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Giving Up Too Soon
So you feel beaten up and bruised and you're ready to quit. You have no support system or the one you have is pathetically inadequate for the goals you've set. You're so tired that the couch is looking more and more inviting everyday. You...

Psychic Angels
Are you looking for a way to improve your accuracy as a psychic? Maybe you're just thinking it would be kind of cool if you could 'know' things before they happen. Call on the spirits to help you. It's not important what label you use to wrap...

Spiritual and Sexual Healing
Couple issues such as spirituality and sexuality rank higher than financial reasons as the most affected items of a fumbling relationship. When it comes the moment to point out why a couple needs more intimate vigor, two wrongly things are sure to...

The American Dream – Are We Really Free?
The promises of THE AMERICAN DREAM (to have it all and enjoy it all, based on materialistic values system) has been holding us captive and threatening to take our power and freedom away- without our awareness, like a thief in the night. ...

The Blissful Union of Wellness and Fitness
You pick up the magazines each day, and you're bombarded with health and fitness information. Advertisements and articles that are designed to impart much needed information to the reader about the state of fitness and health in America today,...

 
Why Being Spiritual Can Get You Nowhere

Dana is a lady who is totally dedicated to her spiritual work. She knows all about Indian spirit guides, angels, crystals and is a Reiki Master - amongst other things. She takes every opportunity to help anyone - a kind, lively and passionate woman.

With little concern for her own wellbeing and financial situation she will generously give advice, treatments and time. The fact that she is struggling with her health, her finances and is in an unhappy relationship doesn't ever deter her from her spiritual mission. When we met a few weeks ago and she was stressed and unwell, I invited her to come to one of my courses at a special rate.

She pondered for a while and then said to me, that she thought right now, my work wasn't 'spiritual' enough for her. Her interest was in spirit guides, heavenly energies and helping others and what I was offering was 'only' about self. I respected her opinion and left wondering what it is that people consider to be truly 'spiritual'.

My hunch is, that her definition is a very literal one; to do with 'spirits' and being in touch with what descends from the heavenly realm, rather than what creeps out from the grotty, stressful confines of this crowded planet.

Without wanting to interfere with any higher purpose or show disrespect for someone else's journey, I do want to challenge this strange, almost childlike and wide-spread notion of spirituality. So many healers, therapists and counsellors concentrate all their energies on the 'higher' and 'better' aspect of life, that they seem to completely forget that they have a body, a mind and very earthly needs.

I believe that to really successfully work with those 'other' energies, we have to fulfil our own needs and master our physical existence first - or at least simultaneously. Otherwise spirituality becomes nothing but an escape mechanism, a displacement activity and another trend to follow.

Have you ever heard of Abraham Maslow's 'Hierarchy of Needs'? Maslow was a prominent psychologist who coined the phrase of 'self-actualisation' in the 1950's and developed a concept of how a person evolves to the highest level of being, spirituality and self-fulfilment.

According to this 'Hierarchy of


Needs', although the ultimate and highest level is the spiritual, the most fundamental needs must be met first. To simplify, if someone is constantly struggling to meet their most basic requirements of food and shelter, it's unlikely that they will put much thought into their education. They're busy just surviving.

It seems to me that the concept of spirituality is often misunderstood. To some, it's more like escapism from the trials and tribulations of life. They cling to rituals and strive for something higher and better, without first having mastered the basic levels of existence. We reach for the stars without first standing firmly on the ground. How can that work?

Being spiritual is not about escaping the real world, it isn't about renouncing physical needs and the fact that we are human. The real art of spiritual being is not to transcend being human, it is to achieve understanding and harmony between all aspects of who we are. Once you have that harmony of body, mind and soul, then you can truly tune into and use the higher realms.

People at peace with themselves exude calm confidence, happiness and tolerance. They are generally healthier, more resilient and successful than those who find day-to-day life too mundane to deal with.

In my work of helping clients to lead the lives they want to lead and release limiting beliefs, fears and traumas that have held them back so far, I like to be practical, down-to-earth and light-hearted because to me that's the perfect antidote to all the heaviness of theoretical concepts. Spirituality has to be practical as well - it has to make us and those we encounter happy, healthy and in harmony with who we are. Otherwise you will feel as though you are doing every possible spiritual thing you can and are still getting nowhere.

Wishing you balance, harmony and healthy happiness.

And by the way, although the person is very real and the story true, I have chosen a different name.

