Spiritual Wellbeing — For Awakening Souls (1 Viewer)

[Laron]

While currently working in New Zealand Government (IT), an email was sent out to my division (a division has units, such as IT, units have teams) asking for a volunteers to be a representative for a Wellbeing group, which sits under a team that looks after Health & Safety. A few people applied, including me, and I was accepted in. One of the first projects I've been involved in is putting together a page on Spiritual Wellbeing that will only be accessible by staff.

The context is Government employees, so I've had to tone it down a bit and not get too woo woo. I've probably gone a bit overboard though, as that's just how I do things as I like to push the envelope, otherwise change occurs a bit too slowly for me.

Below is most of what I've come up with, which may help some of you out there who are seekers of knowledge and who may have recently awoken to something greater than religion, belief, indoctrination, forced cultural and family values, etc. This hasn't been approved yet, so is technically just a draft, but I've approved it for RT

* * *

Spirituality Defined

The times are changing and so has the meaning and understanding of the word spirituality. It was once referred to as a religious process of re-formation as exemplified by the founders of many sacred texts and religions of the world.

Today it is used broadly and often has little relation to religion. It can be about an awakening of the consciousness leading to a sense and feeling of connection to something larger than ourselves, alongside the journey of growth on a path to enlightenment.

Metaphysical knowledge plays an important role in spirituality, which can come from the original teachings of some religions and belief systems, but also spiritual masters who do not always identify with any one religion.

It is up to you how you want to define spirituality, based on your own direct experiences through life that touch on the esoteric and multidimensional nature of a greater reality.

Below are some talks on the topic of spirituality.

• Science & Spirituality (Jeff Lieberman, TEDx)
  Jeff Lieberman, an MIT-trained artist, scientist and engineer, makes a scientific argument for mystical experience. He asks us to challenge our perception of what we are, our relationship to the universe and our relationship to one another. Our minds are "thought-generating machines." What would happen if we could turn off the machine? If we could transcend our individual experience of the world?
• How Do You Get Started With Spirituality? (Sadhguru)
  Indian Yogi and author Sadhguru explains that everyone is already on the spiritual path. The desire for more money, power, knowledge or anything else is a spiritual process too, but mostly misguided and conducted unconsciously. What needs to be done is to become more conscious and aware.
• The Multidimensional Game (William Buhlman)
  In this short video, William Buhlman, author and out of body experience teacher, shares his perspective around spirituality from the viewpoint of multiple dimensions and what exists beyond the physical world, based on his exploration beyond the body.

Wellbeing & Spirituality

In the Māori culture, taha wairua (spiritual health) is acknowledged as being the most important requirement for health. Without spiritual awareness, it is believed that an individual is lacking wellbeing and more prone to ill health. Relationships with the environment are important to explore, including those between people and their heritage; sometimes the breakdown of such relationships can indicate ill health or lack of personal identify.

Māori spiritual health also relates to unspoken and unseen energies. A person’s life force is their spiritual essence. The traditional Māori analysis of illness focuses on the spirit to see if any damage could be contributing.

Through learning about the different ways we can explore our spiritual nature, we are provided many opportunities to improve our wellbeing. Below are links to talks on the topic of exploring spirituality from well-known figures in this field.

