearly demonstrates that all matter is made from bands, or strings, of energy. In fact, for a time it was called String Theory. As the anomolies and discrepancies in the theory were resolved, it was renamed M-Theory and clearly shows that we live in a reality that includes 11 dimensions.

For a good basic understanding of the theories and how it all works, visit and watch PBS NOVA Series - The Elegant Universe viewable online. I also recommend watching the movie What the Bleep Do We Know!?™ which is now available in video stores for rent or purchase. And if you haven't seen it yet, check out The Official Dr. Wayne Dyer Website and discover the magic of The Power of Intention. This program is aired frequently on PBS stations all across North America. As you absorb all of this new information, watch for the common threads that link it all together, including the great teachings of the worlds religious texts. Science can help make better sense of religion.

One thing I have in addition to what I'm viewing and reading about these discoveries is something more. Where many scientists may now think they fully understand the beginning and end of the universe and its origins, I'm further challenged by the fact that all of this energy came from somewhere. God still exists in this model. Science has always had the means to help us make more sense of the world, the universe, of creation, of God and of God's instructions.

Meditation Music Helps You To Meditate With A Pure Heart and develop the spiritual

Meditation defines a state of consciousness, where the mind is free of diverse thoughts and hence can focus on a single point. With regular practice of meditation, body and mind can be drawn towards a higher realms. Meditation leads to a state of consciousness that brings serenity, clarity and bliss. Meditation is one of the proven alternative therapies. With the help of meditation, one can feel more relaxed and can develop a positive view towards life. Meditation, by enhancing the spiritual growth, knowledge and enlightenment, creates an inner relationship with the Supreme. A serene and peaceful state of mind is experienced as meditation transcends the body and the spirit to experience the spiritual reality. From the aspect of physical well being, contribution of meditation is unanimous. Today, many a doctors prescribe meditation for lowering lower blood pressure, curing asthma, relieve insomnia and generally relax the everyday stresses of life.

Music has always been recognized as having a powerful effect on human consciousness. In different yoga forms, Kundalini Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Asthtanga Yoga, music have been an essential guide. Mortal beings have been highly sensitive to the effect of music. Music during the yoga sessions connect an individual to higher spheres and enhance the meditative mood within him. Different kinds of music and sounds effects the body, emotions, mind, and spirit. Music can be a valuable aid to meditation. Meditation Music can drown out any background noises, and help the individual attain a state of extreme peace and calmness, improve concentration level.

The apt meditation music is the one that brings greater harmony within the practitioner and create an atmosphere that is calm and relaxed. Meditation music must contain tranquil and soothing sounds. It must induce a sense of peace and relaxation within the practitioner. Meditation is a state of acute inner consciousness. It is, however, sometimes impossible to reach the pinnacle of concentration. Right kind of meditation music can easily lead one to that profound meditative state. A tranquil meditation music can make one feel inseparable with the Supreme and transcends his soul to an ecstatic spiritual level. Even sounds evolving from gong, bells and bowls also help to create an apt ambiance aiding one to concentrate. The vibrations produced by the gongs strengthen the mind and the nervous system instantly. Sound of gongs create a vibration which facilitates the connection with one's higher self. The use of elements of metal and crystal for meditation, yoga or relaxation, have been used for centuries to tap into energetic frequencies and create deep sound healing.

There are variety of record label companies today that guides a yoga aspirant with different yoga music CDs and DVDs. These Cds not only compose soothing hymns, tunes, chants and music, but also incorporates audio instructions to help the practitioner for practicing different yoga poses. Spirit Voyage is one of the pioneer online music store which offers a varying yoga DVD and CD collection that create a quiet and inspiring atmosphere, hence induces concentration within the listening mind.

Meditation music collection from Spirit Voyage is designed to soothe the mind, body and spirit. There are Kundalini Sadhana Music, Meditation Music for Relaxation. The Kundalini Sadhana Music collection includes the set of seven meditations, known as Aquarian Sadhana, by Yogi Bhajan, that are to be chanted every morning. While Relaxation music Cds create an environment for deep meditation and relaxes the body and mind.

Japji Sahib and Daily Banis from Spirit Voyage includes audio and video CDs that helps one to focus on meditation. Deep transformational mood is induced as the aspirant recites Japji and other daily banis. Japji Sahib by WAH!, Anand Sahib: The Song of Bliss by Guru Amar Das, So Purkh by Nirinjan Kaur are some of the exclusive meditation music collection .

