A client asked me recently “what are your spiritual practices for the year?” We’d been discussing goals, visioning, and the changes she wanted to make for her best year ever.
I paused, and wondered how do I explain what’s behind what I practice these days? That it really is about BEING the change spiritually.
A decade ago, I couldn’t even tell you what spirituality meant. Today it feels like my entire life has been infused with it.
I still remember these words stopping me in my tracks..
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience.
We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
~Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
My truth bells were immediately ringing. I’d somehow known this…I read it again. Wrote it down. I looked up Pierre..how do I completely miss these great thinkers? This pattern would repeat itself over and over..a whole new reality opened up that has been around for thousands of centuries.
We lost a part of ourselves long ago…
Who Are You?
You are a soul. A complex personality. A unique being who’s evolving on this earth in a vast Universe filled with spiritual guidance. In our modern world filled with technology, and global access to much information, spirituality may feel invisible to you despite a growing awareness that we are all somehow connected.
I’ve been living, and creating my life from a spiritual place for the last decade. It’s a universal journey I share in smaller pieces because not only is readiness a factor, but your most sacred beliefs get challenged. It’s a tricky space to navigate.
I remember the way I used to operate. I’d go straight into planning, common sense, and working hard to get things done. Checking off lists. Getting resources. Achieving Results. Next.
Action is important, but once I realized being comes before doing – everything began to change.
Allowing. Being present. Noticing. Connecting. Seeing. Believing. Trusting. Surrendering. Co-creating. Synchronicities.
I was missing all of it.
What I did this year..
I begin each year with a soul theme. This year it was followed a deep dive into Michael Beckwith’s 4 Stage Visioning Process (can listen here). He takes you through the spiritual journey of living into your life’s vision.
I felt a strong push to lead more this year so a ‘leadership’ theme was coming up for me. It was fueled by a sense of ‘responsibility’ to share more about spirituality.
So I invited some friends over the holidays to watch this visioning process, which is what I’ve been experiencing the past decade! Of course how you go through the stages is unique to you, but it’s remarkably consistent for all.
It happened to fall on a day when plenty of snowflakes were coming down hard.
The roads were not good, and I wasn’t sure anyone would make it, but 11 friends arrived! The number 11 is a ‘sign’ that shows up to tell me “I’m on my right path”. I used to see 11:11 as a child, and then it stopped.
In the last decade as I became more spiritually aware, this 11:11 prompt would appear in all forms 8:11, 11:56, 111, but ONLY when I wasn’t looking for it. Each time it wows me because it reminds me of this bigger universe we live in.
Michael Hyatt’s 5 Days to Your Best Year Ever
I also completed Michael Hyatt’s 5 days to your Best Year Ever online program.
Michael Beckwith’s visioning process is more BEING. Michael Hyatt’s program is more DOING. We need both. As one of my coaches, Christine Kloser would say: “Pray, and move your feet!”
Did you notice the two Michael’s? I have a Godson whose name is Michael. Some people know Jesus as Jeshua, or Joshua Ben Joseph but I also know him as “Christ Michael”. These are synchronicities I pay attention to now.
I see signs and synchronicities every day reminding me of my own spiritual nature. See if you notice them in your life. Some can slip by me for years! When I finally connect the dots, I wonder what took me so long?
The teacher appears when the student is ready. Once I pay attention, I will ask “what am I being shown in this moment that I’m meant to see?” Essentially I open up a dialogue – it’s similar to praying, but more like asking for guidance.
You can’t receive what you don’t ask for – free will is the overriding universal law AND things happen we don’t want. If you can understand this paradox (and duality), you will come to see the nature of life, and can navigate it all more easily.
Your Soul Theme
Your soul theme is a one word intention that becomes your internal compass for the year.
It’s like a nudge calling you forward into becoming more of who you want to be. It’s also the way your soul is seeking to grow.
What do you feel called to step into this year? Can you narrow it down to one word?
The reason why writing down your goals gives you have a much higher chance of success is that it’s a way to release your intention energetically, and you will receive matching assistance from the Universe. Be careful what you wish for – that you are indeed ready to receive it.
Here’s a great resource for more on that idea most of you know as ‘the law of attraction’: Ask, and it is given.
Getting Yourself Out of the Way
You know we can be our own block, but what exactly do we need to let go of? Our limiting beliefs. We all have them.
“Belief is always limiting and binding; faith is expanding and releasing. Belief fixates, faith liberates.”
~The Urantia Papers, 1955
What’s difficult is we don’t know which thoughts are stopping us from experiencing the things we want. They’re our blind spots of self-deception. We tend to think in black and white, logically, and rationally (especially if you grew up in a more scientific family like me)!
We need to adopt a practice of seeing both the forest (big universal picture) AND the trees (smaller details), then focus your attention WHILE keeping that bigger flow going.
It requires a move beyond thinking of ways, and solutions to a place that awakens our own God given creativity. You are the sole creator of your life based on the choices you are constantly making with your free will.
