52 Weeks of Spiritual Practice
By Deborah Williams
The
purpose of the 52 Principles is to develop a partnership, a connection with
God. Connecting with God is why we are here; the soul’s desire. To be in
communication with the Creator is ideally the most fulfilling life, our best
life. The intent of the 52 Principles is God-realization through daily
practice. Practice the principles with frequency and find God-consciousness
through your own efforts. With practice, you will begin to encounter your
experiences in a spiritual context as you begin to practice and master
spiritual principles. This week’s spiritual principle is Acceptance.
So much of what we think is redundant,
particularly when our thoughts create fear, anxiety and frustration. Is it
possible to let go of the thoughts that keep us stuck in the past and future;
this is liberation. When we begin to accept people for who they are, the energy
we waste in attempting to change others can be used to enjoy their uniqueness. When
we accept, we no longer have to fix. Acceptance is judgment free.
Your level of awareness is directly
related to how you accept what is. Who are you? Clinging to a façade and
building on the concept of a false self is not your true Self. Creating a false
self is like building a foundation on sand. This is similar to the “catfish” in social
media where your online profile is whatever you decide to create. Let go and
accept your authentic Self. We cling and build to conform to societal norms in
order to be accepted. False images and pretense originate from the ego.
Acceptance is on the soul level with full attention, appreciating life,
nonjudgment, humility, embracing love, and no expectation of a response from
others. You do what you do because it feels right for you. Accept what is and
live out loud. Be who you are with no reservations, be your authentic Self.
Accept and embrace the truth of
spiritual principles (peace, strength, freedom, understanding, joy, well-being,
love). Acceptance is a knowing that all is well even when you cannot see how
things will turn out. Realize that someone somewhere is taking care of things
without little effort on your part. Pay attention to what happens in your life
by focusing on you right here, right now. Letting go is accepting what is in
the past and present, and not worrying about the future.
Self-Assessment:
What
do you do to be accepted by others?
Are you willing to be wrong, even
when you think that you are right?Could you abandon your position?
Do you struggle with the things that have already happened?
Do you accept the presence of God in all things?
Do you accept the presence of God in you?
Can you see spiritual principles at work in other’s lives?
Can you see spiritual principles at work in your life?
Can you accept who you are in this moment?
Can you accept others?
How do you see yourself, and is that concept the real you?
Who are you pretending to be?
Who are you?
Do you predict how others will behave?
What are your preconceived notions that cause you to accept or reject others?
Why do you cling and build?
Why and how do you resist the reality in your life?
Do you assert your will in opposition to the flow of life?
How often do you exert energy on worrying about the past and future?
Are you stressed out?
What are your stress triggers?
Acceptance Practices:
When caught up in a strong belief, needing
to be liked, to be right about something, or stuck in a strong emotion, ask Self,
“Could I, just could I, let it go?” Letting go and accepting does not happen
primarily in the mind – it happens in the body. You do not need to decide to
let go; you need only to ask yourself if it is possible. In recognition of this
possibility, something happens in the body: a deep sigh, a muscle spasm, or a
release of tension you might not have ever known was there. There is no need to
know where a belief comes from, or to try to change it in any way, or to
understand at all (excerpt from Leap before
You Look – Arjuna Ardagh). Observe or witness the mind and body’s response
to accepting what is in the present moment. Affirmation: I surrender to the
power of truth and the presence of Spirit in my life.
Daily Practice – Be aware when you
are content or satisfied with the moment and not resisting the flow. Who am I? This question prods your awareness
to examine your true Self. Pay attention to coincidences, they have meaning. A
coincidence is the Spirit/God speaking and providing information and
intelligence to manifest goodness.
Don’t take anything personal (The Four Agreements – Miguel Ruiz).
Don’t respond to naysayers because there agenda is not about you; it is about
them. People’s actions are based on their level of awareness. Affirmation: I am
totally independent of the good and bad opinions of others, I am beneath no one;
I am fearless in the face of any and all challenges.
The pathway to acceptance is peace.
No stress, no fear, and no drama. When we practice acceptance, events and
situations pass through us with no resistance from our mind and body; no
clinging. Being right is over-rated when it alienates and causes conflict and
confusion. Don’t waste your energy; instead, use life situations to grow
spiritually.
How do you demonstrate
acceptance and letting go? Develop your own spiritual practice.
Peace and Many Blessings
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