A spiritual journey is usually considered to be a movement toward community and Spirit but an essential loop of our route must pass through the realm of self. We have to find out who we are before we can make commitments to others. We have to care for our own souls in order to have the energy and strength to care for our families, our neighbors, and the earth.
There are many ways to practice nurturing, and everyone will find his or her own best ways to receive and give nourishment. The spiritual traditions emphasize two in particular. The first is study. Be a lifelong learner; read and contemplate sacred texts and other sources of inspiration that take you deeper into yourself and out into the wider world. Second, keep the Sabbath. Dedicate some of your time to leisure and reflection.
Without God (or a higher being), you can not obtain happiness. Without God you can not be spiritual. You can not even have peace within yourself without this.
There are many ways to practice nurturing, and everyone will find his or her own best ways to receive and give nourishment. The spiritual traditions emphasize two in particular. The first is study. Be a lifelong learner; read and contemplate sacred texts and other sources of inspiration that take you deeper into yourself and out into the wider world. Second, keep the Sabbath. Dedicate some of your time to leisure and reflection.
Without God (or a higher being), you can not obtain happiness. Without God you can not be spiritual. You can not even have peace within yourself without this.
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Detroit
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Re: Spiritual Journey
Wed, January 21, 2004 - 10:58 PMVery wise words, Jen. So very true. If we don't have a healthy and truthful outlook on ourselves, we can't minister properly to others. Without reflection of our own souls, we cannot reflect good and wholeness.
We need a community to worship, to leave ourselves behind and look towards something greater and grander. Without spiritual reading and contemplation, we cannot achieve true happiness which is grounded in peace. We can't be ourselves, what we were created to be, full of life, and to have zeal for the days' journey that lies ahead. To be able to put your feet on the floor and thank the heavens for the day, no matter what comes, is true peace and happiness. Sometimes it's so difficult to raise oneself out of the bed for fear of what lies ahead. This is not peace, and not what we were meant to be. We're not created to fear; we're created for love, and to live in joy, to laugh and to play, to lift one another up.
