What is spirituality?

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Posting this as Lindsay has always been one of my childhood TV heroes. Not only at 72 does she still have her model looks, her personality and likeability factor is always present whenever she's in front of the camera. Perhaps because of what she knows and how she lives:

From The Bionic Woman to the Quiet-Minded and Openhearted
LA Yoga Magazine
Published date: June 2011
By Felicia M. Tomasko
Felicia Marie Tomasko: Your commitment to growth has been a lifelong area of study. How did that begin? Lindsay Wagner rose to prominence in the hearts and attention of television audiences in her Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Jaime Sommers in “The Bionic Woman”. She went on to make more than 40 TV movies, five mini-series and 12 feature films, and she continues to appear in cameos. Along with her on-screen appearances, she has a vivid interest in the advancement of human potential and has always used her voice to champion transformation and holistic healing of mind, body, and soul. In addition to co-authoring a vegetarian cookbook and other lifestyle titles, she is a lifelong advocate for helping people heal from domestic violence and child abuse and she has a passion for environmental protection. For the past six years, she has been teaching workshops designed to help people see how to overcome their personal challenges.
Lindsay Wagner: By the time I was 19, I had a severe case of ulcers and gallbladder problems and the doctors at UCLA were suggesting surgery. My boyfriend’s mother was the personal secretary of Dr. Hornaday, who was the co-founder of the Church of Religious Science with the late Ernest Holmes (now called Centers for Spiritual Living). Dr. Hornaday helped me go through a healing process that allowed me to avoid the surgery. I was blown away by the discovery that there was a lot we were not learning in the mainstream. I was driven by how I felt after learning meditation, visualization, self-investigation and combining this with prayer. I was learning to connect much more deeply and consciously on a spiritual level. I was observing my mind and saw how my thinking processes and the flow of the life force coming through me, resulted in physical, mental and emotional health or ill-health depending on my perspective. In 1969, I became an avid student of the integration of body, mind, and spirit for health and healing; it was my passion. Sometimes people in the entertainment industry would say, “Yeah, she just works here.” Then there was the rest of growing up, starting relationships and my career. All of a sudden I was a global icon and that had its challenges. There was no lack of stimulation for growth.
In my life, I’ve been blessed with amazing teachers. Any time I would ask the divine to send me someone or something, a book, person, or workshop would come. I even nearly quit acting for a while to become a holistic practitioner; I studied homeopathy and helped promote the American Holistic Medical Association, who got in touch with me because of the film, “The Incredible Journey of Doctor Meg Laurel”, my first television movie after “The Bionic Woman”. I had worked with the writers on expanding an eight-page treatment into a dramatic metaphor about what was happening in our culture between naturopaths and allopaths on opposite ends of the spectrum. There was a feeling as though never the twain shall meet. This was heartbreaking to me because there are wonderful things on both ends and we need them all.
FMT: It sounds like this project was more than just a film for you, that it was a way of delivering a specific message and a means by which you could unite your acting work with your interests in holistic health.
LW: What always interested me about film and television is the ability to tell a story that would not only entertain but possibly help someone. For me the passion is communication. I am grateful for the good fortune to have the power to choose my projects and work with the scripts to enhance the potency of the issues being explored in the film. I was involved in so many true stories because I love it when people transcend their circumstances and are growing rather than just surviving.
FMT: Even the role for which you became known (The Bionic Woman) was about a person who transcended her circumstances.
LW: In that situation, I was challenging the writers and producers to go deeper with the stories beyond the typical black and white, good and bad cop in a skirt. I was happy because everyone loved the challenges of trying to make complex stories work within the formula of the series, even when we were under the gun because we were the cutting edge technology at the time, with a lot of stunts and usually only one camera. Our workdays were sometimes 16 or 18 hours.
FMT: Seeing strong women on television showed human potential and how we find our inner strength. It seems as though you were able to find a way to bring your different interests together.
LW: It was karmic. In television, they let me try things; they saw that the public liked them, so we had the opportunity to make movies on all sorts of topics which, up until then, were “too controversial for TV”. It was an interesting time in history.
FMT: That time of history has influenced many people today.
LW: It was a cultural revolution; it was the time of the women’s movement but it wasn’t just about women, it was about bringing up more feminine consciousness in our culture, seeing life situations from a different perspective, looking at other ways of problem-solving beyond just winning. I was glad I had the opportunity to be part of that. It was an interesting time.
FMT: What has inspired you to step into this role of teaching workshops?
LW: It feels like a natural transition. I’ve always been communicating my ideas through story and now I’m just doing it more overtly, and that was a big challenge for me at first. At one point, I took some time off, gave myself time to go more deeply into my spiritual studies and traveled with my kids. Two years later, a friend who was running a program in the LA County Jail called “Bridges to Recovery” (for domestic violence offenders), invited me to see what she and her team had developed since she knew I had been involved in public education related to domestic violence and had done the movie “Shattered Dreams”, about a woman who transcended her circumstances rather than continuing to see herself as just a victim. My family had struggled with domestic violence and getting over the effects of that was part of my own healing journey. I thought I would visit for 20 minutes, but stayed all day and cried my eyes out, seeing 60 men having the passion and courage to look at themselves, learn and grow in this amazing program.
It was compassionate and nonjudgmental, designed to empower people to take full responsibility for their actions, explore their conditioning, attitudes and habits and learn true forgiveness for self and others. They emphasized the fact that we have the ability to grow out of patterns that don’t serve our life, regardless of what they are or what we’ve done in the past.
I became deeply involved with the program for six years and co-founded a support group with one of the teachers for the alumni of BTR. Our goal was to give them and their families a safe place to continue to grow individually and together. One of the techniques we used was Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), extremely helpful in releasing emotional charge that won’t let you move forward. I also shared the Oneness Blessing (Deeksha), a flow of energy that balances the energy of the body and has the capacity to quiet the mind and open the heart.
We all fight about the same things; it’s just that some people don’t have a safety switch. We unravel what is blocking the safety switch. We all have self-esteem issues, so much of the same pain and anger. People who would come to observe the support group would say, “Oh, I need to take that program,” and would ask me when we would do one for the public, so I started doing small programs in my house that grew by word of mouth. Then someone invited me to do a workshop in another state and it just became viral. In the past five years, I’ve been to at least six other countries. Lately, though, I’ve found myself becoming genuinely interested in going back to the film industry. I have some stories I’ve been carrying around for a few years now that I’d like to get made.
I’ve done a few guest appearances on the sci-fi show “Warehouse 13” recently, where I play the warehouse doctor and am actually doing some of the EFT tapping as treatment for the characters’ pain. Anybody who knows EFT would have giggled if they had seen the show. There I am planting seeds.
FMT: What is it that you hope to communicate with your work in all areas?
LW: That we are all more amazing than we know. My prayer is that in one form or another something sparks that awakening in people along with the awareness that we are all connected at a very profound level. When we see and experience ourselves as so separate from everything, we limit our ability to bring through the life force or to draw in what we need for our happiness. Once we have a sense that we are a unique expression of the whole then there is an experiential knowing that the power that is driving it all is accessible to us. That power implies joy and peace and creativity.

