Spiritual Development

Dr. Of Spiritual Development Final Essay By Dennis Zerull I appreciate Dr. David Crouch in authoring this course and the ULC Seminary for making it available to all students participating in this wonderful program and making a difference not only their own personal lives but making a difference in their relationship to fellow beings and communities around the world. Today in an age when science and technology have reached a most advance stage, we are incessantly preoccupied with mundane concerns. In such an age, it is crucial that we attain faith based on various traditions of religious and non-religious teachings on the basis of genuine understanding. It is with an objective mind endowed with the curious skepticism that we should engage in careful analysis and seek reason behind our beliefs. Then on the basis of seeing the reasons, we engender a faith that is accompanied by wisdom. It is this wisdom that should be the emphasis on approaching any kind of spiritual development not just through faith and devotion but also through critical inquiry. In Buddhism for example this approach is known as the "way of the intelligent person". Another saying I'm sure many have heard is "no self, no problems". The selflessness of both the person as well as the psychophysical components of the person is another way of understanding "no self".   In this course, NLP, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is one of the main focuses as a method for self-improvement in achieving a higher plain of spiritual development.  It is my belief that Dr. Crouch needs to go a bit further into the history if this controversial approach to psychotherapy and organizational change based on a model of interpersonal communication chiefly concerned with the relationship between successful patterns of behavior and the subjective experiences underlying them and a system of alternative therapy based on this which seeks to educate people in self-awareness and effective communication to change the patterns of mental and emotional behavior. We know that Richard Bandler while a UC Santa Cruz, was listening to taped portions of therapy sessions of the late Gestalt therapist Fritz Perls and Bandler believed he recognized particular word and sentence structures which facilitated Perls' therapeutic suggestions. Bandler took the idea to Linguist John Grinder and Virginia Satir to produce what the termed the meta model which gathers information and challenges a client's language and underlying thinking. It was then presented in 1975 in two volumes, The Structure of Magic I: A Book about Language and Therapy and the Structure of Magic II: A Book About Communication and Change. They believed that the   "therapeutic magick" as performed in therapy and by performers in any complex human activity, had structure that could be learned by others given appropriate models. They believed as Dr. Crouch, that implicit in the behavior was the ability to challenge distortion, generalization and deletion in a client's language. We also know that later Milton Erickson became the third model and wrote Patterns of the Hypnotic Techniques of Milton Erickson, Volumes I & II.  Basically it was it was a model that was vague and metaphoric in the inverse of the meta model. It was a combination used with the meta model as a type of softener, to induce a trance, and to deliver indirect therapeutic suggestion and includes the models and techniques mentioned by Dr. Crouch such as anchoring, re-framing, sub modalities and representational systems. It was also a time of the so-called human potential movement and was developing into an industry. One so lucrative that Bandler and Grinder gave up academic writing and produced popular books from seminar transcripts such as Frogs into Princes. It may seem that I am a bit skeptical about this system but as I mentioned before I do have curious skepticism when it comes to representational systems. NLP doesn't seem to concentrate on diagnosis, treatment and assessment of any disorders. Instead it focuses on help people overcome their own self-perceived, or subjective problems. And as they learn more about their problems they learn how to modify those goals further as a result of extended interaction with a therapist or teacher. But what does NLP have to do with spiritual development. Dr. Crouch explains that there is "the application of mental technologies in spiritual change". I assume those technologies which are presented throughout this course is NLP.  In all honesty I have found NLP to be a bit like a Tony Robbins seminar. I find NLP to be somewhat vague and ambiguous in its language, which can mean different things to different people. NLP tends to offer you a sort of users manual for the brain. This seems to be a metaphor as I have also hear it referred to as "software for the brain". NLP relies heavily upon the notion of the "unconscious mind" as constantly influencing conscious thought and action. A common thread I did find in NLP is the emphasis on teaching a variety of communication and persuasion skills, and using self-hypnosis to motivate and change oneself. I certainly have no doubt that many people benefit from NLP training sessions and from these lesson but there seems to be several questionable assumptions based on such beliefs about the unconscious mind, hypnosis and the ability to influence people by appealing directly to the subconscious mind. All scientific evidence, which exists on such things, indicates that NLP claims are not necessarily accurate. You cannot learn to speak directly to the unconscious mind as Erickson and NLP claim, except in the obvious way of using the power of suggestion. We know that Einstein and Tolstoy's work as an example might produce a dozen "models" of how the mind works, but there is no way of knowing which, if any models is correct. In lesson 18, Dr. Crouch talks about Eckhart Tolle's book "The Power of Now" and how it made an impact on his life. I can also attest to Tolle's works. I have read most if not all of his works and have attended his seminars and lecture.  He is a contemporary prolific spiritual teacher who expands on powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. In his book the Power of Now he talks about methods and "how methods are sometimes needed until they are no longer needed and should be cast aside or dropped".  An essential part of spiritual awakening is the recognition of the unawakened you, the ego as it thinks, speaks, and acts, as well as the recognition of the collectively conditioned mental process that perpetuate the unawakened state. I submit that unless you know the basic mechanics behind the workings of the ego, you won't recognize it, and it will trick you into identifying with it over and over again. It takes you over and pretends to be you. The simple act of recognition itself is on of the ways in which awakening happens. No other complicated methods or hours of writing are needed. "When you recognize the unconsciousness in you, that which makes the recognition possible is the arising consciousness, is the awakening." Eckhart Tolle, a New Earth.  Over and over again Tolle talks about living in the now and that the past and the future will always manifest themselves as the present. Therefore any method that uses projections into the future as to where your life will be is both illogical and not grounded in reason. It is of course possible to plan for the future as long as it is done in the present moment and done with understanding and reason. In my opinion NLP places outcomes on the criterion of usefulness rather than objective truth. Metaphors for the mind conflict with what cognitive science have discovered. This does not imply that NLP would argue against the mind being embodied. The difference between researcher working on Artificial intelligence and NLP is that the first use a computer as their laboratory, while the latter uses human subjects to test their theories. Again it is vital for us to obtain genuine confidence in the nature of mind and reality, grounded in understanding and reason. As long as you are unaware of being you will seek meaning only within the dimension of doing and of future. That meaning will dissolve or turn out to have been deception and it will be destroyed by time for it is only true relatively and temporarily. Earlier in this essay I mentioned selflessness.  Let me further expand on this subject briefly and how it relates to spiritual development. What would you say that success is? The world tells you that success is achieving what you set out to do. It tells that it is winning, finding recognition is essential in any success. They may be by-products of success but they are not success. The conventional notion of success is concerned with the outcome of what you do. Some say it is a combination of hard work and luck, determination and talent, being in the right place at the right time. What the world doesn't tell you is what it doesn't know. That is that you cannot become successful. You can only be successful. Being successful is nothing more than a successful moment. The sense of quality in what you do. Care and attention which comes into awareness. The joy of being conscious, of being awake, of Being. We create a universe with ourselves in the center, and from this point of reference, we relate to the rest of the world. With this understanding it becomes crucial to ask what the self is in relationship to spirituality. Self can be described as ego, as ignorance, which is the failure to see reality and the ultimate nature of reality. But once we gain insight into ultimate reality we ask what is it's nature? Since the physical and mental faculties that constitute our existence are transient, they change, age and then one day cease they cannot be true self. The answer may be that the existence of the individual is accepted only as a dependent entity and not as n independent absolute reality. We are a convergence in the world and the universe and are the interaction of all constituents in mutual interdependence. Each person's life and each life form represent a world a unique way in which the universe experiences itself. In place of spirit I use consciousness or Being. Consciousness is already conscious. It is timeless and therefore does not evolve. It was never born and does not die. When it is manifested it appears to be subject to time and undergoes some sort of evolutionary process. No human mind is remotely capable of comprehending or fully understanding the reason for this process. But we can become aware of it in ourselves and catch a glimpse of it and become a conscious participant in it. It is the intelligence, the spiritual, and the organizer behind the arising of form. Spiritual development is nothing more than an awakened consciousness. That realization is awakening because awakening is the realization of Presence. ********************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the Free Online Ordination, button. The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's Seminary since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Metaphysical Healing