• How to Find a Spiritual Connection (Radhanath Swami, TEDx)
  In a world shrunken by digital connections are we still nourishing the right connections in our lives and in society? How can we be better connected spiritually, with ourselves and with each other? Radhanath Swami is a world renowned author, philanthropist and community builder.
  He has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner and spiritual teacher for more than 40 years. He is the inspiration behind a free mid-day meal for 1.2 million school kids across India and he has been instrumental in founding the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai. He has keynoted at Apple, Starbucks, Google and House of Lords. His work has led to meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Journey Into Awakening (Eckhart Tolle)
  "Real spiritual awakening is when something emerges from within you that is deeper than who you thought you were." Let us journey into awakening and see how we fit into the greater universe. Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher and best-selling author. In 2008, The New York Times called Tolle "the most popular spiritual author in the United States". In 2011 he was listed by Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world. Tolle is not identified with any particular religion, but has been influenced by a wide range of spiritual works.
• Depression and Spiritual Awakening: Two Sides of one Door (Lisa Miller, TEDx)
  Is depression, as most of us experience it, meaningless suffering? Dr. Lisa Miller presents research that lends meaning to the experience of depression and to our experience on planet Earth. Dr. Lisa Miller is perhaps the world’s foremost expert in the relative study of psychology and spirituality. Dr. Miller is Professor and Director of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she founded and currently directs the Spirituality and Mind-Body Institute, to innovate, disseminate, and train healers in foundationally spiritual treatments.
• The 3 Paths of Spiritual Growth (Tom Campbell)
  Which path is right for you? In his book trilogy My Big TOE, Tom gives advice on how the different paths of spiritual growth work with their upsides and downsides. In this interview he goes into a little more detail on what the paths involve. Having once worked for NASA and DOD in the USA, physicist Tom Campbell has extensively explored consciousness while out of body and now teaches with his workshops and talks held around the world.
• Master Shi Heng Yi — 5 Hindrances to Self-Mastery (Shi Heng YI, TEDx)
  Meet Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi in his serene talk about self-discovery. For more than 30 years, Master Shi Heng Yi has been studying and practicing the interaction between mind and body. His strength is the ability to smoothly combine this knowledge with physical exercises and to practice the martial arts Kung Fu and Qi Gong. As a contemporary monk, Master Yi holds a smartphone in the folds of his clothes, as he sees no contradiction between living together with ancient knowledge and high technology.
• Faith, Religion, and God in the Big Picture (Tom Campbell)
  Some have said that physicist Tom Campbell's My Big TOE model of reality has scientifically derived God. Tom explains this living entity in his science terms as the executive branch of the LCS (Larger Consciousness System). In regards to the LCS, the concepts of "perfect" and "infinite" are discussed.
• Consciousness — The Final Frontier (Dada Gunamuktananda, TEDx)
  The exploration of inner space, our own consciousness, is ultimately connected to our discovery of outer space. Just as the world becomes a smaller place with increase in communication and transport technology, so the universe becomes a smaller place with the increase in meditation technology! Dada Gunamuktananda has trained in meditation, yoga and natural health sciences in Australia, the Philippines and India. He has been a meditation teacher of Ananda Marga since 1995 and has taught and lectured on meditation in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Recommended Publications

Below is a list of recommended books on the topic of spirituality.

• Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind, by Roger Walsh
• My Big TOE, Thomas Campbell
• The Creation of Health, Caroline Myss, PhD & C. Norman Shealy, M.D.
• Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss, PhD
• You Can Heal Your Life, Louise L. Hay
• Journey of Souls, Michael Newton, Ph.D.
• Destiny of Souls, Michael Newton, Ph.D.
• The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle
• Your Soul's Plan, Robert Schwartz
• Your Soul's Gift, Robert Schwartz
• Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda
• Between Death & Life: Conversations with a Spirit, Dolores Cannon
• The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie Ford

 

[Linda]

Well, looks like a case of Go Big - great. The way I see it is that you can always pare it down or add other things to meet workplace expectations, but I think this will be a fresh start for many.

 

[Tania]

While currently working in New Zealand Government (IT), an email was sent out to my division (a division has units, such as IT, units have teams) asking for a volunteers to be a representative for a Wellbeing group, which sits under a team that looks after Health & Safety. A few people applied, including me, and I was accepted in. One of the first projects I've been involved in is putting together a page on Spiritual Wellbeing that will only be accessible by staff.

The context is Government employees, so I've had to tone it down a bit and not get too woo woo. I've probably gone a bit overboard though, as that's just how I do things as I like to push the envelope, otherwise change occurs a bit too slowly for me.

