Introduction to Spiritual Life Lessons
We are all constantly learning spiritual life lessons in this world while striving to improve our lives. Each of us can learn from one another, and we are called upon to be teachers to each other from time to time. However, our ego sometimes gets in the way, preventing us from hearing new thoughts and ideas from others. We may think we know it all or that there is nothing else left to learn. This mindset is dangerous, as it shuts down the possibility of not only advancing spiritually but also being capable of teaching others the very ideas we avoided learning in the first place.
Here are three spiritual lessons my guides, both spiritual and from the physical world, have shared with me over the years. I’d like to share them with you. Try to identify which ones you’ve learned and which ones you should work on more.
Spiritual Life Lesson 1: Controlling Our Emotions
Two young people each had a partner who broke off their romantic relationship. One broke down and cried, saying, “I can’t live without you!” The other shrugged and said, “There are more fish in the sea!” Both experienced the same event, but their reactions and emotional dispositions determined where things would go and how they would ultimately feel.
My students never like it when I say we can control our emotions. Teaching adepts to understand and grasp this concept is one of the first tasks in many esoteric organizations. Once a person learns to master their emotions, they can effectively change their lives in an instant. Likewise, not having that mastery allows other people and situations to eventually dictate your life.
This lesson has been very hard for me to learn, and I find myself still working on it, sometimes daily. My strong emotional sensitivity to the world around me means my emotions are always firing. Learning to take a deep breath, ground, and stabilize before reacting or acting has been a challenge.
What has helped me? Having teenagers! My wife and I have hosted several foreign exchange students. Having a teenager in my life has forced me to stay centered and grounded to keep them centered and grounded too. Sometimes we need others around to remind us, even if just with their presence, to stay in control of those deep and passionate emotions that flow through us.
Another very practical thing that has helped has been meditation. I can always tell when I’m due for a meditation session – I feel drained, exhausted, and irritated. I’m always amazed at how much meditation helps me stay in control of my emotions and refreshes me mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and often even physically.
Lesson 2: Failure Helps Us
Many times, when people fail, they give up. Most failure is designed to redirect us in a new direction. It’s meant to help us move in a new way or try a new idea, but not to give up on the original goal. The most successful people in our world have failed multiple times, but each time they learned something, changed their plans, and kept moving forward.
The next time it appears you have failed, try not to get upset. Instead, look rationally at what has occurred and why, spend some time redirecting yourself, and then move forward with your head held high.
I must admit, this has been another very difficult life lesson for me. I’m one of the first people to want to give up when things seem not to be going the way I thought they would or should. I have probably missed several opportunities over the years simply because I looked at something that didn’t appear to be working and said “screw it” and changed plans entirely.
These days, I’m working very hard at not changing the entire plan, but rather, just redirecting my energy in a slightly different direction while keeping my focus still on the original idea or thought. Also, each time I am met with what appears to be a failure, I take a deep breath and say a slight thank you to God. Thank you for letting me know that there is a different and better way than what I think I know.
Lesson 3: Our Thoughts, Words, and Feelings Create
The Law of Attraction primarily focuses on thoughts. Better thinking leads to a better life. However, it’s not just what you think that creates, but also what you say and feel.
Your entire being constantly projects to the Universe. To create better things, you must think, act, speak, and feel differently. Thinking positively while feeling angry will only attract more anger-inducing situations. Speaking ill of others while having positive thoughts will create more situations where you feel compelled to speak negatively.
Align your thoughts, words, and feelings with the highest good. If they aren’t aligned, seek counsel from someone who can help you vent and redirect your thoughts, feelings, and words.
This lesson took time for me to understand. I’m much more aware of my thoughts, feelings, and words now than I was five years ago. I had to consciously work on becoming aware of what I was saying, thinking, and feeling.
Sometimes, I would say I wanted to do something but felt fear inside. This creates conflict in the Universal Mind. Similarly, feeling happy while or after yelling at someone also creates conflict. When we say we want something but are afraid inside, we attract more fear-inducing situations. If we feel satisfied after yelling at someone, even if we claim to dislike yelling, we attract more situations where we feel the need to yell.
To create and attract what we want in life, our words, thoughts, and feelings must be in alignment.
Conclusion to My Spiritual Life Lessons
In summary, these are three spiritual life lessons I have learned. We can control our emotions. Failure is meant to help and inspire us. The things we think, feel, and say become creative forces in our lives and the world. What spiritual life lessons have you learned? Consider sharing them with others.