Spirit Voyage also offers Gongs, Bells & Bowls CDs that have deep healing qualities. Gong The Nucleus of Sound by Yogi Bhajan, Therapeutic Gong by Dr. Hari Simran Singh Khalsa, Sacred Bowls by Michael Perricone are few among the numerous collection.

The online music company, Spirit Voyage essentially seeks to diffuse your mind and spirit in the supreme consciousness. With the myriad yoga music collection, the yoga books, yoga accessories and yoga clothing, Spirit Voyage helps a yoga aspirant to take an inward journey, where he experiences healthy state of mind and body. The different yoga books are the blueprint of practicing the yoga asanas with utmost perfection. Be, it any yoga form, Kundalini Yoga or Hatha Yoga, these books contain in-depth knowledge and let you explore the spiritual sides of yoga. With its huge Yoga DVD collection, Spirit Voyage also helps the yoga beginners in their morning and evening practice.

Music is an effective means that may touch the deepest core of your heart. Step into a divine will with different kinds of yoga music and enlighten your innate energy with Spirit Voyage

Understanding The Spiritual Categories Of Dreams To Reveal The Meaning Of A Dream

Dreams are rampant all the way through the Bible. They are one of God's methods of open contact with us. Such as when Solomon asked God for good judgment to lead the country of Israel (and was granted his appeal), the full conversation happened in a dream! How many of us would have dismissed such an exchange?

Biblically, dreams turn up from 3 main sources. The types of dreams that happen from each source will be discussed in detail in their appropriate sections.

Dreams Source: The Holy Spirit

Godly dreams occur from the Holy Spirit. They can be hard to categorize because of God's resourceful character. Now and then, distinct categories will overlap.

Dreams Source: The Natural Man

These dreams are not supernatural at all. They usually arise from the flesh. Chemicals can set off dreams, as well as hallucinations or the soul.

Dreams Source: The Demonic Sphere

Satan has no power, nor do his demons. His single plan is fraud and they often use dreams to mislead. Scripture tells us that he occasionally manifests as an angel of light, so knowing the Word of God and maintaining an close rapport with Him is crucial.

Several encounter apprehension as they contemplate the risk of demonic activity and deception. Nevertheless, I would submit to you that God is much more able to guard and protect you from such dreams than the adversary is able to deceive you.

Categories of Dreams: Internal vs. External

Despite the source of any dream, they will always be either internal or external. Knowing this can help solve their significance.

Internal dreams are most customary. You dream as regards you! I dream about me! They are dreams of self-disclosure and are planned to assist us through life.

External dreams are about outside events. Extremely few folks have external dreams unless their realm of influence is substantial. The prayer of Jabez was widely admired many years back. He asked God to enlarge his boundaries, meaning his realm of influence.

An instance might be a preacher dreaming about a family in his congregation. That family would be within his area of influence. Nonetheless, that same preacher would not typically dream about a drug and alcohol center unless his Congregation managed one - or God was showing him the opportunity. If God was showing him the opportunity, that dream would not be a call to action, but a call to preparation.

The meaning is that the dream is within his sphere of influence. Chances are pretty thin that God would give that same dream to a Kindergarten teacher, as it would be clearly beyond the instructor's area of influence.

As you resolve to understand your dream, think about whether or not it is internal or external, if it is within your sphere of influence, as well as the source of the dream and you will have a significant beginning in grasping the meaning.

Spiritual Compass In Your Life

Why people need compass? People use it as an important equipment to steer them the way to their destination, whatever the conditions encountered.Similarly, when we embark on our spiritual journey, we need a spiritual compass to help us steer our way through the "minefield" of life's hurts, failures, and defeats that the Great Deceiver uses to lead us astray.

Man has always used his conscience as a guide in his spiritual journey, but in today's world of compromise, our conscience is not always a sure guide. It is like the magnetic compass needle that points to the magnetic North, but never the true North; there is always a magnetic variation, which needs to be corrected by constant reference to the mariner's chart.

Similarly, our conscience needs to be constantly corrected by reference to the Word of God. The Bible is therefore, the spiritual compass of our life. How we use spiritual compass? We use it to:

1. Enter into a personal relationship with God so that his mind and heart is revealed to you. This can be accomplished if you read the Bible, not only intellectually, but with deep longing in your heart for God to reveal himself to you.

