We grow by becoming. It is necessary that we integrate our spiritual learnings and discoveries into our very being. Allow me to share five things we could do to “incarnate” our learnings into our self and our life.
Learn to contemplate. Contemplation is like a "workshop" in which we learn to change and are reborn. Our life is where we go through more and more ways of surrendering and participating in Love. Adopting a daily practice of silent meditation or learning ways to quiet our mind and be still in God’s presence.
Learn to deliberately rest. Set aside regular, longer periods of quiet or retreat, simply to rest in the awareness of God’s presence. Find a balanced schedule of rest and work that helps us learn to enter our activities from contemplative grounding.
Learn to do everything out of service. Constant mindfulness is the key here. By allowing our natural welling-up of love to flow outward in acts of non-judgment, healing, and compassion. Life is not about us; we are about life!
Self-discovery: The task of uncovering the hidden parts of ourselves and embracing our “shadow" is a necessary and ongoing work of a lifetime. We have to accept that our weaknesses, fears, and traumas, most of which are hidden, are all triggers for ego-driven behavior.
Spiritual guide: If we do not have someone to guide us, to hold onto us as we grow spiritually, we will normally remain at our present level of growth. Let us seek out a spiritual companion we can trust to be honest and present to our journey, who can reflect back to us God’s presence in our life.
Our spiritual growth is never something we achieve, but always a gift awaiting our awareness and receptivity. May we grow in our awareness of God’s presence always and everywhere.
1 Peter 2:2-5 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness. You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God’s temple… And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple.”
