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Mystical
Path 1: Earth and Home
The
is a format that is followed for each week's
meeting. This information is relevant for those
following this program and those participating in
this program. The following is a summary of the
format I as a facilitator have chosen to follow.
Each person individually should review the books,
recordings and workbook for this series and decide
what is best for them to experience the
strengthening of their path to God.
(A summary of this week's
Path 1 meeting begins near the bottom of this page.
Simply scroll down.)
Greeting and Meditative Prayer- about 10 minutes: a
meditative prayer is shared with the purpose of
focusing the participants on the topics for the
session. Most importantly the meditation is designed
to strengthen our connection to God. We are
petitioning the Divine Guidance in ourselves to
strengthen the pipeline our the connection with God.
Review of This Session's Agenda: Part
1 :60 minutes.
Term for Reflection, 20 min.
Your Answers To Your Purpose, 20 min
The Impact of This Week's Poem 20 min
Part 2: 40 minutes.
Discuss the Results of The Exercises For Path 1
Part 3. Review of Next Week's Path
and Exercises 5 Minutes
Closing: Departure meditative prayer and assignments
5 Minutes
Total Time 120 Minutes
Resources for Spirit Expressing
Terms for Reflection and Discussion
Acceptance
Awareness
Energy
Message
Practice
Purpose
Teach
Transformation
Note The Path 1 Term that will be discussed is
Energy: i.e. vigor, liveliness, dynamism, vitality,
drive. The discussion question is what drains our
energy and what gives us energy.
Each week a different term will be selected for
discussion.
Your Purpose: Each Week One
Of The Following 7 (or 8) Questions Will Be
Discussed:
Do you know what you
believe?
Do you know why you believe that?
Do you understand that what you do
affects other and yourself?
Do you recognize you always have
choices?
What do you feel you need to make a
choice about?
What makes something spiritually
meaningful?
Who is God to you?
When did you become aware of God in
your life?
The Question That We Will Discuss
At The Path 1 Session Is: When Did You Become
Aware of God In Your Life?
The Path 1 Poem:
When God said,
"My hands are yours,"
I saw that I could heal
any creature in this world;
I saw that the
Divine beauty
in each heart
is the root of all time and space.
---- Rabia of
Basra
Path 1 Exercise:
Ponder this poem for a day
- every day for the week. Note what it means to you
and note your thoughts. Those meeting in a group
will share what they are moved to share about those
thoughts.
Mystical Path 1 Earth and
Home: The Everyday Mystic
Path 1 is earth centered, home
centered. This is the path of the everyday mystic
who sees the creator in every bush and tree, in the
gifts of food and shelter, in nurturing and in the
fulfillment of the everyday needs of life. It is the
path of gratitude and caretaking of the earth and
all her creatures.
The true Path 1 mystic lives in
accord with the love of all God's creatures and the
absolute responsibility for their survival. Charles
Alexander Eastman was the first Native American
Indian to to medical school and is the author of the
book The Soul of the Indian. That was written in
1911. To the Indian everything has a soul: the
rocks. the seven directions, the wind and water,
earth and fire, the plants and animals, the sun and
the moon and the stars. The solitary communion with
God was carried out by rising to meet the morning
sun by practicing gratitude for all things and by
seeing all life as sacred.
Suggestions for the Path 1 Mystic
( the details of these suggestions are in Joan's
book.)
Practice Gratitude - it is easy to say you are
grateful for a bright sunny day when you have slept
well and everyone you meet is smiling. But what
about those days when it is cloudy and rainy and
those you are near seam to be negative. Can you be
grateful when life seem to turn opposite of your
dreams?
Say Grace - think of the source of your nourishment
and all the steps required to bring that to your
plate. Relate gratitude to the source and grace
comes naturally. In fact grace flows from gratitude.
Protect The Earth - there are many who offer
formulas and recipes for protecting the earth. Look
at what makes sense to enjoy and reuse. Look at what
makes sense not to waste including the clutter that
sits around us and should be placed in places where
other will find treasure.
Pay Attention To Seasons and Cycles: Men know of the
reproductive cycle of women and openly acknowledge
they do not know women. They also do not acknowledge
their monthly cycle. Whenever you doubt the
importance of acknowledging there is a cycle, think
of the phases of the moon, the seasons so evident
even in tropical climates and the peaks and valleys
in your own energy system. The goal is not to change
the natural cycle but to determine how best to honor
those cycles by your thinking and actions.
Unclutter And Beautify Your Home And Workplace:
Clutter drains your energy.
Nurture Plants and Pets - plants and pets remind us
about enjoying nature. When you have plants or pets,
pay attention, pay close attention.
Spend Time In Solitude In Nature - Wherever you are
there is nature. Some places help you become still
more than others. Seek those places and be still and
meet the God in you and all - the One God.
Spirit Expressing Mystical
Path #1
The true Path for the Path-One Mystic
is to live in accord with the love of all God's
creatures and the absolute responsibility for their
survival.
Exercises For Week 1:
Read the book 7 Paths To God through
Path #1
Pay particular attention to the suggestions (see
above) and also follow your own inner guidance.
In the group we will be exploring ways we can:
Practice Gratitude
Say Grace
Spend time with the solitude of nature
Spirit Expressing Mystical Path #1 Week 1 Meeting Summary
Synergy is where the
result is much greater than the sum contribution of
this individual parts. You could feel the spiritual
energy of the room as each person offered their
answer to the week's question on what drains energy
and what gives us energy.
While no comment was identical the theme of
negativity drains energy and taking care of our
bodies along with thinking and activities that are
positive builds energy. Our personal libraries with
many of the same resource materials as well as our
participation in Unity and other enlightening
programs helps all of us focus on positive energy
thinking. One group member brought luscious
chocolate chip cookies for all and we were reminded
of the joy that can be experienced by sharing a
cookie.
Personally I didn't expect the to
hear the profound experiences that were shared when
the question When Did You First Become Aware of God
in Your Life. There were multiple stories of near
death experiences and miraculous healing. For an
instant I felt like why don't I have any of those
stories. The fact is I do. There are countless times
when we were only a second away from transitioning
and our guardian angels helped us stay on this
course for awhile longer. There are some among us
who have an extraordinary experience to share and I
met three of them at this first meeting.
I have a tough job as a facilitator
balancing the time for discussion and growth with
the importance of moving forward in our growth by
covering the material for this seven week program.
Before we left we discussed the work for next week
which is:
Mystical Path 2: Creativity and Prosperity
__________________
If you have doubts, remember these words from
scripture "you have tried everything else, now try
ME!"
May you experience the
unlimited love, health, happiness and prosperity
that is yours for the asking!
God! The God In All
Of Us!
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