2. Nourish your spirit and to avoid being infected by the values, principles and ideas of the world that are contrary to the will of God. "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" ( Mt 4:4 ).

3. Learn God's will in your life. Although God speaks to us in various ways, the Scriptures are the one sure place where God reveals his will to us. And he does so in two ways:

(1) When we study God's Word, it will reveal to us our basic vocation and what we are going to do with our life, just as God revealed to aged Abram, in Haran, a new direction in his life ( Gen 12:1 ). As we read and reflect on the Scriptures, we will realize that God is never ever finished with us, for he constantly extends and expands the horizons of our life.

(2) When we study God's Word, it will help us to recognize his presence and to hear the promptings of his Holy Spirit, amidst all the hustle and bustle of every day life.

3. Grow in your Christian faith. Somebody said that the word BIBLE is an acronym for "Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth". How true! Our lives have been created by God and he is the best person to teach us what we are to do, not only when we have a break-down in our lives, but also what to do to attain the Kingdom of Heaven.

4. Grow in your prayer life and have a regular dialogue with God. Prayer and the Word of God go together. They are like the two wires of a telephone connection which makes it possible for us to listen to God, and to speak to him. The more we listen to the voice of God and understand what he wants to reveal to us, the more our prayer becomes inspired and soaked with the Word of God, which is pleasing to him

Finding Your 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

How You Can Have A Spiritual Awakening Within A Short Period Of Time

  There is an advanced meditation technique that can directly lead you to having a spiritual awakening.And that is to close your eyes and notice what is here beyond all thinking. Beyond any thought there is a subtle experience of existing. You can feel it.
  If you give your complete focus to this feeling of existing then this feeling expands very quickly. You can have a spiritual awakening within a short period of time if you have the discipline to keep your focus on what is here beyond thinking.
  But what happens is thinking pulls you out of it. So many thoughts arise to grab your attention and bring you back into thought identification. The thought arises and your attention as a reflex goes to that thought and you become that thought, you become your thinking.
  The mind wants you to remain identified with thoughts. Your attention to your thinking empowers the mind, it is its food. If your attention is on thinking, then your mind dominates your experience. If you turn your attention away from thinking, to what is beyond thinking, then awareness is empowered, a spiritual awakening begins to happen.
  So in order to have your complete focus on the sensation of existing, it is necessary drop every thought that arises like it's a hot potato. With intense focus, you ignore the thoughts; your attention is completely turned away from thinking.
  This is not a meditation technique where witnessing thoughts works because even that requires a certain amount of attention on thinking.
  So intense should be your focus on what is here beyond the mind, that thoughts may not even arise. It requires great intensity because you will want to identify with the thoughts. It is a very powerful pull.
  Just like an alcoholic wants a drink: one drink and all the discomfort will go away. Same with thinking: Just let your focus fall back into thinking and all the discomfort and intensity will go away.
  Because it can be uncomfortable, it can be very intense going completely beyond the mind. And there is a certain pleasure in being lost in thought.
  But the more you practice this meditation technique, the more it can become passive, the more you can relax into what is beyond the mind and a spiritual awakening can occur.
  So it does require great intensity, great focus to keep turning away from thinking into what is here beyond thought and remaining in what is beyond thought.
  To even say remaining does not cut it, because it is not a place where you can remain. It is not a thing or a place rather it is the absence of things and places, the absence of everything known, eternally fresh and new.
  And through intense practice of this meditation technique you realize this absence is the light of bliss, you become a light bulb of bliss.
  Very quickly a spiritual awakening can happen this way for one who has the discipline.But please note: The easiest way to have a spiritual awakening is through "shaktipat:" the spiritual energy one naturally radiates in the highest states of meditation.
  Usually the only way to receive shaktipat is from sitting with an enlightened teacher. Simply by sitting with someone who is in a very high state of meditation, you naturally are pulled into a deep blissful state of meditation. But now you can have this same experience through listening to a unique shaktipat CD.
  Have a listen to the free samples of this shaktipat sound technology by clicking on the "Enlightened Spirituality CD" link below. Simply by listening to these samples you could experience a deep blissful state of meditation that could lead to a spiritual awakening.