Below is most of what I've come up with, which may help some of you out there who are seekers of knowledge and who may have recently awoken to something greater than religion, belief, indoctrination, forced cultural and family values, etc. This hasn't been approved yet, so is technically just a draft, but I've approved it for RT

* * *

Spirituality Defined

The times are changing and so has the meaning and understanding of the word spirituality. It was once referred to as a religious process of re-formation as exemplified by the founders of many sacred texts and religions of the world.

Today it is used broadly and often has little relation to religion. It can be about an awakening of the consciousness leading to a sense and feeling of connection to something larger than ourselves, alongside the journey of growth on a path to enlightenment.

Metaphysical knowledge plays an important role in spirituality, which can come from the original teachings of some religions and belief systems, but also spiritual masters who do not always identify with any one religion.

It is up to you how you want to define spirituality, based on your own direct experiences through life that touch on the esoteric and multidimensional nature of a greater reality.

Below are some talks on the topic of spirituality.

• Science & Spirituality (Jeff Lieberman, TEDx)
  Jeff Lieberman, an MIT-trained artist, scientist and engineer, makes a scientific argument for mystical experience. He asks us to challenge our perception of what we are, our relationship to the universe and our relationship to one another. Our minds are "thought-generating machines." What would happen if we could turn off the machine? If we could transcend our individual experience of the world?
• How Do You Get Started With Spirituality? (Sadhguru)
  Indian Yogi and author Sadhguru explains that everyone is already on the spiritual path. The desire for more money, power, knowledge or anything else is a spiritual process too, but mostly misguided and conducted unconsciously. What needs to be done is to become more conscious and aware.
• The Multidimensional Game (William Buhlman)
  In this short video, William Buhlman, author and out of body experience teacher, shares his perspective around spirituality from the viewpoint of multiple dimensions and what exists beyond the physical world, based on his exploration beyond the body.

Wellbeing & Spirituality

In the Māori culture, taha wairua (spiritual health) is acknowledged as being the most important requirement for health. Without spiritual awareness, it is believed that an individual is lacking wellbeing and more prone to ill health. Relationships with the environment is important to explore, including those between people and their heritage; sometimes the breakdown of such relationships can indicate ill health or lack of personal identify.

Māori spiritual health also relates to unspoken and unseen energies. A person’s life force is their spiritual essence. The traditional Māori analysis of illness focuses on the spirit to see if any damage could be contributing.

Through learning about the different ways we can explore our spiritual nature, we are provided many opportunities to improve our wellbeing. Below are links to talks on the topic of exploring spirituality from well-known figures in this field.

