Cara Lumen | Sing a Deeper Song

Sing a Deeper Song

Self Cultivation

Create Your Own Spiritual Journey

By

Religion and spirituality though related, are not synonymous. Religion is the creation of people and cultures. Spirituality is your direct personal relationship with Tao, the All-That-Is. Deepening your spirituality is your personal responsibility. No one can do it for you. You select parts and pieces from numerous sources that inspire you to feel more deeply. You adapt, absorb and weave those concepts into a personalized spiritual program that deepens your inner awareness and amplifies your innate sensitivity to the natural rhythm of things. Do not compare your path with others. Each path is unique and personal.

I have a strong spiritual practice that I lovingly do every day. It is comprised of components that work for me. It changes as I change. It shifts its focus as I seek a new lesson. It is up to each of us to create our own spiritual path, We do that by designing our distinctive practice of self-cultivation.

Become a nonconformist

In order to create your own spiritual journey, you must be willing to see yourself as a nonconformist. You learn to listen to your inner voice and trust it. You learn to respond to your inner urges. Your unique spiritual journey is a solitary path that allows you to continually expand your personal relationship with Tao, the All-That-Is. As a child, I was Presbyterian. As a young mother, I was Episcopalian. Gradually I evolved into a metaphysician who studies and embraces concepts from all the words’ great religions. I became a spiritual practitioner in the Center for Spiritual Living.  Eventually I simply wrapped it all up in the package that is me, and used what resonated and expanded my connection and released the rest. To this day, I am exploring. I know how to chant, work with crystals, move energy through my hands, visualize, use affirmations, and direct qi energy. Along my personal spiritual journey, I have learned many ways to deepen my spirituality. I explore whatever calls to me. I keep what works and discard the rest. I adapt, I tweak, I repurpose. I experiment. I change my spiritual practice as I change and grow and develop new needs.

It’s scary to question the religion of your birth. However, it is the religion of your parents. Ultimately, your spiritual path is your personal choice. You have the opportunity to encourage your own spiritual evolution as you continue to find new ways to deepen your connection with your inner self.

“Being different is what makes you who you are. It means you’re daring to live your own life, on your terms, with your values. It means you have courage to stand out from the mainstream. It means you’re interesting. Hug those differences, be grateful for them, own them. Be proud of them. “ Leo Babtua, www.zenhabits,com .

Make silence a cornerstone of your spiritual practice

We are Tao. All we need do to experience Tao is open ourselves to it. We do that through silence.That eternal connection is always there waiting to guide and inspire us. We simply need to learn to listen. Silence opens the connection to your inner wisdom. Silence is how you learn to interpret what you find there. Silence may mean meditation, or prayer, reading spiritually uplifting words or writing. It may mean being in nature. The purpose of all spiritual practice is to reach in and touch the power that resides within you. Allow your inner wisdom to guide you in creating your personal spiritual practice. Begin the shaping of your personal spiritual journey with regular periods of contemplative silence. Take time to sit in silence and simply be.

Be

Let go of your mind. Your mind encourages duality and separation. Move into that serene space where you are one with the Tao, the Universe, the All-That-Is, whatever you call it. 

Listen to your intuition, that sudden understanding of a situation, that insight, that ah-ha moment   Learn to interpret your urges, that unexpected desire to turn left instead of right, or go up instead of down. Begin to live more deeply by following the guidance from the voice within.

My relationships have changed since I began listening more attentively to what people are saying, and using my intuition to hear what is unsaid. Being present helps me make certain my responses are appropriate for that particular moment. Mindful eating, mindful action and mindful listening are powerful catalysts for simply being. . Be present. Be aware Be compassionate.  Be.

Reflect

Your inner world is one of extraordinary perceptiveness. It is there that you receive insights that seem to come from nowhere; where you suddenly view circumstances from an unexpected perspective. The insights you receive are yours alone. They are for your singular interpretation, your personal use. Whether you journal, write poetry, paint, compose music, walk in nature, or sit in the sun, time spent in reflection is precious. Take time to question your beliefs. Why do you believe what you do? Do you still believe that? What values are important at this point in your life?  Reflection helps you become more self-aware.

