Wisdoms from the Journey - Vol IV (Nov 2011 thru Apr 2012)

Getting really Clean …
(03/18/2012)
“A systemic cleansing is definitely the way to go
after each holiday. ” ~ Lee Haney
There are so many ways to cleanse the body & mind. Warm showers,
trips to the sauna, brisk walks in fresh air, deep-tissue massage, Tai Chi &/or
fasting are some ways we can cleanse our bodies. Meditation, prayer,
visualization, Tai Chi &/or quietly soaking in the beauty of Nature are a few
of the many ways we can cleanse our minds. All of these are fine practices
— all of which I have used extensively in my past (and some of them even
in my present) to great personal benefit.
And yet today I focus on another kind of cleansing:
… the Cleansing of the Spirit.
Regardless of your religious beliefs (indeed, even if you do not have
any at all), there is something within you that can be labeled a “Soul”. Maybe
you prefer to call it “conscience” or “consciousness” or “the True Self”, but
you do have one nonetheless. And even though many self-help books will tell
you that the above-mentioned practices (or others like them) will cleanse this
Soul, it is important to realize that this is actually NOT the case …
You see, your Soul only knows Oneness … It only comprehends Love
… Frankly, it doesn’t comprehend “self-help” at all. As such, the only way
to truly cleanse the Soul is to Love others; to actively and courageously go
forth and be Kind to them.
Now I freely admit this is pretty scary stuff, and I also admit that it
can be quite uncomfortable when you take that first step towards “Spiritual
Cleanliness” (see the photo on the facing page). And yet, what makes it all so
much more than worthwhile is that every act of selfless Love — especially
those given in the times we least wish to do so, to the folks we least wish to
give them to — cleanses the Soul for the duration of that act.
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