• How to Find a Spiritual Connection (Radhanath Swami, TEDx)
  In a world shrunken by digital connections are we still nourishing the right connections in our lives and in society? How can we be better connected spiritually, with ourselves and with each other? Radhanath Swami is a world renowned author, philanthropist and community builder.
  He has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner and spiritual teacher for more than 40 years. He is the inspiration behind a free mid-day meal for 1.2 million school kids across India and he has been instrumental in founding the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai. He has keynoted at Apple, Starbucks, Google and House of Lords. His work has led to meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Journey Into Awakening (Eckhart Tolle)
  "Real spiritual awakening is when something emerges from within you that is deeper than who you thought you were." Let us journey into awakening and see how we fit into the greater universe. Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher and best-selling author. In 2008, The New York Times called Tolle "the most popular spiritual author in the United States". In 2011 he was listed by Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world. Tolle is not identified with any particular religion, but has been influenced by a wide range of spiritual works.
• Depression and Spiritual Awakening: Two Sides of one Door (Lisa Miller, TEDx)
  Is depression, as most of us experience it, meaningless suffering? Dr. Lisa Miller presents research that lends meaning to the experience of depression and to our experience on planet Earth. Dr. Lisa Miller is perhaps the world’s foremost expert in the relative study of psychology and spirituality. Dr. Miller is Professor and Director of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she founded and currently directs the Spirituality and Mind-Body Institute, to innovate, disseminate, and train healers in foundationally spiritual treatments.
• The 3 Paths of Spiritual Growth (Tom Campbell)
  Which path is right for you? In his book trilogy My Big TOE, Tom gives advice on how the different paths of spiritual growth work with their upsides and downsides. In this interview he goes into a little more detail on what the paths involve. Having once worked for NASA and DOD in the USA, physicist Tom Campbell has extensively explored consciousness while out of body and now teaches with his workshops and talks held around the world.
• Master Shi Heng Yi — 5 Hindrances to Self-Mastery (Shi Heng YI, TEDx)
  Meet Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi in his serene talk about self-discovery. For more than 30 years, Master Shi Heng Yi has been studying and practicing the interaction between mind and body. His strength is the ability to smoothly combine this knowledge with physical exercises and to practice the martial arts Kung Fu and Qi Gong. As a contemporary monk, Master Yi holds a smartphone in the folds of his clothes, as he sees no contradiction between living together with ancient knowledge and high technology.
• Faith, Religion, and God in the Big Picture (Tom Campbell)
  Some have said that physicist Tom Campbell's My Big TOE model of reality has scientifically derived God. Tom explains this living entity in his science terms as the executive branch of the LCS (Larger Consciousness System). In regards to the LCS, the concepts of "perfect" and "infinite" are discussed.
• Consciousness — The Final Frontier (Dada Gunamuktananda, TEDx)
  The exploration of inner space, our own consciousness, is ultimately connected to our discovery of outer space. Just as the world becomes a smaller place with increase in communication and transport technology, so the universe becomes a smaller place with the increase in meditation technology! Dada Gunamuktananda has trained in meditation, yoga and natural health sciences in Australia, the Philippines and India. He has been a meditation teacher of Ananda Marga since 1995 and has taught and lectured on meditation in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Recommended Publications

Below is a list of recommended books on the topic of spirituality.

• Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind, by Roger Walsh
• My Big TOE, Thomas Campbell
• The Creation of Health, Caroline Myss, PhD & C. Norman Shealy, M.D.
• Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss, PhD
• You Can Heal Your Life, Louise L. Hay
• Journey of Souls, Michael Newton, Ph.D.
• Destiny of Souls, Michael Newton, Ph.D.
• The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle
• Your Soul's Plan, Robert Schwartz
• Your Soul's Gift, Robert Schwartz
• Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda
• Between Death & Life: Conversations with a Spirit, Dolores Cannon
• The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie Ford

That is just great Laron - makes all the sense in the world they picked you and what a stroke of luck for them with all the knowledge you hold and have access to. More than luck it really does seem meant to be - I hope it will be an encorageing experience for you and the newcomers - what great potential this is and amazing confirmation of the world and it's structures changeing!!

 

[Bert]

Really nice to hear that they work on spiritual wellbeing.

I find you text really good and wouldn't cut out any of it but a text like this would indeed be a bit woowoo for the average government employee here in Belgium.

I have two possible suggestions:

1. you can make a beginner, intermediate and advanced spiritual explanation. Most people are still in the choice between material or religion and don't like any of the two (possibly leading to depression as you put in one of the references). This has changed a lot the last years but.... I find your explanation of spirituality is really good.
2. I would include a part about religion. Freedom of spirituality and thus also practicing some kind of religion is really important to the wellbeing. Acceptance (not tolerance) of this freedom is important. This also means the acceptance that some people say there is nothing out there, that we are material beings and when we go from this world it is the end.

your doing good work

 

[June]

While currently working in New Zealand Government (IT), an email was sent out to my division (a division has units, such as IT, units have teams) asking for a volunteers to be a representative for a Wellbeing group, which sits under a team that looks after Health & Safety. A few people applied, including me, and I was accepted in. One of the first projects I've been involved in is putting together a page on Spiritual Wellbeing that will only be accessible by staff.

The context is Government employees, so I've had to tone it down a bit and not get too woo woo. I've probably gone a bit overboard though, as that's just how I do things as I like to push the envelope, otherwise change occurs a bit too slowly for me.