Metaphysical Healing: Final Lesson (20) Rev. Krissy Mahrling-Harding This course has touched me in a number of ways. Katharine's insight and spirituality embodies each technique and historical piece of information on the traditional and indigenous healers of South Africa. I found it intensely interesting to learn that there are over 35,000 healers in that country. It has made me wonder as to how many healers practice in the United States, and why these practitioners are not as recognized as their counterparts in South Africa. I would liked to have learned or seen more studies outside of South Africa. The information in this series was (at best) limited. The Native American and European cultures that have become more acceptably integrated into American culture have long and respected knowledge and practices that apply to the healing arts. Wicca, and other nature based philosophies, have ingrained in them, the knowledge of herbs and plants that are both beneficial and potentially harmful. While there is much to be gained and given from the practice of the laying on of hands, it would seem that it is also as important to know what herbs, plants, aromatherapy, materials for ritual…etc…are used and for what side effects accompany them. One of the final lessons on distance healing was probably the most inclusive of step by step technique and what 'tools' to use in the preparation. Perhaps an expansion would be well and good for another course study. A couple of the most important and interesting techniques that I gained from this course, is the examination of the aura and the techniques for relaxation, which are, by any other name, Hypno-therapy, and meditation. I have been able to practice these methods with my Husband with excellent results in helping him to manage his painful shoulders and back, which are a result of stress and physical labour. I am looking forward to reviewing all of the material over and over, so that I can become adept in fulfilling my calling as a healer as well as a minister and counselor. In fact, these all work together for the balance and harmony, the health and well being of everyone. Along with the medical profession, I believe that there should always be holistic alternatives available. Perhaps America will see the benefits of partnering with traditional healers, here in the US, to allow a more fruitful and complete form of healing the body, might mind and soul. It is my true belief, that if God has given you a gift, then it is your responsibility to hone it and share it, to give the glory to God for it's purpose and humble gratitude for its nature. I am grateful for the opportunity to have studied this course, to continue to hone my own skills (gifts) and the guidance that this study course has offered, to do so. ******************************* The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity two courses in , Wicca, several in  Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception. The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.   As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.   Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirituality Course