Create specific times for reflection in your spiritual practice. Avoid distractions. As I simplify my life, it is easier for me to increase my spiritual awareness. It can be lonely, this journey of self. There is no one who is building his or her own spiritual path exactly like yours. Those who want to sing a deeper song are in a constant state of exploration, discovery and receptivity to change. A simple idea you develop or a phrase you explore can become major turning points in your life. Learn to dwell in the nothingness within, and let the response you find there guide you.

Shape your personal practice

Shape a spiritual practice that nurtures you.How you practice your self-cultivation is very personal. My spiritual path and personal growth have increased rapidly now that I am retired and can spend more time in self-cultivation. A new mudra deeepended my meditaion . A book taught me the form of Qi Gong I practice (The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise (A Gaia Original))., The poetry of Rumi and Gibran (The Prophet) have offered up insights that guide my life. I am inspired by Emerson’s Essay on Self-Reliance.   The Stephen Mitchell translation of the Tao Te Ching now shapes many of my life choices. I am guided by the books of Deng Ming-Dao. 365 Tao: Daily Meditations  Whatever works for you – do it. Combine a bit of study with meditation or journaling. Add moving meditation that opens your communication with your body. Write to figure things out for yourself. Shape your personal spiritual practice to fit your needs and your desire to deepen your song.

Develop perseverance and flexibility

Keep experimenting. Try different things at different times of the day. Try different versions of a concept. Journal your subtle progress.  Notice what works  Replace anything that doesn’t work. Cultivate patience,  planning and timing. Be aware of what shows up and use that experience as the ultimate teacher, creating and adjusting as you continually move forward. We need to nourish what we set in motion and adjust our course as needed.

Be Open

When we live mindfully in the present moment, we embrace the best of what each day offers. We stand tall on our spiritual path. We personally select all the beliefs, attitudes, responses and reactions that color and shape our lives. Whatever you do, do it to the fullest. Embrace it fully. Then go within and become aware of what you learned and how it helped you grow and what you want to do next.

How Do You Nourish Your Roots?

By

Life is a series of cycles. When one cycle ends, another begins. How do we gather our strength for a new beginning? How do we nourish the roots that support new growth?

What are my roots?

Begin the search for your roots by identifying the qualities you stand on at this point in your life. What values are you using as guideposts? How are you prioritizing the elements of your life right now? When I was in the cycle of being a Content Development Coach, I focused on the qualities of service and creativity and kept attuned to the cycles of growth in others. The cycle I’m in now is retirement, which is focused on deepening my own spiritual awareness and sharing the concept of positive change with others through my writing. The qualities I currently focus on are unfolding, mindfulness and awareness. I want to add the quality of stillness to that. As I find myself being more social than I have ever been in my life in a population that is new to me (seniors), I need to nourish my ability for compassion and patience. Perhaps your roots are focused on your family, your work, or your health. What roots do you need to nourish for this next cycle of your journey?

How will you nurture your roots?

I’m feeding my roots from the inside out: Qi Gong, meditation, study that deepens my relationship with Tao. I have a ritual around those choices, certain things I do every day that nourish me, increase my awareness and help me bring these chosen qualities to the forefront of my life. In my work to move from my happily introverted self into a person that can interact more easily in social settings, I practice. I practice listening more deeply. I pause before I speak. I continue to identify what I need in this next cycle. What steps can you take to nurture your roots in preparation for the upcoming cycle?

Discard the dead wood

Pruning makes a plant stronger. It eliminates the dead wood and leaves space for new growth to flourish. What do you need to prune that will help your roots grow stronger? I keep letting go of possessions and old beliefs. I structure my life to include only what nourishes me. I volunteer only for work and activates that I truly want to do. I make room in my life to welcome in the new cycle.dead wood can you cut away in order to nourish new growth in the upcoming cycle?

