by Jan Phillips To be on a spiritual path means to live mindfully, paying attention to the signs along the road and being conscious of our body — the vehicle we are traveling in — and of the needs and safety of others on the journey. To be on a spiritual path means to look inward as often as outward, knowing that the externals of our lives are reflections of our thoughts and words, manifestations of that which we are imagining and energizing into being with the fuel of our passion. To be on a spiritual path means to use the rear-view mirror to be sure that the path behind is clear of debris and that we do not obstruct another’s journey with clutter of our own. acheter coque iphone en ligne It means making peace with our past, knowing our future contains it, and summoning the courage it takes to acknowledge, forgive, and release whatever we have clung to that impedes our movement. coque iphone 6 To be on a spiritual path is to take responsibility for creating our own creed, based on our commitments, and to respect the rights of others to do the same. coque iphone It also means to reflect anew on what beliefs we’ve inherited to be sure they are compatible with our wisdom and compassion. To be on a spiritual path is to embrace the mystical paradox that while we are singular, physical beings on this journey, we are also profoundly connected to one another, animated and sustained by the same vast Spirit that abides in the star, the petal of an iris, the howl of the wolf. coque iphone 7 To be on a spiritual path, it is necessary to forgive yourself for wrong turns, for failing to yield, for driving under the influence of others. These are minor and forgivable infractions. coque iphone pas cher The more important rules of this road are to be attentive, to notice when you stray, and to get back on the path as soon as possible. coque iphone 8 We could all use a road map for the journey inward, a guide away from the crowded thoroughfare to the quiet path of our own true calling; a reminder that it is not the destination, but the journey, that is important. coque iphone pas cher The fourteenth-century Italian saint Catherine of Siena once wrote, ‘All the way to heaven is heaven.’ Perhaps this is roadmap enough — this one stark line enough to keep us walking, reminding us that the wind we feel on the back of our necks is nothing less than the breath of God.
Spirituality Articles
Three Causes of Spiritual Illness
On Spirituality – Manly P. Hall
In our daily manifestation we are constantly in the presence of energies, but we take them for granted. We never question how it is that we can raise a finger, use a typewriter, or play a musical instrument. We see nothing mysterious about taking a walk, talking with our friends, or performing various arduous tasks in the name of health. The mystery behind the commonplace is something we do not understand but use constantly with little inquiry into our own nature. We have never questioned the process by which we are alive because we more or less take for granted that the questions cannot be answered and that whatever lies behind us is a mystery. Science has never undertaken to explore it. Philosophy has never been able to create a completely comprehensible exposition of principles, and religion deals in such abstract vagaries that we are not sure what part is true and what part is imaginary. But some have questioned and from the questioning developed various concepts by means of which it might be possible for us to explore this unknown world of causes.
Man specializes with his own mind, and whatever most occupies his mind is most supported by his resources. Persons interested in making a living devote their energies to this task, only occasionally taking time for meditation or reflection. It would seem, therefore, that there must be a motion, a process within our own thinking through which we can create the instrument for self-exploration. There must be some way of turning the mind from external addictions to the examination of internals. Most persons have never attempted to do this, and most do not even believe it possible. But there must be some way to use our faculties to discover ourselves, rather than using them constantly to buildup our store of knowledge about externals which, in the last analysis, are of very little basic importance to ourselves. To be given the equipment that we possess, only to use it for a few years, and then have both ourselves and our equipment fade away, seems to be contrary to the economy of nature. It would appear more reasonable that we have not yet attained to that degree of evolution which will enable us to develop the faculties of self-examination. They must lurk somewhere in our extrasensory perception band, and if we cannot find them, we will never know ourselves nor actually experience our true place in the universe or in the universal plan for ourselves.
It was first assumed that before we could penetrate the illusion of matter, we had to turn our attention away from matter, that to free our inner equipment for its apperceptive function, we had to relieve it of the burden of its continuous perceptive function, for every sensory perception that we possess is held in fascination in the world of phenomena. It is not so likely that we will be able to disentangle our functional resources and turn them in another direction. In order to explore causes, we must break the tie which forces us to continually use our energies as an out-flowing toward externals. This is accomplished through a series of experiences in which we come to understand by degrees the unity of this life principle in ourselves. To the degree we understand life, we participate in it, and we are closer to enlightenment when we are tied to reality by bonds of intense sympathy. If our dedications are towards enlightenment, we have a greater probability of attaining it than when our dedications are turned to other things and enlightenment is merely an avocational interest.
