Flavio Miguel Pereira
asked
Cynthia L. Schaefer:
Cynthia, reading your book i entered in a question: which spiritual development practice you are using and have the spiritual growth?
Cynthia L. Schaefer
Hi Flávio,
Thank you for your question and for reading my book. I had a spiritual breakthrough after reading Eckhart Tolle’s, The Power of Now. His book propelled me into the practice of presence.
I practice presence by clearing my mind or observing my thoughts to help me focus on my senses and appreciate what is going on around me. When I notice each step as I walk or feel the water through my hands as I wash them, these ordinary acts allow me to see the joy and gratitude in being. There is always something to notice.
Meditation relaxes my mind and eases the stresses of the day. Tension has a funny way of creeping in without me realizing it. When I sit in silence for a few minutes, my nerves calm and my energy renews.
Poetry supports my practice by writing what I am seeing or feeling in the moment. Articulating what’s happening all around me or within myself allows me to connect to it more. Plus, later I reread what I wrote, then I gain a deeper understanding of it.
With all things, including my spiritual life, I feel when I take a step forward; I take two steps back. You may have noticed the back step in part 2 and part 3 of my book. While I want to push forward, stepping back is a part of my process. The pull back into old patterns is frustrating and an opportunity to change by choosing to avoid the negative self-talk and show self-compassion. Self-love has been the greatest gift of this journey. The more I treat myself with loving kindness, the better I show up for myself and my family.
Eckhart’s book was one element of the catalyst that combined at a pivotal moment in my life where I was open to listen. Since then, I have practiced presence, meditation, writing, and self-love to further my spiritual growth. Everyone has their own spiritual journey. This is mine and I hope you found my answer helpful.
Thank you for your question and for reading my book. I had a spiritual breakthrough after reading Eckhart Tolle’s, The Power of Now. His book propelled me into the practice of presence.
I practice presence by clearing my mind or observing my thoughts to help me focus on my senses and appreciate what is going on around me. When I notice each step as I walk or feel the water through my hands as I wash them, these ordinary acts allow me to see the joy and gratitude in being. There is always something to notice.
Meditation relaxes my mind and eases the stresses of the day. Tension has a funny way of creeping in without me realizing it. When I sit in silence for a few minutes, my nerves calm and my energy renews.
Poetry supports my practice by writing what I am seeing or feeling in the moment. Articulating what’s happening all around me or within myself allows me to connect to it more. Plus, later I reread what I wrote, then I gain a deeper understanding of it.
With all things, including my spiritual life, I feel when I take a step forward; I take two steps back. You may have noticed the back step in part 2 and part 3 of my book. While I want to push forward, stepping back is a part of my process. The pull back into old patterns is frustrating and an opportunity to change by choosing to avoid the negative self-talk and show self-compassion. Self-love has been the greatest gift of this journey. The more I treat myself with loving kindness, the better I show up for myself and my family.
Eckhart’s book was one element of the catalyst that combined at a pivotal moment in my life where I was open to listen. Since then, I have practiced presence, meditation, writing, and self-love to further my spiritual growth. Everyone has their own spiritual journey. This is mine and I hope you found my answer helpful.
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