Effective Steps To Spiritual Growth

  Spirituality is deemed as a system of belief, where one seeks to relate to the rest of the existing beings. In this case, existence is God, humanity, the universe, nature or life in itself. The main aim of spiritual growth is to ensure that peace, love and understanding are practiced among the people. Majority of the people have a believe that the ways of attaining spiritual growth, can only be attained in books, lectures or any other products that will give one happiness. The truth about all this is that the compendium comes within ones heart. This is all about an individual and their views on the world. One can use various steps to gain paranormal spiritual growth.

Desire to grow:
  In this case, the first thing in attaining immortality is through spiritual growth. This cannot be attained by using books, self help classes since they will not make any difference. This is because paranormal spiritual growth and development is not an easy thing, as it requires time, energy as well as dedication to mature. This aspect does not guarantee over night results, as it may cause disappointments. When ones compendium wears off, the result might be giving up.
 
Humble beginning:
  Due to the many spiritual rises in today’s life, the information on spiritual growth is also available in the internet. It is always advisable for one not to rush things and therefore good to take things slow. This can be achieved by meditating, taking a prayer routine at ones free time. Attending to lectures can also work well in adding an element of spiritual growth.

Seeking adventures:
  In this note, it is true that adventures make life enjoyable. Lack of adventure while in the steps to spiritual growth makes ones spiritual life stagnant. To avoid being stagnant, one should think of including their best activities in life. These activities may include poetry among others. This is beneficial as it helps one learn how to appreciate people, as well as opening up spiritual growth.

Do away with the past:
  The past is deemed as history and nothing that can erase it. Holding on to the past denies one the chances of experiencing new events. The past events should be dealt with by forgetting past good and bad prophecy and instead use them in moving on with life.

Be responsible:
  In most cases, it is quite hard to take control of the events happening to you or the people doing them. One is responsible of taking control, no matter how bad or good the paranormal situation is. However, it is not advisable to put more attention to what caused the problem, rather, focus on what could be done to improve the situation. The situational strategies should be made in a way that a matter should not resurface again.

Introduction To Spiritual Disciplines

Spiritual formation and spiritual growth aims at deepening of spiritual faith and is carried out by a number of means of which spiritual disciplines is one. In fact, spiritual disciplines are so deeply linked to spiritual formation that according to many spiritual disciplines is the sole mean to the attainment of spiritual growth. Spiritual disciplines is all about following the ancient practices of discipline for these practices do help people to grow spiritually and gives them a sense of control. Spiritual disciplines truly helps people to usher themselves in the presence of God and hope to get their lives transformed for the best.

The Christian religion and Christian discipleship too have close relations with spiritual disciplines but it has undergone a number of transformations. This is because the popularity of spiritual disciplines has been affected by the doctrines and philosophy of Christianity. But whatever be the tenets of Christianity, their basic belief is that humans should strive to attain purity of soul for developing a perfect Christ- like character.

According to the classical spiritual disciplines, God is there with us in every mundane activity of life, but we feel to perceive his presence for we have lost the power to hear and feel Him. Therefore, it is important to go through some specific activities through which association with God can again be established. The classical spiritual disciplines have even mentioned the specific activities practicing which people can once again be aware of God’s presence in even the most tedious movements of life. The practices vary from fasting, solitude to prayer but then these practices are not aimed at altering us completely. They are definitely holy in nature for they enable people to be in touch with the Holy One.

Though the concepts and ideas revolving spiritual disciplines are innumerable, a person seeking union with the Holy One does not need to know everything about these concepts. This is because the bottom line of spiritual discipline is extremely simple- open yourself to the Holy One who is always without by practicing certain specific activities. But then entirely immersing oneself into the spiritual disciplines is no good way of seeking knowledge of God. Therefore, even while following the path of spiritual disciplines one should remain true to his heart. If we remain open to our heart our journey towards the realization of God within the most mundane of daily activities becomes much easier.  

Dealing With Desperation- A Spiritual Solution

Tom was a wonderful human being. He was kind, caring and helpful to all those who sought his assistance. The only problem was that most of us did not like to be around Tom. Much as he tried to be a "good" person, there was always an aura of doom and gloom around him. It didn't matter whether he was speaking with you on the phone or sitting across the table from you, you just would get the feeling that the world was coming to an end or that your life would be in a terrible mess. Were you to spend an hour with Tom, you'd feel that all your energy was drained out of you.