To attempt this it is necessary to reverse the involutionary process which ties energy to matter, and set up an evolutionary process within ourselves. Involution is the breaking up of one life into many manifestations. Evolution is the restoration of unity, the bringing back of diversity until oneness is re-established. Illusion is diversity. Reality is unity. To quiet down the experiences of diversity, to gradually bring separate things together, to search for unities where we have accepted diversities, to seek forever the one in the many and to discover finally the one behind the many – these are the labors of spiritual evolution. We begin symbolically by seeking the common ground of things and, in so doing, overcome forever the antagonisms and the conflicts which arise from our inability to perceive the identities of life.
~Excerpted from Manly P Hall Lecture #193 – “The Mystical Experience Union with The External Self.”
Third Eye in the Soul – Manly P. Hall
by Manly P. Hall
While the mind and emotions are burdened with the tremendous pressures resulting from external experiences ill digested within the personality, it is impossible to achieve the state of internal quietude which is necessary before the eye of the soul can be opened. What the soul requires primarily is a complete relaxation of the self from all intensities, pressures, remembrances, and all occurrences by which the inner life is disturbed. It is often quite possible to mentally achieve a cleansing of the life, but if the emotional pressures are not also regenerated, the achievement is not complete. What we need, therefore, for the development of the inner faculty of sight is a perfect quietude of the mind, the emotions, and the body itself.
This quietude comes in various ways—some by way of acceptance. Experiences we have rebelled against can be transformed into acceptances. We can forget the circumstances and remember only the lessons that we learned. We can in many cases analyze, if we wish, how the most difficult happenings in our lives have been the most beneficial in terms of internal growth.
One by one we need to transform every negative emotion into a positive spiritual acceptance of experiences. We have to, therefore, enter what has been sometimes referred to as a continual remembering of the Divine. It is not a particular prayer at a particular time, but it is to live forever in the presence of the Divine Purpose for things. The essential foundation of this gives rise to what we call mysticism. Mysticism is actually the heart doctrine. It is the individual growing not by expanding the mental faculties but using these faculties primarily to sustain the quietude of the heart.
The heart, because of its intense inner nature, has always been considered a symbol of love. It has been associated with natural affections, with gentleness, kindness, consideration, forgiveness, and for practically all purposes it is a symbol of complete internal peace. Peace is not in this case the result of an escape or of rejecting the difficulties of life. With the opening of the third eye, peace is the realization that we are forever in the presence of divine peace. Peace is not something we have to invent or struggle after. Rather, it is a state of natural existence when we have made peace with ourselves, when we have achieved a natural sympathy and a proper union of the parts and fragments of the personality which are so often in continuous conflict—the gradual sustaining of internal humility, a quiet acceptance of life, a desire to grow through service, a realization that we are all servants and grow most rapidly when serving the causes for life’s experiences.
The simplest form of these services is that we take the symbolic aspect and serve the normal boundaries of relationship such as family and intimate associates and expand our desire for service out of the natural environment with which we are familiar into the great environment which is dominated by the Divine Love which serves all things great and small, every form of life being benefited thereby. As we grow we become servants of this internal light and seek in every way at our command to serve the Divine Purpose and in this way permit the Divine Purpose to flow unimpeded through
our own natures.
~Excerpted from Manly P Hall Lecture #271 – “The Third Eye in the Soul.”
Making Your Body Your Temple
Author: by Susanna Harwood Rubin
Think of your body as the temple in which you do your spiritual practices. So instead of simply rolling out your mat or getting to the studio, make the process a part of it. The walk or drive you take to get there, the organizing of your time in order to make it happen, the delaying of calls and emails so that you can squeeze some asana into your overcrowded day — think of these activities as preparatory. Dressing for the temple, walking toward the temple, entering the temple. It is all a slow move inward.
From the minute you decide to practice asana, decide that that moment is where the practice begins. Even if you have a full day of work to get through or a commute to the studio, when you think, “In four hours I’ll go to class,” let that thought initiate the practice itself. Then everything you do between that initial thought and your body moving on your mat is a gathering up of materials, a bathing, a dressing, a lighting of candles, an integral preparatory part of a greater whole.
