Spiritual Development

You are currently browsing the archive for the Spiritual Development category.

2010

I hope this Holiday season has brought you much good cheer and that the New Year 2010 is starting off in the right direction. During the Holidays and into the New Year, the divine sends a great deal of spiritual light to planet earth. People are more open to the spiritual impulse during this time and there is a better cooperation between humanity and the spiritual hierarchy.

What can we expect in 2010? The Higher is sharing that the New Year is going to have its challenges; things may continue to be tough, but that in the midst of these challenges there will be great opportunity for growth. They encourage you not to feel discouraged if things are not yet going the way you would like, but to redouble your efforts and do your very best. While an all out economic catastrophe has been averted, we have still not worked through all the ramifications of what has happened. Things are still unsettled so you must continue to show strength and fortitude until things turn more fully for the better – which they will.

All moments of crisis and challenges are moments of change and potential opportunity. Rather than hoping or expecting things to be easier, grab the bull by the horns and put your best foot forward. Keep being the best person you know how to be. Build your strength yet continue to show compassion. Maybe this is the time to explore new avenues in a career direction or find new and inventive ways of going about getting work. Whatever your situation is, continue to show hope and optimism regardless of the obstacles. Let go of old resentments and grudges. There simply is no time for anything that can slow you down or hold you back. You want to soar into the sky and take your life in new directions.

Remember, your destiny is always in your own hands. If there was ever a time to weave the life purpose that is in your tapestry of life, this is the time. You can make it happen. All the gifts and tools of Spirit are ready to work with you. With sincere effort and application, you can make this your best year yet.

Wishing you a very bright New Year 2010,

Barbara Y. Martin
Spiritual Director

  • Share/Bookmark

Earth Heart

In our last newsletter, we looked at how there really is a Spiritual Renaissance that is arriving. It is the next step in the evolution of humanity and the planet. While orchestrated by the divine, this New Day will take all of us working together to make happen. As we approach the Holiday season and the closing of 2009, let us ask what we can do personally to quicken the advent of this New Glorious Day.

EFFORT – First and foremost, the Spiritual Renaissance is a call to action. Too many feel they do not have enough time or have too many commitments to pursue the spiritual path. The truth is there is always time for the divine. Make room for God and watch how the rest of your life falls into place. As Alice Bailey said, “Circumstance and environment offer no true obstacle to the spiritual life.”

COOPERATION – We’ve come a long way in realizing that while we are diverse cultures and races, we are part of the family of God and all play an essential part in the divine plan. Of course, there is still work to do to realize the inherent unity within us all. In the spiritual arena, many spiritual groups forget that regardless of the creed or belief we may follow, the New Day is for us all. We need to support all our brothers and sisters in light.

SUPPORT – There needs to be a channeling of resources to materialize the divine plan. Too many groups that are making essential contributions are sorely underfunded and understaffed to complete the task at hand. God has given us worldly resources not so much to suit our own desires but to serve our part in the divine plan.

It takes courage to step up to the plate and do your part regardless of what others are doing. A fire must first start as a flame. Refuse to let fear stand in the way of what you know is the right course of action.

The beauty of the Spiritual Renaissance is, it is not emanating from one single group. It’s truly a grass roots phenomenon. And this is its strength – individual efforts creating a collective effect. As you do your part, others follow. Slowly but surely, the wealth of the earth will flow into areas of life and society it was destined for and this will lay the very groundwork for the New Day.

In closing, let it be said that the divine knows when the Spiritual Renaissance will arrive. One thing is sure, by doing your part not only are you contributing to your own personal enlightenment, you are helping to enlighten the world.

Wishing you Happy Holidays and a very bright New Year 2010,

Barbara Y. Martin
Spiritual Director

  • Share/Bookmark

idyllic landscape

Many have asked about the year 2012 and its spiritual significance. Books have been written on the topic. There are workshops and lectures discussing 2012, and there is even a major motion picture coming out with an apocalyptic view of 2012. For those of you not familiar with this date, 2012 is based on the idea that the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar ends its 5000 year cycle in the year 2012. It is thought that this could portend a major world event whether that event is physical or spiritual in nature. While there is no common agreement in archaeological circles regarding the interpretation of the calendar and what it means to us, there has been a groundswell of interest as to what this all might mean to humanity.