The only freedom you really care about is the one that allows you to make decisions about your definition of success – what makes you come alive, and the results you want. What gets our back up is anyone telling us what’s right or wrong for us, and how you should go about it.
Do they know your heart, mind, and soul better than you?
Seeking guidance, and wisdom from those we respect, and admire is important, but what’s more important is learning to trust yourself.
Only you truly know what feels resonant within. That’s what you most want to honour (without intentionally harming others in the process – the Golden rule is the bottom line rule for relationships). Am I treating anyone in a way I wouldn’t want to be treated?
It’s important to remember that how someone else hurts, gets angry or feels disappointed is often not because you caused it, but as a result of them not getting what THEY WANT based on their own values and needs.
We are not responsible for making other people happy – that’s their responsibility. Until you find your own joy, you will not be much joy to others.
Are you willing to question the beliefs that may be holding you back?
Review your relationships, career, finances, health etc.….what is the experience you’re longing for in each area of your life? Say it out loud “What I really want is __________”, then just listen for any resistance that shows up.
“I cannot be, do, or have __________ because __________.” These will highlight your limiting beliefs.
You may think “I don’t have enough time or resources”, “it’s too late”, or “I’m not smart enough.” No sense being delusional about it, but a wide spectrum of possibilities exists you can grab onto despite these thoughts.
Michael Hyatt talks about ‘upgrading your beliefs’. By re-examining old assumptions, and moving away from the “this is just the way it is” mindset allows you to step out of the box. Now you can get a glimpse of the forest. You may even find yourself exploring a cool jungle or beautiful garden.
The secret is accepting something may be partially true, but then asking “what am I willing to do anyway?” You don’t replace your thoughts completely, you upgrade them to a bigger playing field.
Be mindful that your “thoughts become things” because of the energy you give your words. Mike Dooley teaches this idea…hmmm, another Michael. (He started out at Price Waterhouse where I also articled as a former Chartered Accountant – more synchronicities.) You can sign up here for his “Universe Notes” to open your mind to that cosmic universe of possibilities.
Michael Hyatt calls these upgraded beliefs ‘liberating truths’. One of mine is “I have enough energy and time to accomplish what I want in my career this year, and still maintain a balanced, connected personal life.”
I was hanging on to an old belief that was no longer serving me: “you can have it all, just not all at the same time”. I have fears that I will miss out on the close connection with my teens I’ve developed or I won’t be available to provide the support, and guidance they need. I didn’t want to be stressed out with commitments I couldn’t manage effectively.
But part of me knows I have to be willing to make mistakes, struggle, and disappoint loved ones sometimes in order to grow, and contribute the way I feel called to do spiritually.
Embrace those healthy ‘growing pains’ instead of trying to avoid them is a necessary path to your success. I’ve already forgotten appointments, and missed deadlines, but I’m doing more coaching, and writing than ever before to wider audiences.
The final element is having faith that it will all jive in a way that works in my life. Trust, and surrender.
Faith in the unseen allows you to let go of HOW it will happen, and opens doors you can’t see yet. Assistance comes in many forms, and you will begin to recognize your own miracles, signs, and synchronicites to point the way forward.
So what are my annual spiritual practices?
I’ve been applying this particular Robin Sharma’s best habits video for years. I create a one page plan. I create goals. I’m working on doing a regular weekly review. I live in gratitude. I’m awake by 5 am (which didn’t happen overnight)!
I remind myself to have FUN (I can get too serious) – it’s vital you are genuinely smiling inside. Applying these principles keep elevating the fun factor each year:
I complete an overall assessment using a spiritual “wheel of life”, so I can focus the kind of energy I need to attract what my soul is seeking. It has areas like joy, freedom, contribution, connection etc. It helps me prioritize, and maintain a balanced life.
I write down my core values. A few weeks ago I was telling my son (who’s applying for business schools) about the CEO of Zappos.com (an on-line shoe company) who I really admire for his people practices. I found this short clip to show him their core values, and they ended up helping me define mine better this year!
Their growth under his leadership was phenomenal. Zappos.com was sold to Amazon.com for $1.2B. Don’t underestimate the power of living into your own core values.
Spiritual Practices
- Deliver WOW through service
- Embrace and drive change
- Create fun and a little weirdness
- Be adventurous, creative, and open-minded
- Pursue growth, and learning
- Build open and honest relationships with communication
- Build a positive team and family spirit
- Do more with less
- Be passionate and determined
- Be humble
Living your values helps you prioritize when faced with conflicting choices where you have to say NO to something.
The Essentials: Joy, Organization, and Beauty
To keep my life organized, and running as smoothly, I follow practices from David Allen’s “Getting Things Done”. Stream-lining incoming & outgoing info, a reliable home for everything, tasks versus projects & next actions.
I apply Marie Kondo’s “Magic Of Tidying Up” philosophy: keep only what brings you joy. Recently I got rid of the frustrating pile of unmatched socks, and the mismatched Tupperware! Whew – letting go of the little drains feels so good.