About the author:

Annett Tate helps people achieve ultimate wellness and health. She teaches Emotional Freedom in her EFT seminars and shares her thoughts, inspiration and advice at Stress2Bliss.com

 

Spirituality.com: from the Christian Science Publishing Society
Christian Science Publishing Society presents spirituality.com -- practical spirituality and healing prayer explored through feature articles, ...
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Spirituality - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Spirituality, in a narrow sense, concerns itself with matters of the spirit. The spiritual, involving (as it may) perceived eternal verities regarding ...
en.wikipedia.org
 
SFT - December 2006 - Home Page
Spirituality for Today is an interactive monthly magazine dedicated to a variety of current themes and questions concerning the Christian faith in this ...
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Spirituality & Health
Ideas and advice about practices, products, self-tests, news and essays, and a virtual community dedicated to leading a more spiritually fulfilling and ...
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Indiatimes - Spirituality
You can consult our panel of experts on spiritual and mental probems. ... Jagjit Singh: Spirituality is a way of life I have faith in a Higher Power, ...
spirituality.indiatimes.com
 
NATIVE AMERICAN SPIRITUALITY
A general overview with quotes, essays, and links.
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NEW AGE SPIRITUALITY
In-depth article defines the New Age movement and some of the core beliefs, explains the traditions from which it is rooted, describes the confusions caused ...
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Spirituality - kabbalah inspiration prayer
Add inspiration to your life by discovering jewish spirituality, kabbalah and prayer on aish.com. Read a daily lift and be inspired.
www.aish.com
 
All Things Spiritual Directory
A searchable directory of thousands of spiritual and religious websites. Includes all major topic areas relating to spirituality and religion, ...
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Holistic Spirituality -- Beliefnet.com
Holistic Spirituality Homepage. ... Holistic Spirituality. The Past Life of Your First Kiss. Interview by Laura Sheahen. With a new book on reincarnation, ...
www.beliefnet.com
 
Beliefnet.com
Features articles on God, faith, prayer, the nature of spirituality, society and ethics, with numerous resources. All religions respected.
www.beliefnet.com
 
Religion and Spirituality in the Yahoo! Directory
Yahoo! reviewed these sites and found them related to Religion and Spirituality.
dir.yahoo.com
 
About - Religion & Spirituality
Get information and resources on spirituality and world religions from Christianity to Islam to Judaism. Our religious experts offer insight on where ...
about.com
 
Spirituality
The Orthodox Church proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In the Greek language, the word for Gospel is Evangelion which means literally "the good news.
www.goarch.org
 
reasoned spirituality a logical exploration of life
A philosophical exploration of spirituality, human behaviour, and the quest for the meaning of life.
www.reasoned.org
 
Spirituality - AllAboutSpirituality.org
Spirituality - Learn about the spirit world and why people are fascinated by mystical experiences. Discover a real and personal spirituality.
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Spirituality
The three foundational characteristics of spirituality are Faith, ... Join forces with others who have a healthy spirituality in their own lives. ...
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.:: Jesus : spirituality::.
This section of rejesus.co.uk focuses on prayer and meditation offering resources for daily prayer, learning about spirituality and a virtual labyrinth to ...
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Science of Spirituality
An organization committed to a spiritual way of life based on meditation and service to others. News, events, and resources.
www.sos.org
 
Spirituality: See what people are saying right now on Technorati
See all blog posts tagged with spirituality on Technorati.
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  • 10 basic health habits

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  • accessing your spiritual guidance

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  • adam as jesus

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  • alone at christmas

  • amazing faith

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  • angels by our side

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  • anorexia a game of control

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  • an introduction to dream interpretation

  • are your goals exciting

  • are you a victim of fabs part 2

  • are you a victim of fabs part one

  • are you fed up

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  • are you ready to handle an indigo child

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  • aromatherapy to awaken your sexual spirit

  • article hurried women syndrome

  • a crash course in tarot for newbies 1

  • a daily refreshment

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  • a proven way that women can quit drinking without aa

  • a secret organisation short story on a possible future

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  • a word about dream analysis and interpretation