(source)
 
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Tidal

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Topic- What is spirituality?
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It's simply a normal human curiosity that there might be something out there that can't be detected by our human senses..:)
If we stop thinking along those lines we become little more than dumb unthinking animals-

"Ungodly...These men blaspheme in matters they do not understand. They are like brute beasts, creatures of instinct, born only to be caught and destroyed.." (2 Peter 2:12)
 

Cintra

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Topic- What is spirituality?
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It's simply a normal human curiosity that there might be something out there that can't be detected by our human senses..:)
If we stop thinking along those lines we become little more than dumb unthinking animals-
Wow!

Surprisingly perceptive!
Maybe you aren't a Tay bot.
 

TrollingTroubles

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Spirituality is waking up and realising you ain’t shit but you’re not giving up on yourself. It is the seed within that can be a revolution and evolution of your inner being.

So said the yellow backed frog, anyway
 

Alanantic

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Spirituality is a way of living truth.
Religion Vs Spirituality-Difference

Religion is Accepting Authority, Spirituality is Freedom of Choice
Religion is Obedience, Spirituality is Questioning
Religion is Blind Faith, Spirituality is Rationalism
Religion is for Close Minded, Spirituality is for Open Minded
Religion is Organized Belief, Spirituality is Logical Conclusions
Religions follow Designated Gods, Spirituality need not
Religion has strict codes, Spirituality has self made codes
Religion Forces people, Spirituality is self Discipline
Religion has Group Identity, Spirituality is Individuality
Religion suits all, Spirituality suits only Evolved
Religion is Single System, Spirituality Multi System derived
Religious people are Spiritual, Spiritual people need not be Religious
Religion is Religion, Spirituality is beyond all Religions
Religions may create Divisions, Spirituality is for one and all
Not all religions accept other religions, Spirituality embraces all
By birth one takes up a Religion; By birth you don't take up Spirituality
Destination is same, Approaches are different, Choice is yours... -- gachchy
 

Tidal

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Topic- What is spirituality?
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Paul summed up the spiritual mindset-
"We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal" (2 Cor 4:18 )

Jesus's young cousin John (below) was deeply spiriritual, living rough in the wilderness and sometimes going in town to yell insults at the snooty priests and corrupt rulers. Jesus's verdict on him?-
"John is the greatest man ever to be born" (Matt 11:11)

 
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Red Sky at Morning

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Interesting, however, the girl's account has nothing to do with spirituality. From what I listened to, she talks of how she was a drug user and into "New Age", which is antithetical to Jesus and spirituality.
I listened to it with interest because someone I care about is part way through her story. What interested me was that she went into nihilism and scientific materialism first (Albert Camus etc, Christopher Hitchins etc) then she started exploring LSD and had a “spiritual” experience. The spirituality she embraced was the idea that we were all “part of god” and we’re ourselves gods. Eventually, she reached a milestone in her thinking when she realised there was a God, and it wasn’t her!
 
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It's extraordinary to see my "people" mentioned in this. If only I had asked more questions when I was a kid. However, it's good I can research the info, I suppose:

"Religion and Spirituality of Indigenous Peoples in Canada
Creation Stories
Creation stories describe the origins of the cosmos and the interrelations of its elements. Among these tales is what scholars often refer to as the “Earth Diver myth.” This is a story where a Great Spirit or cultural hero dives, or orders animals to dive, into the primeval water to bring back mud, out of which the Earth is fashioned. In some versions of the story, Earth is formed on the back of a turtle; Turtle Island is a popular name used by certain Indigenous peoples for the land of North America.
Creation stories also tell about the origin of the moon, the sun, the stars and human beings. These tales can act as histories and/or lessons about the environment, the heavens and human’s relationship to the world and to one another. In many of these stories, tricksters and transformers — beings with superhuman powers — often play an active role, as they help to create the world as we know it and to guide humanity.
Tricksters, Transformers and Culture Heroes
Tricksters take on a variety of forms in Indigenous cultures. They can be male or female, foolish or helpful, hero or troublemaker, half-human-half-spirit, old or young, a spirit, a human or an animal, depending on the area and the specific nation. Some examples of tricksters include Coyote (Mohawk), Nanabush or Nanabozo (Ojibwe) and Raven (Haida, Tsimshian, Tlingit, Inuit and Nisga’a).
Transformers or shape-shifters are beings that can change shape, from human to animal to inanimate object. One example of a transformer is Glooscap of the Mi’kmaq, Wolastoqiyik, Abenaki and Algonquian peoples. Glooscap formed the sun, moon, fish, animals and humans, whereas his brother Malsum (another transformer) created snakes, mountains, valleys and anything else he thought would make life difficult for humans.
Some Indigenous folklore also includes culture heroes, prominent figures in a particular nation’s spiritual beliefs. In some tales, these beings make a perilous journey to the realm of the dead to bring back a deceased loved one. These stories contain detailed characterizations of the land of the dead, and are important to an understanding of diverse phenomena, such as concepts of the soul and many aspects of shamanism. (See also Shaman.)
Religious Institutions and Practices
Different Indigenous nations have their own religious institutions and sacred practices. Many Plains Indigenous peoples participate in the Sun Dance, while Coast Salish peoples typically engage in sacred winter ceremonies. The Haudenosaunee celebrate the Green Corn Ceremony, and some follow the False Face Society. Among the Ojibwe, the Midewiwin is a spiritual society and essential part of the Anishinaabe world view. Medicine bundles — objects of ritual that are specific to the person carrying them — are common among the spiritual traditions of various Indigenous peoples, including the Siksika, Cree and Ojibwe.
Institution stories tell about the origins of these cultural practices. Ritual tales, on the other hand, serve as detailed texts for the performance of institutions, ceremonies and rituals. Fertility, birth, initiation and death rites are often clearly stipulated in spiritual traditions. Shamanic performances may also be described. Such ceremonies are often preceded by stringent purification rites, such as sweat lodges or baths (common for Salish, Siksika and Eastern Woodlands peoples), fasting and sexual abstinence. Feasting is also a common feature of these ceremonies.
Great Spirit and Worldviews
Many Indigenous peoples subscribe to the idea of a Creator, Great Spirit or Great Mystery — a power or being that has created the world and everything in it. These beings are often described as good or well-intentioned, though dangerous if treated carelessly or with disrespect.
Great spiritual power is also found in the spirits of all living things, natural phenomena and ritually significant places. In general, supernatural mystery or power is called Orenda by the Haudenosaunee, Wakan by the Dakota and Manitou by the Algonquian peoples. This power is a property of the spirits, but also belongs to transformers, tricksters, culture heroes, or other spirit figures, as well as shamans, prophets and ceremonial performers. Ritual objects such as the calumet, rattles, drums, masks, medicine wheels, medicine bundles and ritual sanctuaries are filled with spiritual power.