Final Essay – Defining Spiritualism by Rev. Lucinda Parker

Perhaps the most important quote in the entire course is “…but we must remember that we are not ministering to ourselves, we are ministering to people who are searching for meaning. It is important therefore that we learn to minister to all people.”

As a trained and practicing environmental scientist who is also deeply spiritual, I found Defining Spiritualism an interesting read. It is really a history of scientific thought, and a discussion of the thinkers who have tried to explain our existence and purpose in this life. I have long believed that science is a religion but not spiritual. This course furthered those opinions. One drawback is that course is written based upon the assumption that scientifically minded, “prove it to me” type folks have no spiritual belief at all. No where does the author acknowledge that a great many scientists and scientifically based people are agnostics. This weakened the course.

The lessons on Marx, Darwin, Hegel and Freud were extremely well written. These two lessons made me sit down and think about the human condition and our thinking about it over the last fifty years. All too often we relegate philosophy to some unknown time a long time ago in some unknown, un-experienced place. These two lessons brilliantly demonstrated that philosophy and spiritualism are constantly evolving. These lessons also showed what happens when one person or group tries to convince any other person or group that “THIS is the ultimate answer you are seeking”. There is no ONE definition or right thought. I would have liked to see more on Einstein, Steven Hawkins and other recent great thinkers.

The worst lesson was the last lesson, although there were parts of the other lessons that drifted away from the topic too far. The author assumes everyone taking this course is Christian or will “end up” being a Christian. That assumption although never specifically stated, comes through loud and clear. As a non-Christian, I tired of the author’s proselytizing. He broke his own rule, as I quoted at the beginning of this essay “…but we must remember that we are not ministering to ourselves, we are ministering to people who are searching for meaning. It is important therefore that we learn to minister to all people.” His personal experience and belief detracted from the course. The last lesson should have been omitted for this very reason. In fact, the editor saved part of the day by adding a comment on a view of sin in non-Christian beliefs as distance from God. Rarely did the author mention any spiritual ideas other than monotheism.

If you are a Christian and have never studied the history of intellectual thought, this course is a good start.

Rev. Lucinda Parker

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers hand-fasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spiritual Awareness

