higher power
Spiritual Maturity Is A Lifelong Journey
What does spiritual maturity mean to you? Every time I ask someone this question, I get all kinds of different answers.
A Baby Boomer I asked said it meant going to church, donating to charities, studying the Bible, and following the Ten Commandments.
When I asked a Gen Z client, she said it meant minding your own business and not caring what others think of you because it is none of your business what they think. She also said she was a Wiccan and didn’t believe in wishing negative energy on others, because she knew it would only come back to her if she did.
I recently asked four people at a social gathering, and they had different opinions on the subject. They were in their 30s and 40s and had a young teenager with them. Interestingly, one thing they all agreed on was that it is spiritually mature to create healthy boundaries with family and friends for your own mental and spiritual well-being. One woman shared, for exxample, that if she hadn’t stopped hanging out with one of her friends, she would have hit rock bottom emotionally.
“I just could not put up with the way she treated me. I used to spend a lot of time stressing about the things she would say and do. I was always overthinking every toxic interaction with her, and our so-called friendship was not good for my mental state,” she explained. “So, for me, spiritual maturity is walking away from those who bring you down.”
A Foreboding Intuition Can Save Your Life!
You know how you always pay attention to road signs to avoid accidents (if you are a smart and responsible driver or pedestrian)? Well, your soul or higher self has its own inner warning signs that are worth paying attention to.
Have you ever had a gut feeling that something just isn’t right? Like a little internal alarm bell going off? Maybe it was telling you to get out of a situation or away from a person, and you did, and later found out why your gut was telling you to leave.
These intuitions are the result of our inner guidance acting as an early warning system, alerting us to potential dangers or threats before we are even able to consciously assess the situation or process the information. This quick, gut reaction prompts us to take precautions or avoid potentially risky situations.
I’ve had my fair share of remarkable intuitions over the years. Just today, someone knocked on my door asking for information about a neighbor. Although I felt very tired from dealing with my sick cats the past few days, I kept my focus and decided not to tell him anything, because my gut told me to keep quiet.
But he kept asking questions. Then, bam! His pen exploded before he could even write anything. The ink literally popped out of the body of the pen. The nib fell out and landed on the floor. Weird, right? No, not really. It was just an additional omen for me to be careful. It was a sign to think and speak with caution and discernment. This is a great example of Spirit trying to tell you something. To do something, or not to do something.
What Reality Will You Create Today?
In this lifetime, it is important to remember that we are all the creators of our own realities, as well as the co-creators of our shared reality.
This means that as an individual we have the divine gift of free will. Free will is our personal power to make our own choices in life. It is one of the most important and valuable aspects of human existence because it allows us to determine our own fate and shape our own destiny.
Without free will, we would not be autonomous and responsible spiritual beings in human form. Instead, we would be robots, pre-programmed to act in a certain way. Being born with free will allows us to make moral choices, to love and be loved, and to create our own unique paths in life.
Of course, with free will comes responsibility and accountability. We are responsible for our own thoughts and actions, both good and bad. We must therefore think carefully about our choices and make sure that we are acting not only for our own highest good, but also for the greater good.
Free will also does not mean that we are completely free from the constraints of external circumstances and worldly influences. We also share a collective free will with the rest of humanity. Just as we create our own daily reality and shape our individual destiny, we also co-create a shared global reality with the rest of the world.
Invoking Archangel Michael In Your Spiritual Practice
Archangel Michael, the divine warrior and champion of truth and justice, is a powerful figure in many spiritual traditions. He is a prominent figure in Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Baha’i Faith, and Neo-Paganism.
His name in Hebrew means “Who is like the Lord?” and his title “Archangel” means “Prince of Angels.” Michael is the leader of the angelic realm and is known for his strength, courage, and protection. He fights for good, empowers the faithful, and accompanies the souls of the righteous to heaven.
He is typically depicted as a warrior, complete with sword and shield. He is also often shown defeating a dragon or other monstrous creature. In Christianity, he is specifically mentioned in the Book of Revelation as battling Satan.
In some depictions, he is shown holding scales. This is a reference to his position as guardian of the dead as their souls leave the earth. Just as the Roman god Mercury accompanied souls to the underworld, Michael is said to accompany the recently deceased on their journey to the other side.
Michael is a venerable spiritual figure and is often invoked in prayer, meditation, and other spiritual practices. Believers invoke his presence for protection, guidance, and spiritual strength.
Transform Your Life With Sustainable Resolutions
Every new year, I hear my clients complain about what they hope to change about themselves, what they want to change about themselves, or what they should be changing about themselves.
I then ask them why they are not claiming their power to change right now?
You do not have to wait until the New Year or some other major life event to make a change in your life. Once you’ve decided on a new path or course of action, the key is to stick with it for the long haul, taking small steps every day.
The Japanese call this kaizen, a philosophical concept that emphasizes continuous improvement, often in small increments. The idea is that by making consistent progress, even if it is just a little bit each day, you can eventually achieve significant results.
Sustainability should be the ultimate goal of whatever you decide to change in your life. While New Year’s resolutions are all noble and lofty, you have to acknowledge the inherent resistances and blockages you carry within and agree to be patient with yourself in order to ultimately get there.
I’m still working on some New Year’s resolutions I made in 2016. Do I look back in horror and say, “Why is it taking so long?” or “I really should be doing better!” Sometimes, yes! Do I use that as an excuse to backslide, fall off the wagon, or throw in the towel? Not at all, mostly because I’ve come to realize that if I hadn’t decided years ago to make those resolutions to make powerful changes in my life, I’d still be where I was, or worse. I’d be living a life of regret, not progress.
Harnessing Intuition To Be A Better Manager
In the demanding landscape of modern business, effective leadership is more important than ever. As a leader, navigating the complexities of the workplace requires a unique set of skills, and while data-driven decision-making and strategic planning are undoubtedly important, there are powerful tools that are often overlooked: intuition and spirituality.
Inner wisdom and spiritual awareness are invaluable assets for managers seeking to improve their leadership skills. By cultivating a deeper connection with our inner being and the universe, we gain access to a source of wisdom and guidance. It enables one to tap into a deeper understanding and a higher level of consciousness that gives you a winning edge of increased empathy and nuanced awareness in the workplace.
True intuition is more than guesswork or simply a culmination of our past experiences, knowledge, and insights. It is a mystical force, a spiritual superpower, a key component of our inner guidance system.
As a leader, you’ve probably faced countless challenges and solved numerous problems throughout your career. Intuition allows you to tap into the inner guidance of your higher self to make better decisions and more accurate judgments.
The Law Of Reverse Effect
I remember talking to a very distraught client a few years ago about a man with whom she had been having a secret affair for 24 years. It was a relationship she was very obsessed with and had stubbornly pursued for over two decades, despite many red flags and a great deal of frustration and disappointment along the way.
When this man finally got up the courage to divorce his wife, he left not only his wife, but also his mistress. Within three months, he was in a relationship with someone new and told my client that he never really felt that way about her anyway.
She wanted to know how this could be? She expected with 100% certainty that he would be with her and no one else after the divorce, but the exact opposite happened. After all, she had put a lot of time, effort, energy, love, and devotion into this secret relationship, not to mention all the stress, frustration and drama she had to endure for over two decades.
At the time, this tragic story made me think about some of the free will choices I have made in my own life. There have been times when I, too, have stubbornly expected things to turn out a certain way for me because I pursued it with vigor, only to be devastated when it did not. For example, many years ago, a guy I had a huge crush on and thought was really into me ended up hitting on my best friend while we were out on a date! I guess the moral of the story is to never pursue someone who is not really that into you.