Let your new cycle unfold

You often can’t clearly identify what your next cycle is, especially since there are cycles within cycles. I’m in the beginning of a cycle of retirement. I’ve been through a cycle of letting go of what I used to do and who I used to be. I’ve been in a cycle of searching for ways to deepen my spirituality. I’m in a cycle of studying change and how to do it gracefully and end up with positive outcomes. And woven throughout all of that is my emergence into a diverse senior population that has created many opportunities to learn more about myself and to adjust what doesn’t work. The cycles overlap. I can only watch them unfold and do what I can with what shows up. I’m always looking for a lesson in a circumstance and I always find one. Watch for signs and signals that suggest options and new possibilities. Notice what calls to you in the moment and explore that. Look at choices as an opportunity to explore, not a concrete path to follow.

Nourish the roots you need for new growth.

If you need a new skill, develop it. If you need to change a belief, change it. If you need to find a new circle of friends, find then. If you need to change your job or your business, change it. The nourishing of my spiritual evolution is what is serving me most in my life right now. It has manifested in the incredible calm and serenity that continues to deepen with every day. I solve problems in a quiet, patient manner that allows others to unfold at their own pace. My own responses are less emotional, more accepting. I’m nurturing my whole being with a plant-based diet, the practice of Qi Gong, daily meditation and on-going study of the principles of Taoism. That’s the combination that seems to be working for me. How will you nurture the roots you need for new growth?

 

Do You Need to Upgrade Your Meditation Practice?

By

I had the worst meditation practice going – ever. It was token. It was short. It needed work. Other aspects of my spiritual practice were blooming. I wanted and needed to upgrade my meditation practice.

Find your best time to meditate

I finally figured out that the time of day I chose to meditate was very important. When I learned Transcendental Meditation 50 years ago, I meditated when I first got up and when I returned from work. Twenty minutes twice a day. My life got better. And although I have meditated for a large portion of my life, for some reason my current meditation practice leaves a lot to be desires. Now I shower, dress and feed my cat before I do my Qi Gong. Since it is a moving meditation, it made sense to follow it with a seated meditation. However, I found that when I sat in my chair my mind filled with ideas and insights that, more than anything did, I wanted to go to my computer and write down. I kept cutting short my meditation in order to capture my thoughts. By accident, I found that if I waited until after my spiritual reading, which followed my Qi Gong, and after I jot down any burning ideas, it is a great time for me to meditate. My concepts are captured and “safe” and I can go back to my spiritual practice. That shift in timing made a huge difference in my receptivity to meditation.

Form the habit

I got back on track with a Deepak Chopra 21-day meditation challenge He uses a mantra and I worked with that as well as my own TM mantra. His meditations are 20 minutes long. I began to enjoy the depth to which I could go in that time limit. Find the right time for your meditation and make it a habit. Length is not as important as finding and regularly using the same time every day in order to form the habit. After the habit is established, you can work on lengthening your time.

Live in your core consciousness

“Meditation is a way to get in the space between your thoughts.” says Deepak “According to wisdom traditions, this space between the thought is the window, is the corridor, is the vortex to the infinite mind” I want to go there. I want to live in my core consciousness. I want to use my intuition, and understand the guidance of my inner wisdom. I want to dwell in that space of infinite possibilities. I want to feel my connection with all that is. I want to dwell in the space between my thoughts.

Personal cultivation is whatever you do to deepen your inner awareness.

Your spiritual practice is uniquely yours. It is up to you to design a program that nourishes, educates, motivates and inspires you to live your best life. Meditation should be an integral part of that practice. The quality of my meditation changed when I found a new mudra he length and depth of my meditation increased when I found a better time for my morning practice.  My meditation habit anchored itself with the help of an online program. Now I need to find the best time for my afternoon meditation but I have a feeling I’m going to feel so great after increasing my morning meditation that I will eagerly sit down later in the day.