Let this shift in thinking infuse your daily activities with intentionality. There is a reason why we set an intention at the beginning of our practice. We want our movement to carry meaning. We want more than simply, “Step your right foot forward for Warrior I.” When movement carries conscious meaning, it becomes far more than simply movement.
I went through a dramatic life shift last year due to unexpected knee surgery that overturned my physical practice as well as necessitating a reconfiguration of my approach to teaching yoga asana. Since my practice was severely limited as I healed, I took the time in which my body was so unusually constrained to refine my verbal instructions so I could just sit while teaching, as I ironically invited people into their bodies through my words. I couldn’t say, as I usually did, “Oh, just do it like this,” then kick out a quick demo.
As a friend of mine observed, for the first time asana was actually difficult for me. I had to pause, plan, and think in a new way. I learned a lot from the experience and have written and taught extensively about it. But its relevance to what I’m writing now is the fact that everything was very slowed down for me, since my days had to be in service to my knee. So parts of my day I had not previously associated with my teaching practice now had to become an integral part of it.
I could no longer dash out the door of my apartment and speed walk down to Virayoga, where I teach weekly classes, giving the studio manager palpitations as I bounced into the studio my usual five minutes before class. I had to leave early and walk slowly and make the getting to the studio a part of my personal ritual. I spent a year learning a lesson about slowness, thoughtfulness, and intentionality.
I regularly ask my students, “Can you think of your practice as prayer?” Think of each asana as a bead on a mala, each an opportunity to touch something you love. Your breath is the thread connecting pose to pose, stringing together the beads of your practice so that you can hold your intention in different ways, in different containers, seeing which form offers the most meaning for you today.
Choose to make every thought, movement, and gesture toward your practice a part of your practice. And here’s a thought: Even if you don’t get to your mat, you are still engaged in your practice. It’s a much more compassionate way of thinking, and that should be part of your process as well. Try it.
Make your body your temple.
Make your asana your ritual.
Let your breath be your prayer.
—
Originally published in Elephant Journal
Bahá’í Faith – The Oneness of Religion
The principle of the unity of religion is at the center of Baha’i teachings. Bahá’u’lláh states that humanity is engaged in a collective growth process quite similar to the growth process of an individual: just as a person begins life as a helpless infant and attains maturity in successive stages, so humankind began its collective social life in a primitive state, gradually attaining maturity. In the case of the individual, it is clear that his or her development takes place as a result of the education he or she receives from parents, teachers, and society in general.
But what is the motive force in humankind’s collective evolution? The answer the Bahá’í Faith provides to this question is “revealed religion.” In one of His major works, the Kitab-i-Iqan (the Book of Certitude), Bahá’u’lláh explained that God, the Creator, has intervened and will continue to intervene in human history by means of chosen Messengers. These Messengers, Whom Bahá’u’lláh called “Manifestations of God ,” are principally the Founders of the major revealed religions, such as Abraham, Moses, Buddha, Zoroaster, Jesus, Muhammad, and so forth. It is the spirit released by the coming of these Manifestations, together with the influence of Their teachings and the social systems established by Their laws and precepts, that enable humankind to progress in its collective evolution. Simply put: the Manifestations of God are the chief educators of humanity. Thus the principle of the unity of religion means that all of the great religious Founders—the Manifestations—have come from God, and that all of the religious systems established by Them are part of a single divine plan directed by God.
In reality, there is only one religion, the religion of God. This one religion is continually evolving, and each particular religious system represents a stage in the evolution of the whole.
