spiritual awareness
Find The Spiritual Gold Outside Your Comfort Zone
Some people are not ready or strong enough to embrace the truth, nor the unfamiliar. And that’s okay. We are all at different stages in our soul evolution. Energetically we are like magnets that resonate with those who are on the same frequency, and bounce off those who do not share our level of understanding. And that is okay.
The more evolved and sensible we are spiritually, the more open we are to embrace new information and learn from the acquired insight and wisdom of others. The higher our vibration, the less likely we are to overreact with extreme resistance, or become anxious or annoyed when we are confronted with inconvenient new realities.
Resistance and defensiveness stem from the ego. The ego tends to hinder us from being present and truly connecting, learning, growing, and expanding. This ultimately keeps us from evolving spiritually.
I have always been a firm believer that the teacher will appear when the student is ready. Those who are no longer held back by the human ego, are more ready and open to receive new information and explore deeper wisdom on a soul level.
We need not unconditionally agree with everything, but one can always find some ‘gold’ in whatever crosses our path. There is always some nugget of wisdom or insight we can use, even if we choose to discard the rest. There is always something of value that we can add to our toolbox of personal growth and soul expansion. There is always something new to learn or discover.
A Near-Death Experience Transformed My Life
Life has a way of revealing profound truths to us through unexpected circumstances.
When I was 20 years old, a life-altering event occurred that forever changed the course of my existence. I was severely injured in a traffic accident which led to a near-death experience (NDE).
It was a profound experience that transcended the ordinary and opened my eyes to the interconnectedness of all things. It ignited a profound spiritual awakening within me.
Expanding Consciousness
In the wake of the accident, a remarkable phenomenon occurred. I found myself stepping out of my physical body, witnessing the unfolding events from a vantage point of expanded consciousness. It was as if a veil had been lifted, allowing me to perceive not only my immediate surroundings, but also the entire location and surrounding city.
My heightened awareness continued to expand, to ultimately the entire planet, until I transcended even that, merging with the boundless expanse of the Universe.
Becoming One
During this extraordinary journey into higher realms, the boundaries of my individual self increasingly dissolved, and I experienced an indescribable sense of unity with the Universe. My consciousness soared past planets to embrace galaxies and ultimately behold the vastness of the entire cosmos.
We Choose Our Way Of Being In The World
Our material belongings reveal much about how we tend to operate in this world. For example, I can look at the make of a person’s vehicle, as well as the model, size, and color, and instantly get a sense of how they navigate through life. I further believe we also choose our way of being in this world, based on our spiritual mindset.
A good friend and I own the same make of car, but different models. Mine happens to be a smart car and hers is a jeep. This makes perfect sense to me in terms of our personalities and lifestyle.
I am small in stature, so it is only logical that my preferred vehicle would also be small, snug and space efficient. She, on the other hand, frequently has to transport passengers, as well as plants, clothes and a variety of household items that belong to the members of her family.
More interestingly, however, is that both of us have experienced the exact same technical problem with our cars. There was a time when both our cars suddenly indicated that the brake lights were no longer functioning.
When that little warning light came on in my car, I immeditately sensed the worst, but I secretly hoped that only the bulbs might need to be changed. To my shock and horror, the entire panel eventually had to be replaced. The day I took the car in to be fixed, I miraculously escaped a major traffic accident on my usual route at my usual travel time, because my car happened to be in the shop. Yes, sometimes a malfunctioning brake light can in fact save your life!
Using The Mandala In Your Spiritual Practice
Years ago, I taught a class on sacred geometry. My favorite section of the class was related to using mandalas as a tool for the inward journey and I would like to share this practice with you.
When using a mandala as a form of meditation you begin by creating a large circle. I have always found it easier to start with a graph based on concentric circles, but others start with just a circle and their imagination or intuition. Start at the outer edge of the circle to begin your session and work your way around the outer edge. Gradually work your way to the center of the mandala – this represents the inward journey.