Below is most of what I've come up with, which may help some of you out there who are seekers of knowledge and who may have recently awoken to something greater than religion, belief, indoctrination, forced cultural and family values, etc. This hasn't been approved yet, so is technically just a draft, but I've approved it for RT

* * *

Spirituality Defined

The times are changing and so has the meaning and understanding of the word spirituality. It was once referred to as a religious process of re-formation as exemplified by the founders of many sacred texts and religions of the world.

Today it is used broadly and often has little relation to religion. It can be about an awakening of the consciousness leading to a sense and feeling of connection to something larger than ourselves, alongside the journey of growth on a path to enlightenment.

Metaphysical knowledge plays an important role in spirituality, which can come from the original teachings of some religions and belief systems, but also spiritual masters who do not always identify with any one religion.

It is up to you how you want to define spirituality, based on your own direct experiences through life that touch on the esoteric and multidimensional nature of a greater reality.

Below are some talks on the topic of spirituality.

• Science & Spirituality (Jeff Lieberman, TEDx)
  Jeff Lieberman, an MIT-trained artist, scientist and engineer, makes a scientific argument for mystical experience. He asks us to challenge our perception of what we are, our relationship to the universe and our relationship to one another. Our minds are "thought-generating machines." What would happen if we could turn off the machine? If we could transcend our individual experience of the world?
• How Do You Get Started With Spirituality? (Sadhguru)
  Indian Yogi and author Sadhguru explains that everyone is already on the spiritual path. The desire for more money, power, knowledge or anything else is a spiritual process too, but mostly misguided and conducted unconsciously. What needs to be done is to become more conscious and aware.
• The Multidimensional Game (William Buhlman)
  In this short video, William Buhlman, author and out of body experience teacher, shares his perspective around spirituality from the viewpoint of multiple dimensions and what exists beyond the physical world, based on his exploration beyond the body.

Wellbeing & Spirituality

In the Māori culture, taha wairua (spiritual health) is acknowledged as being the most important requirement for health. Without spiritual awareness, it is believed that an individual is lacking wellbeing and more prone to ill health. Relationships with the environment is important to explore, including those between people and their heritage; sometimes the breakdown of such relationships can indicate ill health or lack of personal identify.

Māori spiritual health also relates to unspoken and unseen energies. A person’s life force is their spiritual essence. The traditional Māori analysis of illness focuses on the spirit to see if any damage could be contributing.

Through learning about the different ways we can explore our spiritual nature, we are provided many opportunities to improve our wellbeing. Below are links to talks on the topic of exploring spirituality from well-known figures in this field.