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“The fundamental principle enunciated by Bahá’u’lláh, the followers of His Faith firmly believe, is that Religious truth is not absolute but relative, that Divine Revelation is a continuous and progressive process, that all the great religions of the world are divine in origin, that their basic principles are in complete harmony, that their aims and purposes are one and the same, that their teachings are but facets of one truth, that their functions are complementary, that they differ only in the non-essential aspects of their doctrines and that their missions represent successive stages in the spiritual evolution of human society.” — Shoghi Effendi
My Inspirational Visit – Shasta Abbey
T.B. Fairbanks, Yahoo Contributor Network
Shasta Abbey located at Mt. Shasta, California, is a Soto Zen Buddhist Monastery where I had my inspirational experience that has changed my life. I have been self-studying Buddhism for about 11 years before coming to Mt. Shasta. I was first introduced to Buddhism while in my senior year in high school when we read Siddhartha. I was interested in discovering whether it was possible for one to alleviate suffering in their life and live an existence full of compassion and loving kindness towards others. I did not set a definite course of path to take to Buddhism; I read books by various monks and nuns from a wide-range of sects. I wanted my journey to be all inclusive, so I would take what I liked from H.H. the 14th Dalai Lama, Thich Naht Hahn, Nishitani Keiji, and Aung San Suu Kyi, to name a few. I took vows of refuge in the Tibetan tradition at Columbus KTC Columbus, OH from Lama Kathy Wesley back in March of 2006. My time at the center although brief made me feel as if my choice in Buddhism was the correct one for me and how I wanted to view the world. Whatever was spoken about that I could not quite wrap my head around; I would discard it, because from my viewpoint, as long as I do not hurt another sentient being and I strive to do well, I’m on the right track. That all changed once I discovered Mt. Shasta.
I needed to get away for a bit and reassess my life and figure out a way to deal with the stresses of my life through my spirituality. I searched on line using “Buddhist retreats” as my keywords. I found many, but the reason why I chose Mt. Shasta was because of the fact that they did not charge for participating in their retreats! I was amazed to say the least. The reason for this was that the monks of Mt. Shasta practice and believe in the spirit of Dana-giving and receiving which underlies the true spirit of generosity. I applied on line to go to one of their beginner’s retreat and I was set to go at the end of February.
I took a long bus trip from Albuquerque, NM to Weed, CA were one of the monks came to the visitor’s center in town to pick up myself and a couple of retreatants who happened to be on the bus. The retreat was for 3 days, we stayed at the Abbey’s guest house, had meals together with the guest master and lay residence who were living at the Abbey and participated in assisting monks various activities from helping in the kitchen to preparing meals generously donated by the community (Dana), helping in the guest house, or work in the temple. Our days began at 4:30 a.m. and ended around 7:30 p.m. We had our days planned after the 5 a.m. meditation period, which included the aforementioned activities. Retreats are open to all who earnestly want to learn about the Abbey and the work of the monks.
After the retreat, I decided to stay 9 more days. I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful surroundings, the knowledge and wisdom the monks offered in a safe and secure place, and be around sincere individuals that were serious about learning more about Buddhism. Shasta Abbey offered spiritual counseling, where all your questions and concerns about Buddhism or life in general could be answered as fully as it can be by the senior monk available. I participated, asking questions that I found along the way during self-study and my time at the Abbey. Then during meditation, I had an image that I have for years tried to repress. I had a suicide in the family 11 years ago that prompted my search for meaning in life and how could someone so dear to me, suffer in a way that suicide was the answer. I could not get this image out of my head for 11 years. I could not sleep at night, despite prescription anti-depressants, sleeping pills, or anxiety medications. I signed up for spiritual counseling after seeing this image again in meditation and spoke to the monk about what was going through my head. She explained things in a way that let me understand what was needed of me to assist with my guilt, anger, frustration, and pain that I was feeling about the situation. I did what she instructed (which involved meditation) and I worked through the tears, the pain, the anguish, and the distorted memories to see the truth, I loved my brother and he did what he thought was the best way to deal with whatever it was he was going through. After coming to terms with that, that night, I slept. I was not plagued by nightmares, or distorted images that haunted my memories. For the next couple days during meditation periods, I came to those thoughts from time to time and sat with them all, not judging them and not pushing them away. I felt lighter. I felt free to just be okay.
I’m so grateful that I found Mt. Shasta. Even today I can have email spiritual counseling. I do from time to time, to get grounded on some issues that I face in everyday life, and even though the monks are busy, they take time when they can to help. The monks inspired me to see that there is no inadequacy within me or others, it’s true I do lapse from time to time, but I always remind myself of the lessons I learned at Shasta Abbey.
www.shastaabbey.org
3724 Summit Dr
Mt Shasta, CA 96067-9102
(530) 926-4208