The bigger drains are mandatory. I keep a healthy distance from the people who don’t bring me joy, and foster connections with those who do. Your energetic space makes a BIG difference to what you can create.
Last year I created both beautiful, and workable spaces in my home by hiring a talented designer, and a great handyman. Invest in the experts, but know what you want.
Julia Cameron’s classic “The Artist’s Way” provides proven spiritual practices for developing your creativity, which includes writing morning pages. I practice an ‘automatic writing technique’ where I channel inspiration by connecting with my spiritual guidance team. P.S. creativity = spirituality.
Change versus Transformation
We all have changes we want to make, but what you truly want is transformation. Change can happen today, but will it last next week? What about next year? You don’t flip back after you’ve been transformed. That’s when you’ve become the change.
How we transform our lives comes through the spiritual path. Michael Beckwith’s visioning process takes you out of victim consciousness over to manifesting, then becoming a channel, and finally experiencing moments of divinity. It’s how you become enlightened, and is an individual journey of your soul.
So if you’re trying to get up earlier to have that glorious time with your soul, you must be willing to let go of feeling like you can’t for whatever reason, embrace feeling exhausted initially, and manage all those limiting beliefs in favour of your upgraded one. It’s a process of letting go, and honouring more of you.
Getting up early affects the nature of my whole day. It’s a feeling of not only being present, but being ‘on top of things’ versus ‘rushing behind to catch up’. It feels like my 24 hour day was expanded so I can relax a bit, and stay busy with ease, which prevents dis-ease. It’s a spiritual shift.
Time is an illusion. It’s the way you are managing your energy (emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually) throughout your day that can shift time. When you invest in your spiritual energy, it’s coming from a higher source. You also won’t need as much sleep when this energy is activated regularly.
Getting Through The Messy Middle
Transformation requires we push through what Michael Hyatt calls “the messy middle”. Our internal voice that blames, and creates guilt, and shame creates alot of resistance to change. We judge, instead of nurture ourselves. It’s so easy to compare yourself to someone else, and feel bad, but you have no idea what’s really happening in someone else’s whole life to make a fair comparison.
If you’re going to compare, choose to create motivating energy with that awareness not the opposite. Get your mental energy on your side.
Hyatt sets up what he calls “activation triggers” to anticipate any contingencies you will face when the going gets tough. In those weak moments when obstacles show up, you already have something to fall back on to stay on track.
So you think through ahead of time your “what if ____ then I’ll _______ “ contingencies that have taken you away from desired changes in the past. No more excuses because you’ve brainstormed all the ways around them.
It helps to be accountable to someone else. A friend. Your partner. A coach. Payment helps & why I invest so much in coaches, experts, and programs! They move me forward faster.
Connect to Your Why
When I start to lose focus, I go back to my “why bother?” This is the purpose of having your goal or making that change. What is the cost if you don’t bother?
I also answer some key questions that jolt me back to my vision. It could be a video clip, or words of wisdom. A question Elizabeth Gilbert left with us at a conference last year:
“What are you willing to give up to have the life you keep pretending to care about?”
That caring gets me moving again.
Another one I frequently use when I think about the suffering in our world:
“If not you, then who, if not now, then when?”
I come back to the energy that originally was calling me forward for my vision of living judgment-free, and I continue to keep moving.
What do you really want to experience this year?
It’s about harnessing your spiritual energy.
Tap into your inner child – that original essence of who you are:
Connecting to gratitude for the simplest things we take for granted
Develop Your Creativity by learning to listen to your creative muse.
Understand how your chakras open from a fantastic animated series – Avatar: the Last Airbender. You will laugh, learn, and cry. Available on Amazon.com. (Avoid the movie version – it’s painful to watch after seeing the original series.)
Find your faith, and open up to your creative spirit through artist prodigy Akiane’s story. Her paintings leave you in AWE of what’s possible when you co-create.
Finally – make a vow.
I Made A Vow
Yesterday has gone away,
It was simply yesterday.
Was it good, or was it bad?
I shrug about the time I had,
For yesterday has gone away,
Since it was simply yesterday.
This early morn’ I made a vow,
That I would live my life right now,
Accepting credits to be earned,
With all new lessons to be learned,
For it’s the essence of my vow,
To experience the “now”.
Will the future bring me sorrow?
Not a care about the morrow!
Whilst I labor in this day,
Tomorrow’s still a day away,
And there are lessons to be learned,
So many credits to be earned.
Yesterday has gone away,
It was simply yesterday.
Was it good, or was it bad?
I shrug about the fears I had,
This early morn’ I made a vow,
That I would live my life right now.
~Athena – a Celestial Artisan of the 11:11 Progress Group
Wishing you joy, magic, and miracles on your spiritual journey this year with these spiritual practices.
If you would like a copy of my spiritual wheel of life or the transcript to Michael Beckwith’s interview, or to book a free 30 minute spiritual coaching consult to help create your best year ever, email me at carolyn@carolynhidalgo.com)
