Time for a “Spiritual Bath”©
Why a bath rather than a shower? Personally, I generally prefer a shower, but both help you to physically clean your body. In a shower, you have to move your body (or the shower head) around to get the spray on one body part at a time. But in a bath, you are completely immersed in the cleansing medium and process. Either is great for the body, but what about the mind and the Spirit — your vibration? That needs to be “cleaned up” periodically as well. For that we need an occasional “Spiritual Bath.” This refers to being completely submerged or deeply absorbed, involved, fully engrossed in specific activities that involve Preparing yourself for what you want to create or manifest either now or in the future (see Why Do New Year’s Resolutions Fail?
Does it seem a bit early to talk about New Year’s resolutions? Not at all! For your New Year’s resolutions to honestly have a chance to succeed, you really need to Prepare for that activity in advance; it is the process of Allowing your energies (physical, mental, and emotional) to flow more effectively and efficiently toward what you want in your life. Think of your resolutions as baking a cake. You need to measure and mix all the ingredients before you put them in the oven if you want to have any real chance baking a wonderful, tasty cake when the timer goes off! It’s all about Preparation. That is the purpose of a “Spiritual Bath.”
The sounds of feedback are already ringing in my ears. I’m hearing a number of people reply with something like: “But the Holidays are almost here, and I have so much to do! I don’t have time for ‘immersion’ as you call it. Besides, I want to focus on making the Holidays at least enjoyable if not actually fun! This doesn’t sound like fun at all!”
Well, I suspect I would likely have heard those same remonstrations last year, and the year before that, and …. So, let me ask you this question: How is that working for you? Did your good intentions for any New Year’s resolutions actually pan out? Or have you basically given up on them because “they don’t work — at least not for me!”
I completely understand where these folks might be coming from because I’ve been there myself. All I can say is, there is no really convincing reason I can think of that a “Spiritual Bath.” can’t be enjoyable (OK, it may not be intrinsically fun, but …). In any event, what could be more important for both your near and long-term future? What I’m really talking about here is a relatively small but important investment in your future prosperity, well-being, and more. I suspect that the prospect of that investment yielding positive, long-term results likely sounds pretty good — at least enjoyable if not better. So, what am I proposing exactly?
First, a “Spiritual Bath.” — including being deeply absorbed, involved, fully engrossed — doesn’t require a great deal of time at one sitting. I find that being focused for a few minutes or even a few moments at a time throughout my daily activities is quite sufficient and is extremely helpful and productive. For example, I just took a short break from writing this newsletter to change two seasonal tablecloths for our Thanksgiving dinner and other meals for visiting family who are arriving in a couple of days. I really don’t have to “think” about changing a tablecloth (it is just an old habit) unless I choose to spend my time fussing about who sits where, etc. Granted, it took a little longer than I anticipated because one tablecloth needed to be ironed (another old habit) to remove some wrinkles from the fabric. That happily provided a little more time for me to focus on what I was inspired to write in this newsletter.
I’m now back at my computer with a much more planned approach and more content than I had just 20 minutes ago (great tradeoff!). Having said that, one of the downloads from “My Guys” (my Spirit Guides) was a reminder that “my inspiration” has more to do with my listening than my talking or writing. (Thanks for the reminder, “Guys”). I stopped “fussing” about — anything and everything — and started listening. Before I knew it, the mundane tasks were completed and I am now physically at my computer, both mentally and emotionally focused on the job at hand (an in-depth — OK, pun intended — “Spiritual Bath”).
Similarly, I plan to spend some time cleaning bathrooms, vacuuming carpets, and dusting furniture and book shelves later today and tomorrow. I know that those activities are old habits that I don’t really have to spend much energy thinking about. I also know that I can use that time for me, an opportunity to continue Preparing for what I want to manifest between now and New Year’s as well as my New Year’s Resolutions Intentions (there is a big difference between resolutions and intentions). Call it “multitasking” if you must; I simply regard the focused Preparation as a far better use of my time and energy than what I used to do while getting ready for the Holidays. I have learned to just “fit it in” among more mundane tasks as the opportunity arises.
So, exactly what do I mean by the term, “Preparation?” In a nutshell, it is consciously looking for opportunities to Reflect, Recognize, Repurpose, and Reprogram my thoughts (and emotions) toward what I want to manifest (change, create, grow into) over some period of time (tomorrow, this week, next month, next year, etc. — you name it, it’s YOUR life). A great place to start this process is to consider two of the “P’s” I wrote about in last month’s newsletter, The Essential P’s of Spiritual Development), namely Purpose and Priority. These are an intimate part of the Preparation? process as follows:
Reflect
Take a few moments to Reflect on your life now (what IS) and in the future (what you WANT). Ask yourself what is the Purpose of what you WANT? Is it to have more abundance (most people focus on money)? Is it to enjoy your life and maybe to have some fun? A new relationship perhaps? Do your desires have anything to do with Raising Your Vibration (Soul Evolution)? What are YOUR Priorities? (Funny thing, Raising Your Vibration includes all the other ones. Just sayin’).
Recognize
Recognize that your thoughts really do create your reality, both current and future. We live in an attraction-based Universe. If you are so immersed on what IS in your life, that is what you are going to create in the future. Is that what you WANT? What really are YOUR Priorities for YOUR future? Recognize that there is no time like the present to begin moving in the direction of what you desire. Recognize that “putting it off” until the future only creates unnecessary (and often costly) delays in actually manifesting it.
Repurpose
Repurpose your plans and actions to better align with your Purpose. Also Recognize that it is OK to change your Purpose at any time; it is simply a matter of the Priorities YOU make for YOUR life, and you are free to change them any time you wish. What an incredible opportunity! What an awesome responsibility!
Reprogram
Reprogram your thoughts (and emotions) to support your Purpose, what it is that you WANT. Remember, Everything Holding You Back Is … just another old habit. Reflect and Recognize that the Universe is continually offering you opportunities to begin creating the life you desire.
Reprogramming your conditioned thoughts and emotions (old habits) is the secret to creating that life. Like it or not, YOU are going to create your own future one way (the old habit way) or the other (creating new, more functional habits). That is up to YOU. It is YOUR responsibility (also known as the “Curse of Free Will”). But accepting that responsibility turns the “Curse of Free Will” into the “Blessing of Free Will” because it puts the power to create YOUR future into YOUR own hands. What an incredible opportunity! What an awesome responsibility!
NOW is the time to Prepare by taking some (even momentary) “Spiritual Baths” to Recognize, Repurpose, and Reprogram your intentions (not resolutions) for YOUR growth — change — in the coming year. NOW is the time to Prepare for becoming the Master of your life rather than being mastered by life (Conscious Living). I’ll have more to share on Reprogramming your old habits and the kay to Supercharging your New Year’s Resolutions Intentions in next month’s newsletter. Stay tuned! In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more, please check out my website and email me at Dennis@DennisDossett.com.
Happy Holidays and have a great month!
Dennis
www.DennisDossett.com