We start by creating patterns and designs on the outside of the circle. This is the largest part of the circle and represents the universe. Understanding the expansiveness of the universe we can feel very small and insignificant, so it is important to move inward to find our grounding within the cosmos.
As we move inward in our mandala we contemplate our planet, then our country or large group of people we identify with the most. For many people this can be a religious tradition. We then move to contemplating our acquaintances, family, and friends.
Towards the center many mandala meditators will create four sides, or a square that leads to the center of his or her mandala. These four sides represent the four cardinal points, South, West, North, and East.
The Key Elements Of Spirituality
One of the core principles of spirituality is the belief that we are all connected to something greater than ourselves. Whether we call this higher power God, Source, Spirit, the Universe, or the Divine, this belief is the fundamental tenet of all religions and spiritual traditions.
By recognizing our connection to something greater than ourselves and the interconnectedness of all things, we find a sense of peace and purpose that transcends our individual concerns and uncertainties.
Another important aspect of spirituality is the concept of mindfulness. Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment, without judgment or distraction.
By practicing mindfulness, we become more aware of our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, and learn to cultivate a greater sense of inner peace and calm. Mindfulness can take many forms, from simple breathing exercises to more elaborate meditation practices.
Gratitude is another key component of a truly spiritual lifestyle. By cultivating a sense of appreciation for the gifts and blessings in our lives, we shift our focus away from self-limiting fear, negativity, lack consciousness and a scarcity mentality towards the love, hope, benevolence and abundance that surrounds us.
Whether we are grateful for our health, our relationships, or simply the beauty of the natural world, expressing gratitude can help us feel more content and fulfilled.
True Spirituality Is About Everyday Existence
It is often assumed that to lead a truly spiritually aware life we must increasingly distance ourselves from the material world and be more fully immersed in the spiritual world. We must reduce our involvement with all things physical, and instead focus exclusively on the non-physical or metaphysical.
This is, however, not what being truly ‘spiritual’ is about. True spirituality is in fact quite the opposite. It is about living this physical life to the fullest. It is about being present in every moment and living with joy, appreciation, and gratitude.
Spiritual living is about honoring and expressing the love, grace and compassion of God, Source, Spirit, the Divine in our everyday existence. It is about relishing in the divine beauty and abundance of creation, and embracing the unconditional love and light of divinity in our lives every day.
As spiritual beings in physical form we do need material things in order survive in this physical reality, and ensure a more fluid, comfortable existence. And while we are busy focusing our time and energy on acquiring those material things that we need, it does not mean we are no longer being spiritual, or not being ‘spiritual enough.’
For instance, most of us need to work to earn a living, to put food on the table and a roof over our head. Going to work every day and being of service is just as much a spiritual act as spending time in transcendental meditation, for example, or participating in a prayer circle.
Spirit’s Calling Cards Are Everywhere
Both experienced and novice psychics will tell you the spirit realm is in constant contact with the physical world. Although spirit may not communicate in the way we do, their messages are constantly here for us to see, hear and feel – if we know how and where to look for it.
The spirit realm exists beyond our time and space, but spirit is still able to interact with us. Hollywood movies would have us believe they can make objects float through the air, but it’s much more subtle than that.
Interference with electronic devices, such as clocks or laptops, is common when spirit is present. Take note if your computer seems stuck on a particular page or a clock stops at a certain time. Your spirit guardian may be sending an important message.
Static physical objects like family pictures may also change in the presence of a departed loved one. You may notice a photograph becoming blurrier or curling up on one side. Sometimes the frame is shifted or moved.
Take a walk outside every day. Are you seeing birds or butterflies? Both are messengers of spirits, so pay close attention to what you see, including their colors and patterns, and look up the meaning later. If you’re lucky a butterfly may land on you. Up in the skies, cloud formations, rainbows, and falling stars are all associated with spiritual messages.
Psychic or intuitive experiences is another way spirits speak to us. Have you ever felt like you ‘hear your name’ being spoken or called, or ‘feel the touch’ of a hand on your shoulder, while you are alone in a room? This is a sure sign a spirit presence is nearby.