Spiritual Awareness I have found many things very helpful in this course and have learned a great deal from all that is offered.  I love how Charles is able to make things so understandable.  I have especially liked this course going through the natural laws and I am still working at seeing how these laws are so interwoven into my everyday life.  It has helped me to become more focused and to understand that we have the power to achieve what our desires and whatever our intention may be.  This enables our lives to flow with love and abundance in all areas. I have also learned from the meditation section and bringing in the Christ Light and allowing it to fill my being.  This has really helped to deepen my love for people and enabling me to see this Light in them as well. I also feel that it has made me much more aware of my higher self and it's relation to my own divinity.  This is always something I have struggled with because I was brought up in a very strict religious home and community and have had to relearn all my truth. I have learned from the chakra lesson and the energies that come from them as well.  I have always been aware of these and their associations to different colors but this lesson has led me to do some extra reading about them and I have learned much from it. I loved the part on the Kandalini and other life force energies taught in lesson 19.  These I have greatly benefited from because I didn't have much knowledge about them before. I was also very interested in learning about the Ascended Masters and their various rays and the energies they can bring to our lives.  I am really going to look into these some more and learn more about them so I can call on them for what they have to offer in my life. I also enjoyed the lesson on Spirit communication.  As a medium I am always in touch with my guides and the spirits of those who have passed and I often get asked how people can sharpen their abilities in these areas and so I love ideas and information that I can give them because it works so differently for everyone. One of the things that has really stuck in my mind through these lessons is not using so much of your own energy but using the energy around you from Ley Lines and Ley nodes and tapping into it.  Also just allowing the energy to come to you.  Remembering this has helped me not to feel as drained and also to control more of the energy that comes to me by doing more grounding. I could go on and on about all that these lessons have meant to me and how they have helped me grow as a person and a medium and my spiritual awareness in my everyday life.  I hope that with my learning I can offer more help and guidance to people around me as my own understanding and spiritual awareness grows. Rev. Cindy Roskamp ******************** Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free,  and lasts for life, so use the As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of Universal Life Church  materials.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and it's since the beginning and have loved watching the continual growth of the seminary. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Metaphysical Healing

I was excited and enrolled in the Master's of Metaphysical Healing class for two reasons. First I am a Master Level Reiki healer and use this almost daily and so I am always interested in other natural and spiritual healing methods. The class paralleled much with my professional training in the three levels of Reiki classed I was certified in a few years ago, so in this way it was a good review. At the same time it went far beyond that, as well, and added even more expertise to my spiritual healing practice. Some of it was far above my comprehension and this is one class I wished I could have taken with hand's on experience.

Almost four years ago I was asked to write and illustrate a biography of the son of a African King who was visiting in the United States. Much of my art, my storytelling, and even my dress is often with an African flavor, and in past life regressions I have been told I have lived there often, and perhaps this is the reason I played with black dolls as a child instead of white ones and I have a house decorated with African art in every room, even the bathroom, and last my nickname is "Tiger;"

Writing the biography of the son of a African King, I learned that King Alu had been married to an African healer and it had been his wives' desire that their son come to the United States and study medicine so that he could combine his professional study with her herbal and spiritual healing. One of the illustrations of the book is a painting of the spiritual doctor gathering her herbs and carrying them in a basket on her head, telling her son as an American plane flew over that one day when he grew up that he would travel to the U.S to study medicine, and she was sure with the two combined that he would make one of the best doctors in African.

Unfortunately, Dr. Alu had to return to Nigeria before I finished his book and communication in his remote village is rare with the outside world unless he travels out of the village. However, perhaps the time will come I will finish the book and travel there when it is published and I can proudly say, "Yes, I have study on a small scale, as a African healer,too."

While the typical degree certificate will with this class I wished the Professor Kruger would also send us a certificate saying something to the affect of, Completed 20 weeks of study in Spiritual African Healing Methods, or at least add something to the regular degree showing the study was in African Healing Methods? Is this possible? I hope so. I want to show my publisher my certificate when my book, King Alu's Last Wish is published.

Rev. Linda Francis

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

 

Spiritual Development

Doctor of Spiritual Development

Joseph Ceh

It would appear that self-acceptance begins very early in one's life – even while one inhabits the womb. Science tells us that singing, reading, music, and noises affect the yet-to-be-born. After birth one continues the process of learning, experiencing change and growth in one's self perception, viz., self-acceptance. This process is life-long and inherently dynamic because it involves change and inner growth. As we grow chronologically, ideally we develop core, personal values that enhance one's life or not!

Moving through childhood, pubescence, adolescence, and eventually emerging into adulthood, we have gained in self-acceptance and self-actualization. However, this is a process both ongoing and developmental. That is to say, we are always becoming, always changing – ideally for the better. We may come to recognize that we are much more than our job or title; more than our academic background or other mundane achievements. We are complex beings. In other words we are more than what we do. As homo-sapiens we live also on other levels, namely, the physical, emotional, and spiritual levels along with our intellectual capacity. Furthermore, it is not uncommon for us to experience aspects of life that threaten or strike an axe at our self-image. Negative self-talk about one's regrets and disappointing behavior may weaken authentic self-esteem and self actualization. In such circumstances we may fall into the trap of debilitating self-doubt or unnecessary worry. Genuine self-acceptance and spiritual growth ought not allow negative self-talk to grow, but rather one may employ the "tools" of prayer, meditation, journaling, spiritual reading, spiritual direction and any other methods to ground one in the highest good, altruistic living, and service to humanity. These are the touchstones of what is sacred and offers peace of heart, peace of mind, peace of soul, self-actualization and self-acceptance.