  • back problems and pain the emotion connection

  • beyond smart goals

  • be your own best friend

  • bless your child with the name

  • bringing spirituality to the workplace

  • cailleach the goddess of life and death

  • calling all writers its party time

  • care and maintenance of the human hard drive

  • cheerleaders

  • choose a life mate dont wait for a soul mate

  • choosing our parents

  • christmas for one mental health over the holidays

  • clocks seasons and cycles

  • colour your diet

  • components of a life purpose

  • control your own destiniy

  • control your own destiny

  • conversational negative self talk

  • coping with holiday stress

  • courage is a gift

  • creating miracles with passion

  • creating sacred space in your home office or garden

  • creating the life you desire with ten daily habits

  • cultivate a friendship with death

  • dating site review eharmony

  • dealing with aggression

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  • discover the missing key to improving your health

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  • discover what you really want to do

  • discover who you are and why you are here

  • divining your karmic number

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  • does prayer really work

  • do not believe all you read in the holy books

  • do we need meditation

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  • do what you love love what you do

  • dream interpretation archetypal symbols in dreams

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  • drug rehab 12 steps or less

  • earning money from home when you have chronic fatigue syndrome fibromyalgia

  • economic justice

  • eliminating trans fatty chaos

  • embracing your wildness

  • emotional baggage

  • entrepreneurs prayer

  • everybody wants to rule the world

  • fairies and mental health

  • faith and depression

  • fear of rejection

  • feelings and attitudes

  • female masturbation excessive indulgence and how to contain the act

  • feminism

  • finding direction finding passion series 2 of 3

  • finding spiritual guidance

  • finding yourself finding passion series 1 of 3

  • finding your inner flame finding passion series 3 of 3

  • fitness

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  • fit for what

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  • five ways to expand your comfort zone

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  • forgiveness stories definition quotes power to forgive vested with human beings

  • freedom

  • gaining wisdom

  • giving up too soon

  • gods abiding love

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  • going gaga over yoga

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  • have you seen my boss

  • heal thyself first

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  • higher self growing inside of us

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  • holistic junction explains why healing arts and massage schools are vital to the medical community

  • how do you build self confidence

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  • how to choose your ideal career

  • how to cope with big cities aggression

  • how to cope with cancer

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  • how to get everything you want out of life

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  • how to save your marriage

  • hurried woman syndrome 5 tips to get the balance back

  • if you really want to help the victims of katrina

  • im fighting this war too in my way

  • im sorry but

  • index

  • individualistic sucess models

  • individualized positive affirmations for improving self esteem

  • infidelity discovered 10 ways to calm your powerful feelings

  • introduction to flower essences

  • in search of self

  • in the begining

  • is america losing its religion

  • is america ready for a low carb spiritual diet

  • is there any way out of this mess

  • is there a place for god in the corporate world

  • is your soulmate an idiot

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  • jesus birthday sacred children series 2 of 3

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  • just do it

  • keeping faith

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  • largest pagan occult and new age gathering the chicagoland area has ever seen

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  • letter to a katrina survivor

  • letting go of our negativity

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  • life balance coaching

  • life balance coaching balance work and life like a pro

  • limiting perceptions and broadening horizons

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  • making better decisions

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  • management from within

  • mary poppins and the principle that life is supposed to be fun

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  • religion and spirituality what differentiates religion from spirituality

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  • rewriting the story

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  • surrender if you wish to conquer

  • take a look around do you think things are balanced in our world

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  • these are the signs of the times

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  • the choice

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  • the disciplines of success

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  • the endless pursuit of happiness

  • the first ninety days

  • the first step

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  • the four elements

  • the freedom to fall

  • the good the bad and the ugly

  • the importance of spirituality

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  • the kabbalah of yom kippur rising above time

  • the law of attraction in action

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  • the new age movement

  • the non existing i

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  • the power of intention

  • the power of our thoughts

  • the power of personal environments

  • the power of positive affirmations

  • the power of witnessing and segment intending

  • the pursuit of happiness

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  • the road to inner peace

  • the spirit of change

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  • the value of affirmations

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  • time do you spend it or invest it

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  • top 10 powerful keys to healing yourself

  • toxic friendships

  • to be is to become

  • to find balance retreat

  • to hell in a handbasket men who crash and burn

  • to lie or not to lie

  • to love forever

  • to witness t he l ife t hat is god

  • training or television working out when youre not well

  • trends in gift giving jewelry a timeless favorite

  • trusting the universe or not

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  • two types of spirituality faith and knowledge

  • wellness

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  • what in the world is life coaching

  • what is ayurvedic medicine

  • what is enlightenment meaning definition and its relation to self realization

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  • what will we do

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  • your life your values

  • your money or your life

  • you are never alone

  • you can influence your fortunes in life

  • you gotta be

  • you gotta be positive