Spiritual Preparedness - simple practices and meditations to increase self-awareness

I was adopted and my adoptive mother said sometimes that if I'd been adopted by someone else I wouldn't be the same person.

I kept saying, of course I would. I just 'knew' I'd be pretty much the same person, though of my path in life probably would have been quite different and my experiences as well, deep down, whoever 'me' really was would not be.

Hi AC, good on you for holding onto your individual spiritual identity - regardless of what your adopted mother told you - sounds like she meant well though.

Thanks for the bump before AC.

Here is a short video of Adyashanti explaining how enlightenment is not so complicated, it simply means not viewing through the ego stage, not perceiving through the identities the ego holds as man/woman, old/young, black/white etc etc. From my own experience it is true - if I perceive from a soul conscious awareness even for a short time during meditation then during that time I am experiencing enlightenment, same for anyone. The more practice we have of being in this awareness the better it is for ourselves and others.

Bumping in promotion of increased spiritual awareness

just because

According to a yogic path I learned and practice, there are four spiritual subjects we need to study, practice and learn to keep in balance:-

Knowledge: of our true identity and of the identity of Source/Creator. Becoming a spinner of the discus of self-realisation, aware of past, present and future but staying rooted to the Now.

Yoga: Meaning union - knowledge alone is dry and so direct experience is needed, time spent in spiritual yoga (meditation) connecting to self as soul and source is needed to make it 'real'

Dharna: Meaning practice of divine virtues - operating through our original qualities of peace, love, humility, tolerance, compassion etc. Every day we will be faced with challenges to overcome and situations will arise to bring up our own shadows and false beliefs. This is our battleground - destroying all that is false and returning to truth.

Service: Sharing spiritual truths with others in thoughts, words and actions, with our mind, body and wealth. Taking responsibility for healing the self and sending good energy to others and the universe.

The deity Vishnu is symbolic of a perfect balance of male and female attributes held by each and every eternal human soul. The objects held symbolise the study of the four subjects: In one hand he/she is spinning the discus of self realisation in another holding a mace of self sovreignty - knowledge and yoga.

In another hand Vishnu holds a lotus flower, representing the beauty of divine qualities forged and rising from the murky muddy depths where the roots are. The other hand holds a conch shell which represents sharing spiritual truths with others.
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Last Edited by Pharista on 03/10/2012 01:00 PM

Bump just because....

It's o'clock

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Our greatest teacher is within. Wait, watch, listen...

See: [link to www.hallvworthington.com]

Great thread OP! Thanks!

Glad you have found some benefit from it, thanks AC.

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yes great, best meditation methods are yoga meditation

budhist meditation is good also(the famous meditation) , but is more dificult to most ordinary people , yoga meditation suits better for most people

Sorry, op, to brake everyone's bubble here,#
but there is only one way to spiritually prepare, if you had happened to be adulterated with false knowledge from the day of coming out of the womb is Christ's doctrine.

Good thread.

I try to tell people they are already enlightened but is too easy for most people.

Most people want a journey of some kind.

A strange thing that humans must make so much effort to just be where they are.

Last Edited by ThereIsNoEye on 04/15/2012 03:52 AM

Hey OP, love your thread. thanks for the valuable info. May I ask what your background is?

Pharista is angel in farsi urdu and hindi...

every (human) beeing is different, i can't say where my energy is. i think it can be everywhere. when putting heads together i can share my 'spirit', yes, but when i talk to ppl, i don't look em into the eyes, i concentrate on the middle of my thorax and go into resonance with the one i listen to, so i feel what wants to say/talk. also the eyes are very powerful for such purposes, but i am afraid to talk about here.

I say until you embrace this world... completely and embrace the SELF YOU ARE... here you can never go beyond or integrate others here.

Last Edited by Stars777 on 04/15/2012 11:55 AM

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Kringor. It is really inspiring to see how Buddhist meditation is gaining in popularity since it has been presented as 'Mindfulness meditation' or present moment awareness - once the religious connotation is taken away people seem to embrace the concepts more readily and through that true spirituality grows naturally

Absolutely, we can only change ourselves no-one else. What we can do is share our experiences along the way, hope to validate, inspire and be validated and inspired.

Thanks for the flowers, I love your signature Cerberuscx.

Thank you AC. I came across 'Pharista' from a beautiful painting I saw in Rajasthan, I will see if I can find the image and share it. I was aware of it's meaning but not in the biblical sense, more like facing challenges, processing them and coming out the other side.. always a little more aware :)

Last Edited by Pharista on 04/15/2012 11:09 PM

[link to www.sprword.com]

Inspirational documentary: The Best of Alan Watts

Reason, Season, or Lifetime

People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime. When you figure out which one it is, you will know what to do for each person.

When someone is in your life for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty; to provide you with guidance and support; to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually. They may seem like a godsend, and they are. They are there for the reason you need them to be.

Then, without any wrongdoing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end. Sometimes they die. Sometimes they walk away. Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled; their work is done. The prayer you sent up has been answered and now it is time to move on.

Some people come into your life for a SEASON, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. Believe it. It is real. But only for a season.

LIFETIME relationships teach you lifetime lessons; things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation. Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person, and put what you have learned to use in all other relationships and areas of your life. It is said that love is blind but friendship is clairvoyant.

Author Unknown

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