Being a responsible person fundamentally means having the ability to respond to life's circumstances with clarity of heart and mind. We are responsible when we aim to act purposefully in our choices while choosing goals worthy of us as beings reflecting the Divine image. These choices include living daily attuned to each aspect of that which makes us fully human and spiritually alive. As sojourners on this earthly journey we may ready ourselves to receive insights flowing from being attentive to every life situation, and appealing to one's inner conscience or soul or heart or spiritual intuition. And, too, it may be more than useful to consider a life-coach or spiritual director when life throws its inevitable curve balls that disrupt inner peace. Life-coaches help us to re-evaluate the paths we are taking on our earthly journey.

The goal or goals we set before us are more about the path itself and not the destination. Mistakes, personal disappointments, wrong turns, so to speak, are opportunities for growth. If, for example, my goal is to become a teacher, it is not merely obtaining the credentials to teach, but also to become a skilled teacher and a person of patience, compassion, understanding and openness. An authentic teacher continues to keep her/his goals in mind while at the same time remaining open to all those life lessons and challenges along the way.

During my ministry in a very large suburban parish, I fell victim to stress stemming from the demands of a large parish. I wrestled with this uncomfortable feeling far too long before naming the stressors brought about by daily time constraints, meetings, pastoral care, preaching and… You get the picture! I was able to refocus and take additional quiet, reflective time to reevaluate my ministry. In conversation with my spiritual director I learned something, or rather re-learned what I had lost sight of: that being present to/with parishioners means being in the here-and-now. That is to say, we may only be present to others when we are present to this very moment.

I recall an adolescent who was struggling with many issues inherent in the often tumultuous late adolescent years. We met often, but one particular day I asked if he might try living just one day at a time. His response was, "No, not for me. I can only live moment to moment for now." What insight he had! It is only in the NOW that we live, and each day takes us a little farther along on our journey. To place ourselves in the present is not to lose sight of one's goals, but to allow our goals to unfold in the thoughts and actions of this moment. We recognize that our thoughts affect attitudes and attitudes influence behavior in this moment.

There are many techniques to help us refocus and review our goals and aspirations – as has already been said. Whatever techniques or tools we use, the aim is the same, to allow time to reestablish clarity when life's waters become a little muddy. I especially like using a daily journal to help affirm established goals, evaluate and living in this moment, and reaffirm my goals for the future.

Rev. Dr. Joseph T. Ceh

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.

Ordination with the Universal Life Church, is free, legal and lasts for life, so please take advantage of our Free Online Ordination.

The  ULC, run by Rev. Long, has created a chaplaincy program to help train our ministers. We also have a huge catalog of minister supplies.  I've been ordained with the Universal Life Church for many years and am proud to have started the Seminary.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Spirituality Course

"Developing a Spiritual Mentality" A Final Essay for the Master of Spirituality Course By Daniel L. Moore     "Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:12-13 NASB).     The above passage sums up what I learned from this course.  It was a challenging course for me.  The instructor did an excellent job in separating the spiritual from the natural way of thinking that people often do.  In order to minister in the spiritual realm, there needs to be an adjustment in my thinking.  The adjustment comes by…     First…understanding how human thinks and philosophize.  It helps when one ministers to those who are the "just the facts" type of person and those who follow the typical western mindset of thinking.      Second…understanding the major persons (Plato, Aristotle, etc) who developed the philosophies.  They were products of their time and culture.  Knowing these influences help to understand the background of their thinking.     Third…moving to understand what God desires us to know.  This is a radical transforming action.  Man is not God but a creation of God to reflect Divine character.      Spiritual learning and growth comes by responding to the circumstances and challenges God allows in our lives.  I learned that as I meet each challenge I will have to unlearn something to gain something from God.  This is the challenge of spiritual understanding.  It is to seek the divine perspective of things.  My small human mind may see an issue from a selfish angle.  As I adjust, setting aside my prejudices and biases, I am able to gain divine insight.  The spiritual mentality comes when I align myself with God's Person and Purposes.  When I can humble myself to a position to see as Christ sees, then I am able to obtain the mind of Christ and have a true spiritual mentality.     The course has blessed me in many ways.  It will challenge every person who enrolls in it.  And I believe it will leave the person in a better position with a greater understanding to minister to people. ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church.