Certainly, there is a spiritual awakening that is globally taking place. Despite the increasing challenges of life and the accelerated pace of our day-to-day existence, we are searching more earnestly than ever before for real answers to life’s biggest questions. It is natural to ask where this is all leading to. Are we truly in the beginning of a new age of spiritual awareness? Are we on the verge of a global shift?

I would like to share with you my understanding on this topic as has been shared by the Higher as it reveals some important insights into human nature and where we stand collectively as a civilization. Despite the many predictions, the Higher shares quite simply that there is no spiritual significance to 2012. While it is true there are some cosmological correlations to the date, it does not mark the beginning of a new level of spirituality or end of life as we know it now.

However, this revelation still does not fully answer why all the excitement. For so many people to take interest in 2012 there must be some underlying cause, something to drive all this excitement. We can look at the 2012 phenomenon as an expression of our hopes and fears as well as an inner sense of some dramatic spiritual forces at work in our lives.

The first thing to see is what metaphysics has been teaching all along: We are responsible for our own spiritual evolution. While the divine guides us each step of the way, we have to walk the path to enlightenment on our own regardless of the age or times we live in. The earth has gone through many epochs, both physical and spiritual, and will continue to do so. We must be careful to avoid looking for a single event to change our lives. Too many times, people use apocalyptic visions as a way to escape from life or problems they many be facing.

Some have used the current economic crisis as an indicator that a spiritual tipping point is occurring. Again we must take a more sober viewpoint and see that historically there have been many financial crises and probably will continue to be. The Higher has already shared with us that the current financial crisis was due to karma—in other words the results of our own collective actions. And while it is true that certain celestial rhythms were in alignment which to contributed to bringing the crisis to a head when it did, the cause was still our own. Fortunately we have moved out of this difficult alignment, even though we are still feeling its effects. And as long as we are learning our lessons, things will slowly get better.

Yet, beyond present conditions or the significance of 2012 is a bigger question: Is there really a spiritual shift of momentous proportions coming? The answer is absolutely yes! Without question, there is a New Day coming for humanity and the world as a whole. As glorious and wondrous as this new era will be, in fact it is a natural progression of life and part of the divine plan that has been in motion for a very long time.

If 2012 is not the date, when will this New Day come? The truth is no one knows. Only God knows when the world is ready for such change. And you should not try to guess when this will happen. Right now, what is more important is to live as spiritual a life as you know and make your contribution to the divine plan. Be the best person you know how to be and let God do the rest. The spiritual awakening that is happening is just the beginning of the spiritual renaissance that has yet to arrive.

May it be said here that regardless of when the New Day will come, the door is always open for your own personal enlightenment. You do not need some special date to change your life or to fulfill your life’s purpose. You can make the change any time you wish, as you are the master of your own destiny.

In Divine Light and love,
Barbara Y. Martin

  • Share/Bookmark

Easter is an important occasion in the metaphysical work. During Easter, we celebrate the resurrection and ascension, the victory of life over death, not only for Jesus but for ourselves as well. Easter is a time when the divine comes especially close to help us drop some of our lower nature and resurrect our higher, immortal nature—the part of us beckoning for greater expression. During this time, we celebrate all that the divine does for us in our spiritual evolution. We celebrate the establishing of the Christ light on Earth, the light that is in the process of resurrecting the world. Easter is also the time we celebrate the promise that, despite the toils and troubles of the world, a new and better day is come for us all.

Happy Easter!

  • Share/Bookmark

Q: Do I have to give up my religion to walk the metaphysical path?

A: The answer is a resounding no. You can most definitely continue your religious practice and embrace the metaphysical path. As a matter of fact, metaphysics can deepen your understanding and appreciation of the religion you may be practicing. Metaphysics in itself is not a religion. It is a spiritual school of learning. The ancients called these training centers mystery schools, because students in these schools were learning the mysteries of life as part of their quest for spiritual enlightenment. All true religions and metaphysical schools draw their inspiration from the same spiritual well, and we are all children of the same God. So the key is regardless of the spiritual practice you may embrace, it is your dedication and sincerity to living your life in the spirit of truth that you truly grow spiritually.

  • Share/Bookmark

When we relate with other people, not only is there an exchange of thoughts and emotions, but there is an exchange of spiritual energy as well. This can most clearly be seen in our aura. In fact, there is a steady exchange of energy when we are interacting with others. This is by divine design of course. If there were no exchange of energy, we could not connect with people and our relationships would have no meaning.

