Simply put, a spiritual practice is one that supports your inward journey of self-exploration. They take us beyond the five senses to experience the Spirit, God or Soul within us.
Affirmative Prayer
When we pray, we pray affirmatively.
An affirmative prayer is also known as a Spiritual Mind Treatment. It’s similar to a scientific method of prayer. Spiritual Mind Treatments raise our awareness so that we see, feel and know our oneness with the Divine. It is a powerful tool that shifts our consciousness so that we are open and available to accept the good that is already present in our lives.
Here’s an example of the five steps in a Spiritual Mind Treatment
Recognition: I recognize that Spirit is all there is and ever will be. I stand in the knowing that Universal Oneness is at the very center of all of life.
Unification: I know that I am one with the Eternal Love of Spirit. As I know this truth for myself, I know it for all who come to my mind.
Realization: It is from my awareness of my oneness with all that I speak this word for perfect health in all areas of my life — right now.
Gratitude: Knowing that this word is already complete in the mind of Spirit, I give thanks. I am grateful for all that is now manifesting in my life.
Release: From this high vibration of gratitude I release my word into perfect action of the Law. As I release this word into the Law, my word returns unto me completely and divinely fulfilled.
And so it is.
Meditation
Meditation is a wonderful metaphysical practice that fosters a blissful state of being, relaxes you, provides mental clarity and helps you to tap into your intuitive nature. Meditation can be silent or guided. Incorporating a regular meditation practice in your life will help you connect to the power of the Divine that resides within.
Visioning
“Visioning is a process by which we train ourselves to be able to hear, feel, see, and catch God’s plan for our life or for any particular project we’re working on. An organic process that has evolved for me as I grow spiritually, it is based on the idea that we’re not here to tell God what to do or to ask God for things but to absolutely be available for what God is already doing, to open ourselves up to catch what’s already happening.”
–Michael Bernard Beckwith
What happens to us as we open to the vision
God has for our life and begin to live it?
We become less influenced by the popular or entrenched beliefs of a particular society or culture, and we become much more available to Spirit. We become inspired by the ideas held in the mind of God, and they begin to live and express through us. We begin to be able to articulate them and to live and embody and reveal them. The feeling we have is that we have come home. We are fulfilling our heart’s desire, which is the same thing as God’s will for us. God’s will is for the greater expression of life, of beauty, of everything that God is.
The vision is already accomplished in the mind of God. It’s already a complete idea in Spirit, so we don’t need to pray for its accomplishment. What we do need to pray for is to be a willing and able vehicle or delivery system for the vision. Using the vision process is always self examination. It’s never, “God, I want this. Make this happen.” It’s always, “What do I have to become to live the vision, to manifest it, to reveal it?” The visioning process, then, is a process of transformation of the individual or of the group.
“Our Prayers are fulfilled through rising to the challenge we are experiencing such that our faith is kindled from a spark of inchoate desire to a mighty flame of faith through our inner transformation such that we are answer we have been seeking” ~ Dana Allen
Circulation
Circulation encourages right relationship to the flow of life through balancing giving, receiving, asking, forgiving and gratitude.
Giving precipitates the Law of Circulation.
The Spiritual Practice of Conscious Giving is an invitation to deepen our connection with Spirit and know that Its infinite good is already within us; to give with an open, joyful, loving heart; and grow by stretching our consciousness in the arena of giving.
In the words of Ernest Holmes, “There is an Infinite Law of the Spirit, or Law of Life, which tends to multiply our gifts, because in so doing It multiplies Its own experience, Its own pleasure, Its own fruition.” This quote reminds us that, in giving, we are avenues of Divine distribution, and Spirit experiences the fruits of Its givingness through us. How wonderful is that!
Alaska Center for Spiritual Living offers many ways for each of us to explore Conscious Giving. One way of giving is to give your time. We hope you find an area of service that opens your heart, as you share your gift of self with others.
We may expand our understanding of prosperity to take us beyond money alone and truly reflect the abundant nature of Life itself, and our right to live abundant lives by exploring the truth about money and what it stands for in our lives. We have the opportunity to gain freedom from money having power over us through challenging ourselves to give from the heart with love.
Traditionally, tithing is giving 10% of your gross earnings to your spiritual source.
If 10% inspires you then go for it. However, any amount that stretches you and makes you examine and move through your beliefs around lack and limitation is the percentage with which we encourage you to begin your tithing practice. If that is 5%, 8% or 20%, it is yours to take into prayer to know the right amount for you.
Be sure to consider not only where you are giving to, but where you are giving from. One thing that is absolutely necessary: whatever the amount, it must be given with love. If a tithe is given with underlying motives of trying to get more – then you will not experience the gifts and freedom of this amazing practice.
We teach that tithing is not a practice we should do out of a sense of obligation, but something we choose to do out of a generous spirit of love and giving. We promote the message that your tithe is to be given freely and joyously to whatever feeds you spiritually. Most importantly tithing is a demonstration of faith that God is our source of abundance.
Spiritual Study
which expands understanding through reading, study, investigation and reflection. Authors we recommend include Ernest Holmes, Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Chopra, Louise Hay, Gary Zukov, Debbie Ford, Marianne Wiliamson and Joseph Cambell.
Sacred Service
Service is a way of helping ourselves by helping others.
We serve our community and ourselves by connecting with others in a fun and meaningful way. Just as there is a diversity of people at our spiritual community, there are many ways to put our unique skills, talents, and interests to use in a way that will reveal love and celebrate life with the our community and to the world at large.