Lesson 1: Mindful Spiritual Living and Your Environment
Mindful Spiritual Living is a lifestyle or way of living.
What is being Mindful?
Being conscious or aware of something, also an active alertness. A mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations.
It is the difference between being Proactive and Reactive to life.
Take a moment, what does this mean to you?
What is being Spiritual?
A strong belief in a universal guiding force. Generally open to new ideas and people. Relating to, or affecting the human spirit or souls as opposed to material or physical things.
Take a moment, what does being spiritual mean to you?
What is Living?
Pursuit of a lifestyle of the specified type. Way of life, lifestyle, way of living , vitality, possessing life.
Are you proactively pursuing, a lifestyle that is harmonious with your inner feelings, or just "going along" with other people's ideas?
Mindful Spiritual Living
So, we could say that Mindful Spiritual Living is a lifestyle, or way of living, that is based on a foundation of being mindful (consciously aware) and spiritual (belief in a guiding force). It is an inner desire to create a sustainable life that is harmonious with a person’s inner spiritual values.
Being mindful is living in the outer world in such a way that it expresses your inner world. Mindful Spiritual Living is a lifestyle that does not compromise your inner spiritual values. You could say that a mindful lifestyle is clarifying, "What is me," and "What is not me." Who I am as a soul, versus what other people think I should be.
Mindful Spiritual Living is an inner peace that comes from accepting and giving importance to your feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations. It is creating an inner sacred space so that your inner feelings are not overwhelmed by the pressure of the outer world.
Finally, Mindful Spiritual Living is the difference between being manipulated, controlled, influenced, or affected by the outer world (reactive), and being in command and living life from the inside out (proactive).
Now.....take a moment and tune in to your daily activities.
- Who stimulates you the most into being reactive? A few example are: Needing to defend or justify your actions or decisions. Being made to feel guilty for the decisions you make. Becoming fearful about future events. Being manipulated or maneuvered into an action before you are ready.
- Write down the names of people and situations that stimulate to be reactive. This list will become very important during these lessons.
- Becoming consciously aware of how and who makes you reactive is the beginning step in being in command of your life. It is the difference between acting and reacting.
The purpose of this master class is to help you be more proactive in your life and less manipulated by other people. You will be learning important insights and techniques that will help you be the master of your life.
Being the master of your life. Mastering your personal energy.
Being the master of your life and not being strongly influenced by others is an important inner trait. Also being mindful is an expression of mastering your personal energy, your soul life force. It is finding those techniques or practices that helps you to maintain a strong aura that helps to buffer you from strong pressures that try to influence you.
A person who has mastered mindful spiritual living knows the importance of people in their life. Finally, rejuvenation and inner strength is maintained through networking and community sharing of their spiritual values.
Every day you are being influenced by celestial energy flowing through planet earth. For example, three of these celestial energies are
- magnetic from other planets
- solar that comes from our sun
- gravity influences from other planets
Planet earth has an aura (magnetic fields/atmosphere) that shields us from the full effect of these celestial energies.
We feel the radiation of the sun, but not the full effect. For example at sea level it takes longer for the skin to be sun burned than in the mountains at 7,000 foot elevation.
Astrology is an observed science of the effects on a person from planetary objects. Because of the difference in celestial energy given off by various planets, one planet can affect us differently than another.
Also you are being affected by the thoughts and feelings of other people in your environment. Your thoughts and feelings have an energy or frequency that radiates out and can affect other people. The thoughts and feelings of other people have an energy or frequency that radiates out and can affect you.
Your aura is an energy field that surrounds you and acts as a shield from the thoughts and feelings of others as well as celestial energy. So, the atmosphere of planet earth helps to shield you from celestial energy and your aura helps to shield you also.
What does this all mean?
Proactive definition: acting in anticipation of future problems, needs, or changes
Reactive definition: acting in response to a situation rather than creating or controlling it
An important first step to mindful living is to realize how much your environmental energies are affecting you. How much of each day are you emotionally reacting to people and situations. Or how much are you being proactive from your true feelings.
Mindful living is the result of acting from your true feelings and not reacting to people and external events. It is the ability to take a breath and just feel for a moment before responding to people.
Being Proactive versus Reactive. The difference between truly living and just surviving.
Each day do you find yourself reacting to people's demands and requests immediately, or do you take a moment before responding? It is the difference between between being under pressure or having a moment to take a breath. It is the difference between reacting prematurely before you are ready, or collecting your thoughts before responding.
Sometimes the difference is just five seconds or less. Sometimes it is five minutes or more. The main idea is to react less and act more. It is interesting to notice how people start acting differently around you when you react less.
When you pause before responding and ask the person to repeat the question to make sure you heard it correctly, you slow down the demanding energy of the situation and it gives you time for a mindful, sincere reply.
Before long, people around you start realizing you cannot be manipulated or forced to react to their whim. This is living a mindful lifestyle. Being in command of your energy and not influenced by people in your environment.
As you start shifting to a mindful lifestyle you will start experiencing life like an accomplished ice skater, effortlessly gliding through life. You will be like a sailor on the ocean. Knowing where you are at all times, effectively navigating to your destination while avoiding any storm. You will have the skills of a Tai Chi master to deflects energy and not confront energy. You will be a master of your personal energy while interacting with people in your life.