Various Indigenous oral histories tell of contacts made between humans and the world beyond. Ceremonially, columns of smoke, central house posts or the central pole of the Sun Dance lodge represent such connections. Many nations tell of a primeval sea or great flood. Northwest Coast peoples, such as the Kwakwaka’wakw, divide the year into two major seasons: the summer time and the winter time, in which most religious ceremonies take place. Historically agricultural societies such as the Haudenosaunee have ceremonial calendars organized around the harvest times of various food plants, with a life-renewal ceremony usually held in midwinter.
A key concept among many societies is the notion of guardians. Among the Abenaki, for instance, Bear is considered one of six directional guardians (west), representing courage, physical strength and bravery. Among the Inuit, the sea goddess Sedna is the guardian of sea mammals and controls when stocks are available to be hunted. Shamans may visit Sedna and coax her into releasing the animals by righting previous wrongs or presenting offerings.
Shamans
Shamans are the most notable of the multiple religious figures present in traditional Indigenous religion. They function as healers, prophets, diviners and custodians of religious mythology, and are often the officiants at religious ceremonies. In some societies, all these functions are performed by the same person; in others, shamans are specialists. Healing practitioners may belong to various orders, such as the Midewiwin or Great Medicine Society of the Ojibwe, while other groups had secret societies, such as the Kwakwaka’wakw and Siksika. Members of such societies were not necessarily shamans but did practice religious ceremonies and rituals.
Shamans were associated with powers generally thought to be beneficial to the community but were believed in some cases to use their powers for sorcery. Shaman-prophets and diviners were concerned with predicting the outcome of the hunt, relocating lost objects and determining the root causes of communal discontent and ill will. Siksika, Cree, Ojibwe and other societies had diviners who made their prophecies (perhaps in trance states) in the dramatic Shaking Tent ceremony. Shamans in these societies were custodians of the sacred medicine bundles containing objects and materials endowed with great mystery and power. Innu shamans divined game trails by burning a caribou shoulder blade, then reading the cracks and fissures created by the fire.
As healers, shamans typically recognized natural causes for many diseases, especially physically curable ones; other illnesses were commonly believed to be the result of intrusion into the body of objects placed there by sorcerers. The shaman-healer’s treatment of such diseases was dictated by his guardian spirit, but usually consisted of the shaman ritually sucking the disease agent out of the body, brushing it off with a bird’s wing, or drawing it out with dramatic gestures. Illness could also result from “spirit loss” — the loss of the soul and/or guardian spirit power. The shaman-healer’s action was then directed to recovering the patient’s spirit and reintroducing it to the body.
Guardian Spirit and Vision Quests
Vision quests (sometimes referred to as guardian spirit quests) once occurred throughout most Indigenous cultures in Canada; it has undergone a revival in many communities. Males, especially at puberty but also at other times of life, make extended stays in remote areas while fasting, praying and purifying themselves by washing in streams and pools. The goal is to seek a vision of, or an actual encounter with, a guardian spirit — very frequently an animal, but possibly a mythological figure. Contact with a guardian spirit is believed to make an individual healthy, prosperous and successful, particularly in hunting and fishing.
The individual focus of the quest is also present in common celebration of life events. Among these rituals are ceremonies at birth or the giving of a name, at puberty, marriage and death, all of which are normally accompanied by some solemnity. Life-event ceremonies, though individual, had some level of communal integration. For example, the 17th-century Huron-Wendat Feast of the Dead may have incorporated features of both seasonal and life-crisis rituals."

