Spiritual Practices

Realization

Spiritual Practice: Spiritual realization relies on intuition. Realization is knowing, to the core of your being, that something is true. It's not an intellectual understanding, it's intuitive. Take a statement of truth, such as “God is love," and repeat it mentally, over and over. Set your reasoning mind aside. Repeat it for a few minutes and then just listen and feel from your heart for a minute or two. If your mind becomes restless, go back to repeating the statement. Again, listen and feel. Ask mentally, “What does it mean?" but don't try to answer it with your logical mind. Keep on with the process, understanding that it might take time—days, weeks, months—to receive intuitive realization of that statement of truth. If your desire is strong to have that realization, eventually it will come.

Spiritual Practice: To realize truth within, meditate, and in that calm state, repeat a statement of truth. For example, “The kingdom of heaven is within me," “I and my Father are one," or any short scriptural passage or affirmation. Repeat it like a mantra during the day as well, and then take the statement into your evening meditation. Keep on as long as it takes. The realization that results is life-changing.

Spiritual Practice: To realize truth in the outer world, take a truth that is practical, such as “behind my willpower is the power of God," and then use your willpower to accomplish something you thought you couldn't accomplish. With greater and greater experiences of your willpower, or whatever you choose to work on, you come to realize the truth through that direct experience. Then belief is converted into faith, and you know, without any doubt, the truth that you have experienced.

Spiritual Practice: Meditation includes concentration on God. When you feel peace in meditation, that peace is God. Concentrate on it, realizing its significance, no matter how small the feeling may be. A little peace can lead to greater peace. The same is true of other aspects of God: love, joy, light, sound. Concentrate on each one as they manifest and enjoy deeper experiences and realization of God.