Spiritual Self-Assessment

by purplesofa 34 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    Worth taking a look at:

    http://www.martycrouch.com/spiritualassessment.html

    Spiritual Self-Assessment

    This self-assessment was developed to encourage the deepening of spiritual practice.

    Spirituality is different from religion. Spirituality is one's experience of self as essentially spirit, as a spiritual being with a body.

    In contrast, religion is institution developed to assist people in experiencing spirituality. Many people experience spirituality and religion together, and many do not. Some people are spiritually wounded by their experience with religion.

    Be generous with yourself in completing this questionaire. Practice the principle of gratefuness for yourelf and your place in life. Rate yourself: 1 = never, 2 = rarely, 3 = sometimes, 4 = often, 5 = usually.

    I practice self-care.
    I eat well, sleep well, exercise, stretch and play regularly. I avoid addictive substances and activities such as caffeine, alcohol, recreational drugs, and gambling.

    I tell the truth to myself and others.
    I continually become more skillful in knowing and telling my truth. I also know that my ability to know and speak my truth expands as I learn and develop. I experience freedom to be more of myself as I tell the truth.

    I practice mindfulness.
    I have a daily practice of mindfulness, meditation, or prayer. This practice is becoming continual throughout my day. Wisdom and spiritual guidance comes to me in my mindful receptivity. My inner wisdom leads me on a path toward increasing lightness, expansiveness, and joy.

    I allow myself to experience the emotional pain of the human condition.
    Rather than avoiding, denying, or medicating, I allow myself to feel all of my feelings. I use my emotional reactions to inform me of where I have a wound or a scar. I practice releasing my attachments to events, things, and people of the past. I heal my emotional and psychological wounds.

    I am open to learning.
    I am open to learning about spiritual traditions that are unfamiliar. I am losing interest in making judgements, and gaining zest for my experience of childlike curiosity. I see all of my experiences in life as opportunities to learn.

    I experience oneness, rather than separation.
    I am part of the tapestry of human society on this planet and share a kinship with all peoples. I see myself part of the fabric of all beings and respect other beings. I may experience aloneness but not loneliness.

    I generously share my abundance of time, talent, and money.
    I am a contributor and a resource for others because I value and enjoy my contributing. I find that giving seems to increase my abundance rather than depleting it.

    I am grateful.
    Even when I experience pain, I seek and find meaning and substance, so that I am grateful. I give thanks each day.

    I participate in spiritual community on an ongoing basis.
    This participation is some form of religious organization or not. It may be simply a group of people who relate in a spiritual way by practicing loving behaviors.

    I chop wood and carry water.
    I enjoy what I do, even the simple things that I do. I don't exert much effort at managing my time, or trying to squeeze activities and accomplishments into my day. Rather I try to squeeze maximum enjoyment from even the simple things.

    I am aware of my life-mission.
    My presence on the planet has a purpose, and I have the words to describe my purpose.

    My history is not my destiny.
    I am continually finding new ways to shed my cultural conditioning. I experience my true Self as inherently spiritual. I seek to develop all of my attributes and use them in the appropriate time and place.

  • nvrgnbk
    nvrgnbk

    Spirituality is different from religion. Spirituality is one's experience of self as essentially spirit, as a spiritual being with a body.

    That's what I was trying to tell you over on the other thread purps. LOL!

    Thanks for sharing this info!

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa
    That's what I was trying to tell you over on the other thread purps.
    thread tag!!!
  • nvrgnbk
    nvrgnbk

    I was talking to a friend about this very topic the other day purps.

    All of the points of assessment are important. But the one that really jumps out at me, the one that really increases quality of life and actually drives some of the other spiritual traits mentioned, is gratitude.

    Ironically, I found that to be lacking in many JWs. I was thinking about the reason for that. Perhaps some felt so unappreciated, that they couldn't bring themselves to be grateful themselves. Of course some sensitive to the lack of gratitude in the organization found the very lack of the quality a motivator to feel and display the quality to an even greater degree than they would have naturally.

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    I generously share my abundance of time, talent, and money.
    I am a contributor and a resource for others because I value and enjoy my contributing. I find that giving seems to increase my abundance rather than depleting it.

    I never felt like I ever gave my time, it was just expected, not given from me but stolen from me.

    I don't think anyone appreciated any talent I had to offer. I would like to add that this was always to me a huge flaw in the JW religion. I was frustrated that what I felt like what I had to offer was suppressed. The schedule and ways to help and teach others was so rejumented. No creativity was allowed whatsoever....esp for women. Any other talents were to be saved and used in the new system.

    I never had much money to give....When I could not give time.....like cleaning the hall or outdoor cleaning, I wold give extra money like when they asked for it to buy a riding lawnmower......etc.

  • What-A-Coincidence
    What-A-Coincidence

    sorry, is this a purps and nvr only thread????

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa

    sorry, is this a purps and nvr only thread????

    Not anymore!~!!!!!!!
  • What-A-Coincidence
    What-A-Coincidence

    sorry, is this a purps, nvr, wac thread??

  • purplesofa
    purplesofa
    sorry, is this a purps, nvr, wac thread??

    the more the merrier!

  • quietlyleaving
    quietlyleaving

    Purps

    I participate in spiritual community on an ongoing basis.
    This participation is some form of religious organization or not. It may be simply a group of people who relate in a spiritual way by practicing loving behaviors.

    JWD for me - wonder if I could give myself 5 points for that - suppose I'd have to participate more and be more loving. apart from JWD I don't have a spriritual community life, but I'm not complaining.

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