(source)
 

TrollingTroubles

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I realized that VC has this called this section “Religion and Spirituality”, however, I find spirituality is rarely discussed if not at all.
I dunno man. Whenever spirituality gets discussed (in my experience) it ceases to be spiritual.

The journey is very personal. Discussion halts that journey.
 
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I think these are excellent words to live by:

"Flavian Mwasi
Personal Development | Life Coach
Updated June 26
What gives you peace of mind?
  1. Pay no attention to criticism or to authors of lies. They wouldn’t be doing it if you hadn’t created something to make them jealous.
  2. When people troll you, this means that you’re important. Pretend that you’re depressed, but smile inwardly because deep inside, you know that you’re somebody significant.
  3. Have a good reason to put a smile on your face. Even when you’re hungry or broke, that’s not a good reason to frown, for you never know when your help is arriving.
  4. Happiness can be faked. This is probably a good thing for your health because your subconscious mind can’t tell the difference.
  5. You can probably tell who your best friends are since they’ll not be easy to find. However, you can easily tell who your fake friends are since they’ll bring themselves to you.
  6. It’s important to connect with as many friends as possible, but the most important way to have inner peace is to connect with yourself.
  7. Whatever happens in your life, try to remain as calm as possible, despite all that’s going on around you.
  8. People who can control their emotions are stronger than fortresses. Most of the problems that take away our inner peace come from reacting to situations we shouldn’t react to.
  9. Don’t look for internal peace externally, where everybody is looking. To have peace, you have to look for someone who already has it. Unfortunately, most people don’t have inner peace, so you must change your focus to rely on your internal resources.
  10. Despite all the noise, there’s still a central place where you can find peace. The heart is a central place where you can find almost anything that needs to be found.
  11. You will never have peace watching the daily news, for it is the bad news that sells for TV stations and makes a slave to negative news. A person who watches much TV will always wake up with a headache, hangover, or depression.
  12. Happiness is the secret to inner peace. Avoid people or situations that deprive you of happiness.
  13. Nothing is as infectious as a good laughter, yet most people want to look depressed for no particular reason. Why don’t you lock yourself in a room and laugh even when there’s no particular reason to laugh?
  14. Whatever situation you find yourself in, there’s no good reason to lose hope. Hope is like advance payment on something valuable you’re eagerly awaiting.
  15. In most cases, you have innate peace inside of you, but other people come and take it away through discouragement, bad news, and idle talk because they don’t have peace in the first place and they don’t feel comfortable when you have it.
  16. When people tell you something negative, the best thing to do is to remain calm. Try to assess it, and if it doesn’t make sense ignore it. The worst thing you can do is to react to it, but the best thing you can do is to avoid negative people.
  17. Inner peace is more valuable than all the peace in the world, because when you have it, you can think more clearly and know how to react to situations and problems.
  18. The natural inclination for humans is to dominate and control others. Know that if you’re a person given to this instinct, you’re courting misery, unhappiness, and grief, for the same people you seek to control, will turn upon you and tear you apart, the moment they realize you’re also human.
  19. The number one killer for peace of mind is when you lose sleep as a result of another person “getting there” quicker than you. No two people are the same. No two people have the same abilities, and no two people think the same way. Don’t feel jealous because someone else is succeeding where you failed. Instead, be happy for them and your own success will arrive faster than you think.
  20. The number two killer for peace of mind is anger. Anger is like a tornado, destroying everything in it’s wake including you and your loved ones.
  21. Pay attention to what you eat. Neurochemicals in the brain that control mood, peace of mind, love, happiness, anger, and other factors, depend on the kind of food you eat, your particular environment, and the people you live with. Changing any or all of these factors, can greatly boost your inner peace that you didn’t believe existed.
  22. There’s a reason why people take a break. Although worrying your head off won’t solve any problem, you might find it reasonable to find a solitary place where you can spend time alone. Enjoying solitude, meditation, and prayer, especially where there’s a body of water like the sea, river, or lake, are great ways to get away from people and all the noise, mobile phones, internet, social media, and rejuvenate your life. Find time to connect with your soul, and understand better what’s ailing you.
  23. The phrase that “music heals your soul” can’t be more true. I’d say that making music your close companion is a great way to relax, whether you’re depressed or not. Music relaxes the mind and body, soothes the nerves, recovers your lost energy and focus, and immunizes you from the stresses of life."
 
