Think, Be Still, & Grow Spiritually

The Underlay

All things around you were once thoughts: for example, chairs, motorcars, electric fans, rockets, and houses. Everything that will ever come into existence in the future will first arise as a thought. To think is at the heart of progress and growth in the spiritual and material worlds. Thoughts are all pervasive. You have thousands of thoughts each day. The busyness of your thoughts require you to lower the thinking activity to stream the thoughts productively. That is reason to be still, to enter your inner chamber, to pray, to meditate, contemplate, have quiet time, or enter into whatever spiritual practice that focuses your energy in your right direction. Your individual spiritual growth and development will depend on what are your values, beliefs, attitudes, your internal representations, and what’s important to you, among other factors. The base of your knowledge is therefore important, as you can perish due to a lack of knowledge. Thus the title, “Think, Be Still, & Grow Spiritually.”

My definition of spirituality

Spirituality is the manner in which you exercise your values in daily living. Every person has a different perspective on spirituality. In the billions of people in the world, no two persons have the same fingerprint; no two persons have the same DNA. Likewise, no two persons have the same perspective of spirituality.

Another definition

There is no universal definition of spirituality. A dominant viewpoint is that spirituality is a feeling of interconnectedness with everything and everyone else, and this leads you to be caring, kind, and loving to others, with acknowledgment that there is a common Creative Force or Principle, or God. Spirituality is not structured nor has limited boundaries, as is the case with organized religion.

Your Higher Self

There are two opposite poles for any element. There is hot and cold, day and night, good and evil, as well as your Higher Self and Your Lower Self. Your Higher Self is that part of you that guides you to attain full spirituality. Your Higher Self usually connects with you internally: it is that still small voice, that inner positive prompting. Your Lower Self connects more with material things and is more connected to your ego. The reference point between these two Selves is your sense of values. You need to determine and be ever conscious of the values that you intend to live by.

Core values

Some years ago, I went to see the movie “The Last Samurai” that depicted the main precepts of the Samurai as:

• Discipline • Service • Honor.

What was instructive was that these fundamental values were a guiding positive force for success thousands of years ago, and they still apply today. How can these three concepts help you to be spiritually successful in the modern world?

Thinking defines you

Your future can be bright. It is all up to you. Every person, without exception, is capable of success. Whatever thoughts you have about yourself powerfully set the stage for what happens to your life. Your thoughts may be uplifting and nurturing or they may be toxic and destructive. No one is perfect. We all have strengths in some areas and weakness in other areas. Put your attention on what you have and get the best from it. Do not concentrate on what is missing in your life. Use what you have, where you have it, when you can use it. Count your blessings. Cherish them one by one.

Your uniqueness

Life is so complete and complex, that life is always one step ahead of you. Our finite mind cannot comprehend the Infinite in all its splendor and grandeur. You are a very special person. Change the picture you have of yourself. Have a larger vision of yourself. Let today be the dawn of your new success. There is a treasure within you. Be a treasure hunter. Find your treasure, nurture it, and cherish it. Have a dream. Live your dream and dream on. Live the life you want by being in constant awareness of what you are thinking, speaking and doing.

Your Spiritual Manifesto

You need to have a set of intentions, motives and views that guide you on your spiritual journey—principles, so to speak. These can be viewed as declarations, and you can have one declaration for each letter in the acronym Framework, FOLDING.

Declarations of YOUR Spiritual Manifesto

You have to develop your own declarations. Review the 7 elements of the Framework, FOLDING, and develop a declaration for each element that you intend to live by. Customize your spiritual manifesto by adding not more than 5 other declarations. The declarations are limited to 12, so that you will keep your main priorities, your main priorities. There is much information and extensive knowledge available to you, but you must keep your main spiritual focus intact. When you have decided on your declarations, record them and keep them visible and available to remind you of the declarations of your spiritual manifesto. As you proceed with every decision and action on a daily basis, consider whether such actions and speaking are in alignment with your declarations; if they are not in keeping with any one of your declarations, you need to revise such actions and speaking. Such an exercise will certainly enliven and enhance the positive steps of your spiritual journey. Think, be still, and grow spiritually.