Discover Your Spiritual Life: Illuminate Your Soul's Path

Rating:
Summary: Positive, Practical, and Insightful
Review: "The goal is to find a spiritual path that is suited to your highest and best spiritual growth. This book is a good starting point. You may wish to use it as groundwork for expansion to other avenues of spiritual pursuit. I would further suggest that you borrow pieces to construct you personal spiritual path from where you find something that resonates with your being. Take a block from Christianity, a stone from Buddhism, and a brick from Taoism, and cement them together with love to form your personal spiritual path. Every book you read will add a pebble to your path. The choice is yours to make." --From the Introduction

There often comes a time in a person's life where deeper meaning and meaningfulness is desired. Sometimes this yearning is a result of a trauma or difficulty such as illness, divorce, tragedy, or death of a loved one. For others, a richer, fuller, and more peaceful life is welcomed because a life of boredom, confusion, directionlessnes, and apathy is no longer an acceptable way to live. Whatever your reasons for wanting to enhance your spiritual journey, Owens' brand new book Discover Your Spiritual Life - Illuminate Your Soul's Path provides clear, concise, and practical ways to do so. Positive and practical, this book offers the guidance you need to live a more spiritual, meaningful, and peaceful life by becoming a balanced observer rather than a concerned worrier.

Throughout this book, the author encourages the reader to take responsibility for their life, make the changes necessary for betterment, monitor thoughts and patterns of experience, and create sacredness through meditation and other spiritual tools. What I like about this book is that Owens "majors on the majors", so to speak. (As opposed to majoring on the minors.) In the New Testament, Jesus addressed the Pharisees saying, "You swallow camels and strain gnats." The Pharisees were spiritual leaders who oppressed their followers with rules and regulations, and often nitpicked over what to wear, what constituted work on the Sabbath, etc. In other words, straining gnats. In this book, however, the author deals eloquently and passionately with the "camels" of life--the "big" stuff like forgiveness, positive intent, harmlessness, gratitude, sowing and reaping, and neutrality.

As a person who's been on a conscious spiritual path for years, I had wondered if this book would tell me something I didn't know--something that would help me on my own path. While the ideas and suggestions weren't new to me, reading Owens' words were a refreshing distillation of what really matters when one is on a spiritual path or seeks to become more spiritually mindful. Her enthusiasm for the magical--for the sacred--is infectious. Another element I liked about this book is how it reminded me of just how magical a spiritual path is, or can be. The author shares some amazing anecdotes and case histories, some from her experience as a medium.

In addition to sharing practical wisdom, she lists a series of exercises at the end of every chapter as well as a to-do list. Of course, none of those are "have-to's", but her exercises are specifically crafted to help the reader incoporate the ideas of each chapter into their own lives. She's a big fan of journaling as a part of spiritual practice, as well as for healing the self from toxic emotions.

For example, in the chapter Understanding Disappointment, Owens asks several questions in the Exercise portion such as:

Reflect on disappointment during your adult years that were devastating to you at the time they happened. List them now in your journal, and write the final positive outcomes in your journal. Can you see, in retrospect, how everything had a way of working out for the best? If you had but known then how things would have turned out, would you have reacted so severely?

How can you take the lessons from yesterday and use them in the present? Write your thoughts in your journal.

Are there things that you do to set yourself up for disappointment? In your journal, list any behaviors that come to mind.

What steps can you take to change this behavior? Write ideas in your journal.

Owens also addresses the importance of meditation and provides examples of how to create a personal space for meditation and contemplation--including how to prepare an altar and energetically clear your personal space. She even provides a color chart for the use of candles and altar cloths, as well as for focusing intent when meditating. For example, the color green is associated with prosperity, balance, and renewal in all areas where growth is needed.

In the chapter Affirmations For Your New Life, the author instructs the reader how to formulate and use affirmations. She also details the fascinating concept of making a presonal treasure map. A treasure map is made of sturdy poster board or cardboard, and decorated with hand-selected items that represent your wish list. You can go to a craft store and choose items that symbolize your intent, as well as cut out pictures and words from magazines to glue onto the paper. You can also write words or phrases with markers, crayons, paint, or whatever you'd like. For example, if you wanted to be a published author, you could choose items that have to do with books and writing such as: the words Amazon.com, pictures of books, a clipping of the N.Y. Bestsellers list, inspiring passages, quotes or words, etc. Add to your personal treasure map as you're inspired, and keep it in a prominent place. That way, it serves as a visual reminder of what you seek to accomplish in your life. You could make a treasure map for relationships, spirituality, vocation, healing, and so on.

Whether you are seeking wholeness, healing, mindfulness, spiritual depth, or the everyday sacred, this book would be a wonderful companion on your personal journey.