Use your meditation to gain insights

If you have a problem to solve, take it into the silence of your meditation and let it go. Use your meditation to increase your feelings of well-being that in turn attract more feelings of well-being. If you are angry or sad or lonely, take those emotions into the silence of your meditation and allow them to be soothed and washed away. Move into your meditation ready to let go, to still your thoughts, and to bask in the realm of infinite possibilities.

The effects of meditation are cumulative

Each time we meditate, we deepen our feelings of peace. We retain those feelings for longer periods during our day. That inner peace stays with us as we move to solve a problem, or interact with a friend, or begin to initiate something new at work. The effects of meditation are noticeable. First to you, who will feel calmer and more centered, and then to others who will begin to respond to your differently and not know why. You will develop an inner sensitivity to the natural rhythm of things and move forward with ease and gentleness. Meditation is the place where you come to understand that everything is connected to everything else.

Meditation opens you to the Law of Attraction

In the silence of the space between your thoughts is a place of infinite creativity and infinite imagination. It is the place where the power of your inner creator acts as a magnet to draw to you the qualities and circumstances you desire. Take your visions into your meditation. Allow yourself the unlimited possibilities that are present in the Universe and draw them to you simply by moving more deeply into meditation.

What is holding back your meditation practice?

If timing is holding you up, perhaps get up 10 minutes early, cuddle in your meditation chair and get your day off to a balanced start.  If stilling your mind holds you back, follow your breath. Choose a new mantra. Find a new mudra. Notice what is pulling you out of meditation and what is keeping you from setting aside time for your practice. Add journaling to lead you into meditation. Write some introspective poetry when you emerge. Read something meaningful and move into meditation to more fully absorb it. What do you need to add or subtract from your meditation practice to make it a stronger and more powerful daily experience?

Carry your meditation practice with you throughout out day.

As you deepen your meditation practice, you will begin to feel your connection with the entire universe throughout your day. You will speak and work mindfully. You will allow life to unfold. You will feel compassion toward everyone you meet. If your mind gets too active, focus on your breath. If you start to feel stressed, use your hand mudra. Find small ways throughout your day to keep the serenity of your meditation with you throughout your day.

What will you do to upgrade your meditation practice?

How to Be More Pro-Active With Your Health

By

My doctor sent the results of my blood work back with the word “Impressive” written across the top. So, at 81, I figure I must be doing something right He also put in his medical records that I was being very “pro-active” about my health. I like the idea of taking charge and working to create the healthiest body I can at my age. People who are pro-active want to make certain things happen. They have an objective and they do whatever it takes to be ready to meet that objective. They are hands on, positive, upbeat people that you love to be around.

Be pro-active about your over-all well-being

As we grow older, the state of our health is a primary concern. We want a good quality of life. Here’s the trick, rather than wait for a doctor to prescribe some pills or send you to rehab, you get busy doing what you need to do all by yourself. That’s being pro-active. You cut out sugar and eat more vegetables and fruits. You find ways to walk more. You add regular stretching and exercise to your day.You lovingly cook for yourself. I organically lost eight pounds last year and I continue to lose weight gradually.I’m at the lowest weight I’ve been in 30 years! No, I don’t look slender, but I am in the process of rebalancing my body. To my daily Qi Gong practice I added this great Couch Potato Workout from Dr. Oz’s personal trainer  What are you willing to do to be pro-active about your health?

Be pro-active about changing your eating habits

I gave up dairy because I had unexplained and unexpected allergies a year ago and dairy and wheat are the most likely culprits. That had me scrambling to find substitutes for yoghurt and cheese (nutritional yeast has a cheesy flavor) and adjusting recipes like crazy. The most effective dietary step I took was to give up sugar. Sugar is addictive and there was no way I was going to put a cup of sugar in something I baked and then eat it in three days. Within days of stopping sugar, my taste buds changed, my cravings ceased and steady weight loss began.   I use maple syrup and honey for sweetener. I make my own granola so I can control the ingredients and add great things like sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, hemp, flax seeds and almonds while I control the type and amount of sweetener.   How can you be more pro-active about your food choices?

