Helping You On Your Your Spiritual Journey
If you are reading this blog I bet your spirituality is recognisably an integral aspect of your life. Your friends know you to have a ‘deeper’ side. You are a truth seeker, and your connection to the Universe, God, angels, and your soul’s purpose are important to you. Am I right?
When did your journey start? … Can you pinpoint that moment of spiritual awakening? Was it a book, someone’s talk or workshop, an article in a magazine, someone close to you, a life threatening experience? (I would love to hear your story).
Spiritual growth, as you know, takes practice. Just as with a musical instrument, if we want to create beautiful music we need to practice our technique until we get it right; and like any fitness, sport or health project we have to exercise our muscles if we want to gain strength and improve our stamina. Many great teachers have pointed out that all we really need to do is let go of ego, be in the moment, still the mind, and simply ‘connect’. However, my own busy life and the pressures of a growing family, material and practical necessities such as utilities, food, clothing, medical care and mortgage show me clearly everyday how hard that is. To find time for creating a sacred space to meditate and make that ‘connection’ with God and the angelic realms is not always easy. I do understand!
But even with a family, a full time job and a home to run there are so many wonderful ways to devise a spiritual practice on a daily basis, no matter how busy you are. For example, as you wake and open your eyes, ‘Bless’ the day ahead – knowing that all will be well. Be mindful as you get out of bed and stretch holding your hands up and honouring the Heavenly Father and the angelic realms. Then touching the ground in front of you honour the Earthly Mother, giving thanks for everything she provides for us. As you shower let the water cleanse your aura, not just the physical body. And as you step out of the shower imagine you are stepping into a bubble of pure light as you intentionally protect yourself, and your energies, for the day. Then smile at your reflection, acknowledging the God within, and thank God, the angels, your guides and mentors and yourself, just for being here,…(no extra time taken) and this is just before breakfast!
Numerous students have requested additional support over the years on my home study course, Educating Heart And Soul, and so we have decided to begin running more online webinars this year, and I am also offering personal teaching in the form of monthly consultations to run alongside the programme. I have a limited number of places for both new and former students, so why not consider giving your spiritual journey a boost this Spring. Visit the website for more details – www.EducatingHeartAndSoul.com
For those of you who are already involved with a spiritual practice and are considering ways to guide, teach, mentor or simply befriend others along their journey there are lots of courses and programmes to support you. Some of you will know I am involved in a Spiritual Companions programme and have been offering a five month course of spiritual development based on the Spiritual Companions Guidelines in Spiritual Practice. I’ll be running the course again this year, so if you feel called to develop your spiritual practice further please contact me, or look out for announcements..
JOIN ME IN BELFAST 1st and 2nd MARCH
I have been invited to come over to Belfast for the Mind Body Spirit Show on Sunday 2nd March and will be giving two talks at the show. This is the first year this show has run in the city so, if you can, please support this event. Full details are here: http://www.themindbodyspiritshow.com/
And since I will be in the city over the weekend, there will be a Saturday workshop for all course students or those who are considerimg the course as a way forward. During the workshop I will be running through some of the key points and exercises from the course and answering questions. We’ll do some pair-work and group meditation too.
Date: Saturday 1st March
Time: 10.30am to 4.30pm
Cost: 45 pounds per person
Venue: to be announced once we know numbers. It will be in Belfast or the surrounding area.
Please visit the website to book your place, or call Richard on 01223 969858. www.angellight.co.uk/events/courseworkshop.html
I also have a talk and workshop coming up in Letchworth, Hertfordshire and would love to see you there if you live in that area. As always check the website for more details.
And don’t forget you can share this newsletter with your friends on Facebook and other social networks.
I look forward to seeing you soon.
Read MoreWhat Is A Spiritual Companion?
You may have noticed that I have been mentioning my involvement with Spiritual Companions in some of my recent newsletters. I have had lots of enquiries and so I am dedicating this newsletter to deal with a few of the questions that I have been asked.
Let me ask you to reflect on a few things first:
- Do you find that your personal spiritual journey has brought you into contact with lots of people over the years who have been attracted to you because you have a generous shoulder to lean on?
- Do friends and colleagues tell you that you have a quality which they find supportive, and understanding?
- That you seem to have a little more knowledge and experience of spiritual things than most, and a good listening ear?
- Perhaps you are a beautician, hairdresser, therapist, carer, teacher, administrator … a role in which your caring, loving soul attracts others who pour out their troubles!
- Do you sometimes wish that you had just a little more confidence, more training, a better understanding, a deeper connection, a few more skills, so that you could offer better guidance, that your language and presence might be more effective?
This is where the Spiritual Companions training comes in. When you have developed a spiritual practice of your own, whatever that might be, perhaps yoga, meditation, reiki, prayer, body work, t’ai-chi, or other spiritual disciplines… there often arises a deeper sense of a desire to serve. Whether this means ‘to serve’ God, a community project, the planet, strangers, friends or colleagues doesn’t seem to matter, but a deeply profound sense -even urgency- of being of service often takes place.
The Spiritual Companions course in itself is aligned to deepening our sense of connection, reflection and service. In your own way, using your own understanding, the course, which is taught by a trained Spiritual Educator and supported by a group of peers, enhances and broadens your own sense of spiritual connection to ‘what is’. It may be a stronger connection to everything in your immediate life, or angels, the cosmos, other people or nature. By reflecting and sharing in a safe environment you will develop the skills that may enable you to accompany others on their journey too, but with more ease, more understanding and a deeper sense of knowing when to guide and when to simply walk along side.
Q: I haven’t heard of this before, Is it something new?
The programme was first facilitated by William Bloom in 2006 and is centred on a set of Spiritual Companions Guidelines which was drafted by 200 people seeking to describe best practice of daily spirituality.
Q: What do you mean by Spiritual Companion, surely anyone who has read lots of books or meditated for years and been to workshops knows enough to help other people?
Absolutely. We can all help other people. The question is does everyone have the awareness not to impose their own beliefs onto other people whilst they are helping? When we find an excellent spiritual practice or belief system that suits us, we can be tempted to ‘evangelise’. This doesn’t help seekers to find their own level. We are all individuals with an authentic and unique style of expressing our spirituality. Spiritual Companions training enables us to understand this, and to simply hold the space lightly, helping to clarify their colleague’s own development.
Q: What are the benefits of being a Spiritual Companion?
There are many benefits for both professional practitioners (or those who are considering developing a spiritual or holistic business) and for those who simply want to develop their gifts further in service to others.
Spiritual Companions is a fully accredited programme, recognised by a growing number of organisations, including the College of Teachers. For me the main benefit is that this ‘badging’ is rigorous. People who have the certificate and badge of a Spiritual Companion can be trusted, that they have done the work! With such an enormous and varied number of ‘healers’ and ‘teachers’ available it is hugely valuable to know that this badge is a sign of authenticity and integrity. There is a rapidly growing directory of Spiritual Companions in the UK (and Ireland) with a vision that it will eventually be recognised worldwide.
Visit the website to read about further benefits this programme can bring.
Q: How do I become a Spiritual Companion?
A: Everyone who has already completed or is currently studying my Educating Heart and Soul home study course is eligible for the next level in Spiritual Companionship – the ‘Guidelines’ course. The next course starts in October in Essex. Even if you haven’t enrolled on the home study course, there is a fast track process for you if you have undertaken spiritual development training elsewhere and have a regular spiritual practice, (but please contact me if you feel you fit this category before applying).
To find out more, visit the dedicated page on my website here:
http://angellight.co.uk/spiritualcompanions/
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