Daily Living Rituals of a Spiritual Journey - step 8
Daily Living Rituals of a Spiritual Journey step 8
spiritual reading
If we had met back in 2016 the idea of me being who I am today would have made you laugh until your sides hurt, and you probably would have thought it was delusional. Seriously!
On October 18, 2017 I was in a car accident that would change my life forever. To look at me you would never know. I didn’t have any broken bones, what I did have was a broken brain. It would take me years to accept my new normal, although to be honest I don’t know that I still really have. Everyday I would wake up angry and frustrated that I wasn’t “better yet”, and then charge ahead trying to force my recovery and get on with life. I ignored my symptoms and challenges as much as possible, mostly because I was terrified to find out what was wrong and what it would mean.
Along the way I was introduced to a book called The Concussion Repair Manual. The book was about, well, exactly as the name suggests, LOL! In it, the author speaks of multiple strategies to recovery through body, mind, and spiritual practices. One of the spiritual practices was faith, and this could have been incredibly hard for me. I wasn’t an atheist, as a matter of fact I not only believed in a higher power but could look back on my life and see where there had been Divine intervention and guidance when I had asked for it. The problem was, and for what I felt were fair reasons, I had lost faith in religion and had been, on and off, searching for my own truth for some years.
The August after the accident I had woken up one morning knowing I was to start reading The Course in Miracles (TCIM). I had owned it for years but didn’t like how much it reminded me of a bible, so I had put it away. The book has a few parts - the teachings, 365 daily lessons, and a teachers manual. A friend had suggested I skip the first section and jump to the daily lessons, and that morning I began just that. I pulled out the book and read lesson one as well as a journal to record what I learned and my thoughts on it. I continued with this book for 2-years and completely transformed my outlook on spirituality, unconditional love, faith, as well as many other beliefs and opinions I had held. I started to let go of my fears and past traumas.
Why am I sharing this?
Because it brings us to my final daily practice, spiritual reading.
With so much mass media being presented to us these days I have learned that it is imperative for me to start each day by reading something that helps support the direction we want to grow. Unintentionally, I took a year off from this practice in 2021 and noticed a change in my daily mental and emotional health. Last Christmas I realized my mistake and began again. Since I began I have read and studied many writings and books, including this year's focus, The Bhagavad Gita. Many teachers recommend doing this in the evening as it supports sleep states of consciousness and I agree, however, I find it best for me in the morning before I look at my phone or start the habitual patterns of the morning.
There are many different books, teachers, and mystics you can start with. Rather than thinking about it intellectually, I encourage you to play with your intuition. Go into the spiritual / religious section of your local library or book start and just start looking with an open and curious mind. Ask yourself as you browse, what do I want to explore? Remember, if it doesn’t resonate or feel right for you, you can always choose again.
I look forward to our journey together.
Brightest of blessings,
Dawn xo
Dawn Elgin | Conscious Empowerment Coach & Awakening Light