Be pro-active about enhancing your social life

We are personally responsible for our own mental and emotional health. If we are lonely, we need to go make some friends. If we are bored, we need to seek mental stimulation. Everyone needs some form of social interaction. Call someone to talk, go out for lunch, have them over for game night, go to meetings where like-minded people are gathered. We need people in our lives. We need hugs and compliments and laughter. How are you being pro-active about your social life?

Be pro-active about deepening your spiritual life

A strong spiritual life can be achieved anytime and anyplace. If you no longer go to church, make up your own “service.” Read words that motivate and inspire you. Start a Gratitude Journal to help you become more aware of the bounty that surrounds you.  I’m immersing myself in Taoism. I have no teacher, only translations of the ancient texts to study. I work to embrace principles that enhance my daily life. What kind of daily spiritual practice will you initiate?

Make one fundamental change at a time

The plant-based nutritionists I follow say to eat two pounds of vegetables vegetable every day, one raw and one cooked. If I add the suggested four pieces of fruit each day, 1 cup of beans and 1 ounce of nuts and seeds, that’s a lot of eating! A major suggestion is to make a salad the main dish in every meal. I already make great soups like cauliflower, carrot, and butternut squash. I continue to include grains like quince and couscous and brown rice. The idea of creating interesting sauces to go on vegetables interests me – peanut sauce, marinara sauce. The core to my next change is eating more raw foods. I have a sprouting kit to sprout seeds of alfalfa, french lentil, mung, daikon radish, clover, green pea, garbanzo, adzuki, broccoli, green lentil, hard wheat, and black sunflower . I purchased a spiralizer, which allows me to make thin ribbons of zucchini (to replace pasta), strings of carrots, radish and potato strings for salad, and strings of green pepper or beets and curly strands of cucumbers. Then I will make healthy homemade “dressings” to top them off so I have complete control over what I eat. Even now, w hen I eat a veggie burger (no bread), I put raw mushrooms, red pepper, green onions and avocado on my plate to complete my meal.

Observe the changes

I have more energy when I eat greens. I use hemp seeds, flax seeds and chia seeds in my salads and smoothies to add protein and to keep my intestinal tract balanced. I satisfy my occasional urge for chocolate with pure cacoa powder in water sweetened with almond milk and maple syrup. The more vegetables I eat, the greater the weight loss I experience. Observe how your body responds to your loving care. How do you sleep? How do your joints feel? Has your energy increased? What is your emotional status?  Let your body guide you in your, pro-active self-care choices. Keep experimenting until you find the right balance for you.

Let the new gradually replace the old

You don’t have to give up anything. You just have to start adding things you love and let them gradually replace the foods you’re ready to give up and the habits you want to establish. I became a vegetarian by eating more vegetables. I became a vegan by finding tasty substitutes to dairy and eggs. I’m steadily improving my overall healthy with the choices I make and the actions I take. It’s all about exploring and experimenting. How pro-active are you willing to be about your health?

The Mudra That Made a Difference

By

I have meditated off and on for over fifty years. Recently I found a hand position (mudra) that took me to a deep inner awareness in seconds. I realized that a mudra can make a huge difference in the results of your meditation.

What is a mudra?

A mudra is a spiritual gesture in the spiritual practice of Indian religions and traditions of Dharma and Taoism. You can see mudras in the hand positions of statues of Buddha and other eastern icons. In yoga, mudras are used in conjunction with yogic breathing exercise to stimulate different parts of the body involved with breathing and to affect the flow of prana in the body.   Mudras are used in meditation to deepen the connection.

I learned Transcendental Meditation over fifty years ago.  As I recall, there were no mudras involved, simply a mantra to be repeated while sitting in a chair. It is a powerful form of meditation. My husband and four children learned it with me. When I studied yoga in New York City, I began to learn a few mudras, often used in the balancing breathing positions that ended a class. I was once shown a very complex mudra by one of the Tibetian Monks who built a sand painting at the Museum of Natural History in New York City. I would go early to sit behind them when they meditated. It was very powerful. However, the mudra was complex and I forgot how to do it.