Now, mind you, as I said earlier, Tom was a caring person. The problem was, however that Tom carried around with him a "cloud of negativity" born of desperation. His was definitely a desperate matter. It didn't just stop when he got off the phone. The emptiness in your stomach, the low energy would persist for quite a while until you eventually forgot about him. That is how powerful the feeling of desperation is. It has the power to turn off the brightest light in our lives.

Desperation broadcasts a very strong message to all within our sphere of influence. It even goes beyond that to people who are meeting you for the first time. Business associates tend to shun you, partners want to avoid you, everyone -- even little children -- feel uncomfortable around you.

So what do you do if situations and circumstances seem hopeless and your fears force you into desperation? Simple, but not easy. First, try to slow your thoughts down. You are desperate because of the incessant, negative self-talk, which has taken over your entire being. Slow the internal conversation down. Take a break from whatever you're doing -- even if it's for a few minutes.

Next, breathe deeply a few times, not any special count like breathe in for a count of seven, hold for a count of five and then breathe out for a count of seven. Do that if you want, but it's not necessary. Just slow breathing, in and out, will lower the tension in the body, mind and spirit to a more manageable pace. Realize that things are as they are, but can be changed. You can change them by becoming quiet within yourself and then listening to the feelings you have. Ask yourself if there is anything you can do about the problem at this moment.

You will get one of two answers. Either "yes" or "no." If the answer is "yes," go ahead and do what you can. If the answer is "no," then go do something else or maybe even nothing. This simple exercise is a practice in patience and will tune-up the mind and make it possible for you to find creative ways for your problem to be resolved. And it will be resolved in ways that sometimes may seem magical.

Now, I realize it is not easy to conquer desperation with the flip of a switch or the snap of the fingers. Having been in the middle of it many times, I discovered that it generally takes courage and practice to overcome. Of course, most of us can't stop worrying by telling ourselves not to worry.

But we can put a time limit on it. A simple trick I use is this: I acknowledge that the situation is bad and I say to myself, "John, this seems to be really terrible -- really, really bad. But it may only appear that way because you're desperate and scared right now. It's OK to be scared for a little while. However, don't spend all day being frightened or desperate. Take 30 minutes, an hour, even a few hours if you like. Be as desperate as you want for that period of time. Then drop it and go on with other things." Just practice this whenever you feel scared and desperate.

And Tom, what about Tom? Well, He continues to call. He's exhausted all the time. Desperation, you see, consumes all his energy. I tried to show him that there is always hope, that his problems would let go of him when he got quiet enough to loosen his grip and let go of them. I tried to teach him to breathe slowly and to get quiet inside. He listened, became quiet for ten seconds and went right back to worrying.

Other friends tried to help him, but he would not let go of his problems. I came to believe that Tom thought he would have no purpose here on Earth if he did not have things to worry about. I tried to tell him that it was fine to be happy and that we did not need anything to make us happy. But he would not let go and give himself permission to be happy.

Effective Steps To Spiritual Growth

Spirituality is deemed as a system of belief, where one seeks to relate to the rest of the existing beings. In this case, existence is God, humanity, the universe, nature or life in itself. The main aim of spiritual growth is to ensure that peace, love and understanding are practiced among the people. Majority of the people have a believe that the ways of attaining spiritual growth, can only be attained in books, lectures or any other products that will give one happiness. The truth about all this is that the compendium comes within ones heart. This is all about an individual and their views on the world. One can use various steps to gain paranormal spiritual growth.

Desire to grow

In this case, the first thing in attaining immortality is through spiritual growth. This cannot be attained by using books, self help classes since they will not make any difference. This is because paranormal spiritual growth and development is not an easy thing, as it requires time, energy as well as dedication to mature. This aspect does not guarantee over night results, as it may cause disappointments. When ones compendium wears off, the result might be giving up.

Humble beginning

Due to the many spiritual rises in today’s life, the information on spiritual growth is also available in the internet. It is always advisable for one not to rush things and therefore good to take things slow. This can be achieved by meditating, taking a prayer routine at ones free time. Attending to lectures can also work well in adding an element of spiritual growth.