As we know, our relationships are not always of the highest order. It is all too easy for anger, resentment, frustration and disappointment to set in and this disturbs the quality of our relationships. We must be very careful as an exchange of negative energy from one aura to another has a debilitating effect on the sender and the receiver. Most of the time, we’re not aware that we may be sending or receiving negative energy. Yet we’re certainly aware when an exchange with another person has left us happy or sad.

Here are a few simple guidelines to help you work with your aura in any difficult interaction with others. First recognize that the goal of any relationship is to come from a place to love. Love is the key to healing any relationship friction. So your first job is to work with the deep rose-pink ray to uplift yourself and the other person.

Second, no one has the right to step into your auric field unless somewhere you permit that to happen. This means if you are faced with a difficult relationship, you have to stand up for yourself and refuse to become a victim in any way. If you feel an exchange with another person is heading into a negative direction, see yourself in a golden bubble of protective light and silently refuse any negative energy that may be directed at you. By refusing the destructive energy, you’re helping diffuse the situation which will help all people involved. It’s also a good idea to shower your entire aura with the gold light to build more dynamic power in your dealings with others.

If you’re the one who has sent negative energy to another person, then it is a good idea to work with the white light. Ask that the white light go to that person to release any negative energy you may have sent as well as to derail the destructive effect it may have had on them. Do your best to think kindly of that person. If you find it difficult to do, reaffirm the spiritual perspective with an affirmation such as, “I let this go and put this person in God’s loving hands. I refuse to think badly about this person.” This will help avoid the transmission of any destructive energy.

We are all precious in God’s sight regardless of the mistakes we may make. Being dynamic and strong as well as loving and kind is the key to creating healthy and productive relationships.

In Divine Light and love,

Barbara Y. Martin
Spiritual Director

  • Share/Bookmark

What do you do when you are doing your best to work with the divine light to increase your finances, but your spouse is in a destructive place? Can you still manifest the finances you need?

This is a very challenging question because naturally our spouse is an intricate part of our life. The things we do affect our spouse and the things our spouse does affects us. When there is disharmony whether related to finances or anything else, this requires your immediate, undivided attention.

A recommendation here is to first make sure you really are doing your best to manifest the finances you need. Too often our mind is focused on the problem and not the solution. You may think you’re doing all you can but that may not be the truth. Another thing is to do your best to work with your spouse to help lift them out of whatever may be holding him or her back. Too often we condemn our spouse for shortcomings which has the effect to keeping them in their own negativity. Pray for them steadily. Send them divine light and see them as the divine being they are. Pray for guidance and direction. As you continue to faithfully work with the light a resolution or answer to your dilemma will reveal itself.

  • Share/Bookmark

The answer to this most often asked question is yes. It is not an easy task by any means, but we are all mystics in the making and seeing the aura is part of the experience of being a mystic. Whether in this life or a future life, we are all destined to pierce the veil of matter and see into the spiritual dimensions of life. The key to developing your spiritual vision is developing your soul. Spiritual vision is an outgrowth of the normal course of soul development. So if you want to develop your clairvoyant powers, focus first on developing yourself – mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. And at the right time, your vision will awaken.

  • Share/Bookmark

Here at Spiritual Arts Institute we have a special New Year’s tradition. We encourage everyone to make a wish list of their hopes and dreams for the coming year. Then, after New Year’s Day, seal the list and ask the light to bless your wishes. Keep the list on your altar all year, and open it at the end of the year to see what came to fruition. In addition, make a list of things you want to let go of, that you do not want to bring into the new year, and burn that list as close to midnight as possible on New Year’s Eve, feeling the old being released as you are infused with the fresh energy of the new year.

  • Share/Bookmark

This holiday time of year – the season of divine light – is a glorious time of growth and renewal. It is the time to honor the Christ and what the Christ consciousness means to us.  Right now, there is a great deal of activity going on in the spiritual dimensions of life.  The celestial hierarchy comes particularly close to us and there’s tremendous prayer work and downpouring of spiritual light to uplift and inspire all humanity.
 
Do your best to stay in as high a state of consciousness as you possibly can, to allow yourself to receive this great outpouring of light, this divine gift.  Take a moment apart from your holiday busyness and be still for a moment, just to allow yourself to breathe and accept this blessing and to be a channel for others who may need a helping hand. 

Happy Holidays to you from all of us at Spiritual Arts Institute!

  • Share/Bookmark

« Older entries