• How to Find a Spiritual Connection (Radhanath Swami, TEDx)
  In a world shrunken by digital connections are we still nourishing the right connections in our lives and in society? How can we be better connected spiritually, with ourselves and with each other? Radhanath Swami is a world renowned author, philanthropist and community builder.
  He has been a Bhakti Yoga practitioner and spiritual teacher for more than 40 years. He is the inspiration behind a free mid-day meal for 1.2 million school kids across India and he has been instrumental in founding the Bhaktivedanta Hospital in Mumbai. He has keynoted at Apple, Starbucks, Google and House of Lords. His work has led to meetings with U.S. President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
• Journey Into Awakening (Eckhart Tolle)
  "Real spiritual awakening is when something emerges from within you that is deeper than who you thought you were." Let us journey into awakening and see how we fit into the greater universe. Eckhart Tolle is a spiritual teacher and best-selling author. In 2008, The New York Times called Tolle "the most popular spiritual author in the United States". In 2011 he was listed by Watkins Review as the most spiritually influential person in the world. Tolle is not identified with any particular religion, but has been influenced by a wide range of spiritual works.
• Depression and Spiritual Awakening: Two Sides of one Door (Lisa Miller, TEDx)
  Is depression, as most of us experience it, meaningless suffering? Dr. Lisa Miller presents research that lends meaning to the experience of depression and to our experience on planet Earth. Dr. Lisa Miller is perhaps the world’s foremost expert in the relative study of psychology and spirituality. Dr. Miller is Professor and Director of Clinical Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she founded and currently directs the Spirituality and Mind-Body Institute, to innovate, disseminate, and train healers in foundationally spiritual treatments.
• The 3 Paths of Spiritual Growth (Tom Campbell)
  Which path is right for you? In his book trilogy My Big TOE, Tom gives advice on how the different paths of spiritual growth work with their upsides and downsides. In this interview he goes into a little more detail on what the paths involve. Having once worked for NASA and DOD in the USA, physicist Tom Campbell has extensively explored consciousness while out of body and now teaches with his workshops and talks held around the world.
• Master Shi Heng Yi — 5 Hindrances to Self-Mastery (Shi Heng YI, TEDx)
  Meet Shaolin Master Shi Heng Yi in his serene talk about self-discovery. For more than 30 years, Master Shi Heng Yi has been studying and practicing the interaction between mind and body. His strength is the ability to smoothly combine this knowledge with physical exercises and to practice the martial arts Kung Fu and Qi Gong. As a contemporary monk, Master Yi holds a smartphone in the folds of his clothes, as he sees no contradiction between living together with ancient knowledge and high technology.
• Faith, Religion, and God in the Big Picture (Tom Campbell)
  Some have said that physicist Tom Campbell's My Big TOE model of reality has scientifically derived God. Tom explains this living entity in his science terms as the executive branch of the LCS (Larger Consciousness System). In regards to the LCS, the concepts of "perfect" and "infinite" are discussed.
• Consciousness — The Final Frontier (Dada Gunamuktananda, TEDx)
  The exploration of inner space, our own consciousness, is ultimately connected to our discovery of outer space. Just as the world becomes a smaller place with increase in communication and transport technology, so the universe becomes a smaller place with the increase in meditation technology! Dada Gunamuktananda has trained in meditation, yoga and natural health sciences in Australia, the Philippines and India. He has been a meditation teacher of Ananda Marga since 1995 and has taught and lectured on meditation in New Zealand, Australia, Europe, the Middle East, and the Far East.

Recommended Publications

Below is a list of recommended books on the topic of spirituality.

• Essential Spirituality: The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind, by Roger Walsh
• My Big TOE, Thomas Campbell
• The Creation of Health, Caroline Myss, PhD & C. Norman Shealy, M.D.
• Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss, PhD
• You Can Heal Your Life, Louise L. Hay
• Journey of Souls, Michael Newton, Ph.D.
• Destiny of Souls, Michael Newton, Ph.D.
• The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle
• Your Soul's Plan, Robert Schwartz
• Your Soul's Gift, Robert Schwartz
• Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda
• Between Death & Life: Conversations with a Spirit, Dolores Cannon
• The Dark Side of the Light Chasers, Debbie Ford

Fantastic, I like it. What a golden opportunity get the info out there

 

[Snowmelt]

That really is a spiritual smorgasbord you have provided there, Laron! A lot of people find viewing a vid easier than coping with a lot of small print and many pages of conceptual thinking. I like how you point to the Maori awareness of spirituality, one that is certainly well grounded in "place" and the beautiful wild nature surrounding all of you in NZ (meaning you don't have to venture very far to have an unearthly experience in an earthly setting).

At first, I thought you were going to take the readers down the path of spirituality by explaining metaphysical concepts, but you are allowing people who have gone deep in exploration to explain it in their own words, which will help those experiencing it for the first time to decide if they want to dig deeper.

Thomas Campbell, Caroline Myss, Michael Newton, Eckhardt Tolle, Dolores Cannon and especially Paramahansa Yogananda all feature on my bookshelf and are greatly loved authors and writers of expanded knowledge and spirituality.

 

[Tristan]

Wow Laron that is just incredible!! Congratulations!!