 Learn o feel the movement of energy

It takes some practice, but over time, you can become very sensitive to the flow of energy. My first experience was when I could feel the power of a crystal and interpret what chakra it addressed. When I became a Reiki Master Teacher I focused energy through my hands and my mind. I studied and subsequently taught  other subtle energy techniques. When I meditate, I am conscious of the flow of energy.

 Energy can heal

It took a year for me to learn T’ai Chi. That is complex and once I forgot one sequence I could not recapture it because there are many forms and I had moved away from my teacher. Next I learned Falun Gong  from practitioners in the San Francisco area and practiced it for ten years. Last year I began doing Zhan Zhaung (standing meditation) and Ba Duan Jin The Way of Energy: Mastering the Chinese Art of Internal Strength with Chi Kung Exercise (A Gaia Original) and am really amazed at the powerful flow of energy it creates and the healing and balancing it is doing on the physical plane. I can feel the chi energy moving in my Tan Tien, my meridians and my chakras. However, when I sat down to meditate after my Qi Gong practice my mind started thinking of things I wanted to write about that day. I could not sit for very long. I wanted to change that. I wanted to meditate longer and more serenely.

The first mudra change

Sometimes I held a crystal in my left hand while meditating . Other times the mudra I used was with my hands in my lap, palms up, one hand over the other with thumbs touching. I could never remember which hand was to go on top. It turns out that is a Buddhist mudra. One day Dr. Andrew Weill demonstrated his meditation mudra to Dr. Oz. He sat with his hands palms up on each leg with his thumbs holding his index finger. I tried that and immediately felt my meditation deepen.   That mudra is designed to balance the chi.

The second mudra change

I’ve been studying Taoism and I was reading some of the complimentary pages that were available to review online for a book called Taoist Yoga: Alchemy & Immortality by Charles Luk (Author) , Lu K’uan Yu (Author)  I saw a mudra instruction for meditation. I tried it and was immediate taken very deeply into mediation. My focus was behind my eyes in my third eye.  Everything else disappeared.  I loved it. My mind stilled and I went deeply into meditation.

According to Paul of Taoist Meditation: Mudras and meditation“ The classic Taoist mudra of covering one hand with another is actually a concealed system of versatile mudra, and it also holds the key to understanding what mudra is all about, for all chi-disciplines. With the fingers concealed, a practitioner is taught to focus on one or any combination of his fingers for chi generation and chi balancing. Unlike Tibetan Buddhism, the Taoist way does not have any fixed pattern. But how does a practitioner know what to do? The answer is that a practitioner is expected to feel chi himself and therefore is expected to be able to generate different chi by focusing on different fingers (or finger combinations) and will be expected to balance his chi accordingly, using his differently focused fingers”.

We are encouraged to experiment! The primary objective is to generate chi together with directing chi to move along the center line, most essential for cosmic circulations. To do this we must learn to feel the circulation of the chi and find the most powerful way to encourage its circulation.

The comparison

As I practiced my meditation, I tried both the side-open mudra of Dr. Weils and the center- closed mudra of Charles Luk. Although the open mudra embraced my third eye, for me, it was less concentrated, it felt wider and less focused. The closed mudra focused my third eye instantaneously.  I hadn’t known that a simple hand position could make such a difference. I am now able to enjoy the deepest meditation I’ve had in years thanks to finding a mudra that instaneously helps me quiet my mind.

“If a person is doing meditation without using his hands as management tools probably he is just sitting there doing nothing. What I’m saying is, doing hand positions should be the first physical act one should always attend to before use music or mantra to assist one to go into the meditative zone” Paul continues.

Experiment with mudras

If you are exploring meditation, you may want to explore mudras. Learn to be sensitive to the flow of chi energy. Notice how easily (or not) it is for you to move into meditation. Find the mudra that best suits you and let that be the mudra that makes a difference.