Seeking adventures

In this note, it is true that adventures make life enjoyable. Lack of adventure while in the steps to spiritual growth makes ones spiritual life stagnant. To avoid being stagnant, one should think of including their best activities in life. These activities may include poetry among others. This is beneficial as it helps one learn how to appreciate people, as well as opening up spiritual growth.

Do away with the past

The past is deemed as history and nothing that can erase it. Holding on to the past denies one the chances of experiencing new events. The past events should be dealt with by forgetting past good and bad prophecy and instead use them in moving on with life.

Be responsible

In most cases, it is quite hard to take control of the events happening to you or the people doing them. One is responsible of taking control, no matter how bad or good the paranormal situation is. However, it is not advisable to put more attention to what caused the problem, rather, focus on what could be done to improve the situation. The situational strategies should be made in a way that a matter should not resurface again.

Stopping and taking a step back

This works best when life seems to move too fast. It is always important to stop and take a step back. This helps one in examining one self on the progress they are making. Considerations such as wise use time, whether one is happy with the prophecy involved, among many others.

How Can I Achieve Spiritual Enlightenment

A lot of people are asking "What is the quickest method to spiritual enlightenment? How can I achieve enlightenment in the shortest amount of time?"

To look at how you can achieve spiritual enlightenment, you first need to understand the essence of eastern philosophy and religion.

The essence of all eastern philosophy and religion is that suffering comes from being focused on the ego, the sense of an individual separate "I"

By remaining focused on this "me" with all of its desires, fears and problems, you lose touch with the infinite peace, bliss and love that exists beyond the ego as the absolute.

Spiritual enlightenment really is freedom from yourself. So the more concerned you are with your problems, needs and desires, the more locked into what is actually keeping you from achieving spiritual enlightenment.

That is why all Yogas (all paths to realizing spiritual enlightenment)have to do with focusing away from the ego.

Bhakti Yoga focuses on God through devotion. Karma Yoga focuses on serving others. Kriya Yoga focuses on prana using breathing techniques just to name a few. All of these different paths to achieving spiritual enlightenment deal with focusing outside of yourself.

By focusing outside of the personal you, you begin to experience life beyond ego. Your self importance begins to diminish and your awareness expands. You begin to taste the peace and bliss that really is your natural state.

While western philosophy places it's importance on the individual person through self analysis and self improvement, eastern teaching points to dropping all of this to focus on that which is beyond ego.

Even western philosophy agrees that you become whatever you focus on.

So if you are focused on "my problems, my desires," then this will be your world.

But if your focus was totally on the absolute, then the absolute would be your world.

Saying this, then the fastest and most direct method achieving spiritual enlightenment would be to completely focus on a technique that awakens in you the experience of peace, bliss and then to focus so completely on this bliss that there is no room for you as an ego to exist.

Someone coming from a western perspective meditates and tastes the bliss but goes no further than the experience "I am blissful, I have bliss."

But if you were to be so humbly devoted to that bliss that it consumes you, then you would become that bliss, or rather, you would melt into the bliss, you would realize the truth that bliss is what you are.

The technique is not so important as long as it awakens the bliss
that exists beyond yourself.

And once that bliss is there, completely immerse yourself in it. Do not try and grab the bliss, but rather give yourself completely to it.

And when you get caught up in your thinking, come back to the technique and awaken the bliss again.

So at first you maybe doing the technique and experiencing the bliss for a short amount of time and then having to go back to the technique. But in time, you can more and more be completely immersed in the bliss for long periods of time without the need for the technique to keep you there.

So really the quickest method to enlightenment is to awaken a state of bliss and then let yourself completely dissolve in it. To allow it to completely consume you.

You cannot do this a little bit. It is not something you do half way. Let your mind get involved in any way and you will miss it. Leave all judgements and doubts and have complete faith.

While many are busy analysing all techniques methods and teachers, there is a woman with nothing but the clothes on her back who sits by a river somewhere in India chanting one word repeatedly that to her means the absolute.

She may have no education, no understanding about eastern philosophy. Really, she has nothing but that name to repeat.

And simply by repeating the name over and over in complete devotion, she realizes spiritual enlightenment.

Rather than looking to get bliss she gave herself to bliss
and so for her spiritual enlightenment was inevitable.

It is all about attention. If you can give your attention completely to the experience of bliss, then bliss will become your life. It is this one pointed attention on bliss that is the quickest method to spiritual enlightenment.