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This book isn't new, but I think it goes in the, "oldie but a goodie" category. The first video gives a good summary of what the Four Agreements are:

THE FOUR AGREEMENTS by Don Miguel Ruiz | Core Message

As the title states, the second one is a little over 30 minutes and has a more detailed explanation:

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz | (Detailed Book Summary)


"The Four Agreements are as follows:
Agreement 1: Be Impeccable With Your Word
Ruiz states that while this agreement is the most important, it is the most difficult one to honor.[7] For this agreement, Ruiz first analyzes the word "impeccable". The word impeccable comes from the Latin word peccatus meaning "sin", and the "im" in the beginning of impeccable is the Latin prefix that means "without". Ruiz describes a sin to be anything that goes against oneself, and therefore being impeccable with language means to take responsibility for one's actions and remain without judgment against oneself and others.[8] In essence, this agreement focuses on the significance of speaking with integrity and carefully choosing words before saying them aloud.[9]
Agreement 2: Don't Take Anything Personally
The second agreement provides readers with a way to deal with hurtful treatment from others that they may experience in life. It advocates the importance of having a strong sense of self and not needing to rely on the opinions of others in order to be content and satisfied with their self-image. This agreement also allows readers to understand the notion that each individual has a unique worldview that alters their own perceptions, and that the actions and beliefs of a person is a projection of their own personal reality.[1] Ruiz believes that anger, jealousy, envy, and even sadness can lessen or dissipate once an individual stops taking things personally.[8]
Agreement 3: Don't Make Assumptions
The third agreement describes the issue of making assumptions, how it leads to suffering, and why individuals should not partake in making them. When one assumes what others are thinking, it can create stress and interpersonal conflict because the person believes their assumption is a representation of the truth.[10] Ruiz believes that a solution to overcoming the act of making an assumption is to ask questions and ensure that the communication is clear between the persons involved.[9] Individuals can avoid misunderstandings, sadness, and drama by not making assumptions.[1]
Agreement 4: Always Do Your Best
The fourth agreement allows readers to have better insight into achieving progress towards their goals in life. This agreement entails integrating the first three agreements into daily life and also living to one's full potential.[8] It involves doing the best that one can individually manage, which varies from the different situations and circumstances that the individual may encounter. Ruiz believes that if one does their best in any given moment, they will be able to avoid self-judgment and regret.[10] By incorporating the first three agreements and doing the best they can in all facets of life, individuals will be able to live a life free from sorrow and self-ridicule.[10]"

(source)
 
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Fall being my favourite season, only a few more weeks for the leaves to be left on the trees:


Sharing a blog that I think gives an inspirational way to look at the changing of seasons:

"UNDERSTANDING SPIRITUAL SEASONS
- Personal Growth
The very first time someone told me that the situation I was going through was “just a season,” I was convinced they had no clue! How could what I was feeling be just a season? The more I sought God and grew in spiritual maturity, I came to realize that they were right - that season had been "just a season." What if we approached life from a perspective of understanding that each season would teach us lessons on strength, endurance, growth, faith, and trust? Would we conduct ourselves differently?
That “thing” you are currently facing whether it is struggles in your marriage, friendships, or relationships with kids, I'm here to tell you that it is just a season. The question is, how do we navigate those seasons?
First we need a road map. We need to understand what is happening during a spiritual fall, winter, spring, and summer. Once we have a clear understanding of the spiritual seasons, we are then equipped to handle whatever life throws our way.
God provides examples in the natural to help us understand our spiritual seasons. Our spiritual seasons typically mirror what we see in nature, however the timing of nature's seasons, when we go through our particular seasons and the length of our seasons don't always match.
SPIRITUAL FALL
If you look at nature this is typically a time of things falling away. This is when we see the temperature and leaves begin to change, which is how we know that fall is coming. Maybe God is calling some things to fall away in your life. What is He calling you to let go of?
Nature provides a great example of how this should look in our life. Often times we want to hold on and not let go of things that could potentially cause problems in our next season. Spiritual fall is a good time for you to grow your trust in God.
SPIRITUAL WINTER
In the natural, when we think of winter we think of rest. This is typically a time when things are not growing or blooming outside. Animals are hibernating (resting), and if we are smart we should take a cue from nature when God calls us into a spiritual winter.
We shouldn't resist the rest. Rather, we should welcome the opportunity to recharge! This is a good time to really hear from God on direction and next steps. Pray and journal during this season. Ideas typically will abound if you are getting proper rest during a spiritual winter.
You may feel restless or unsure because it’s not the time to harvest or take action on the ideas, however you can be strategic about planning and getting yourself set up for a bountiful spring. Take him up on His graciousness and rest in Him.
SPIRITUAL SPRING
We all love the fresh feelings spring brings! There is just this new zest for life and an unstoppable feeling when we are in a spiritual spring. This is the time that we are planting those ideas that may have come to us during our winter and beginning to see the early stages of blossoms and warmth as our ideas begin to bloom, through our relationships and connections. We are seeing God work on our behalf in our spiritual spring. This is a season that we typically don’t have a hard time trusting Him.
SPIRITUAL SUMMER
Who doesn't love summer? This is a time in the natural that we typically mix work with play. I recently read an article that pointed out the contrast of the heat and coolness you experience during the summer. So although we are still diligently working, we should also be taking breaks so that we don’t overheat.
How does this apply spiritually? This is the time to reap what you planted during your spiritual spring. It’s a time to continue to work, while making sure to build refreshment and relaxation in as well.
This is also a time for us to get rid those “weeds" that may want to pop up and get us distracted. If we limit our distractions, a spiritual summer can be very good to us.
I hope this helps you pinpoint what spiritual season you are currently in. I know that once I had a clear understanding of spiritual seasons I was able to give myself grace in each new season that God carried me through. I was also able to trust Him more and increase my faith as I saw Him work on my behalf in each season.
How do you handle your spiritual fall and winters? How can you begin to trust God more during a spiritual winter or fall?
I would love for you to come connect with me and other wives and moms who are looking to build community, grow in grace and support each other through each season in the Guilt-Free Girlfriends Group over on Facebook! So, come join us - it's free!"

(source)
 
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Inspiring blog that I thought was worth sharing. Below are some excerpts from it (bold emphasis mine):

The Upside of Tyranny
Michelle Leduc Catlin

"Sometimes it takes a crisis. If you look at every personal growth spurt in your life, chances are every one was preceded by a great and uncomfortable challenge. It is our failures, our struggles, our pain that make us stronger, wiser, more resilient, and, if we allow it, happier.
I call it spiritual hormesis — what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger....
...Those of us who gathered are mothers and fathers, medical professionals and others with long-standing careers, working class and middle class.I spoke to several people for whom this was the first demonstration of their lives. Because nothing in our lives has ever been more important. Nothing ever will be. And this could be good news."...
...My hopes and prayers are that they will draw attention to the pain and suffering of ordinary Canadians and that the mainstream media will hear them out and begin to give voice to the truth of these mandates. They are ineffective and cruel and are destroying our democracy. And here I circle back to our opportunity. We have lived in relative luxury compared with much of the rest of the world. We have reaped the rewards of democracy without having to take responsibility for our freedoms. Until now."

(source)
 

DavidSon

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Jan 10, 2019
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Related to "uncomfortable challenges" is the reality of pain. Pain, physical and mental, is inevitable- something we should face rather than shy away from. In over 7000 quotes it's apparent how universal pain is, how many ways it can be understood:

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/pain?page=14

“Pain is a portal to transformation,
It does not knock politely.”
― Lucy H. Pearce

“Let me not pray to be sheltered from dangers,
but to be fearless in facing them.
Let me not beg for the stilling of my pain, but
for the heart to conquer it.”
― Rabindranath Tagore
 
Joined
Mar 30, 2017
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I found this on Twitter and it resonated with me so I'm posting it:

"We've never been at war before when we were the enemy and the victims. Rising above tyranny as a collective and throwing off the shackles that hold back the inevitable and beautiful potential of the human spirit is delicious."

- "Amber Adams"​
 
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