Why do some people succeed on the spiritual path and others fail? That’s a question most of us have pondered when we see someone who inspires us – a noble soul, a fearless peace worker, a friend who always holds out for a higher possibility and doesn’t sweat the small stuff. This elusive quality, which makes some people seem “deeper” and “steadier” is called spiritual self-confidence.
This kind of confidence comes from an inner grounding in your spirit and a knowing of life’s purpose. It holds us like an anchor in the depths of being, steadying us in the tsunamis that swirl on the surface of life. We can cultivate this quality, and once we learn how to, we can truly transform our lives from the inside out.
Here are three simple steps you can start today. If you practice these with sincerity, and with an open heart and mind, you can give rise to a momentum you may never have experienced before.
Meditate Everyday For A Week
Spiritual self-confidence comes from a familiarity with just being. We discover this dimension of reality most easily in meditation. Take some time each day for a week. Sit still, hold everything with ease, and let your awareness be loose and open.
Let the background of consciousness come into the foreground. Consciousness is like the night sky, thoughts are like stars. Pay attention to the night sky, the infinite blackness and the endless backdrop of all that exists in the universe. Develop a familiarity with that which is always present.
Reflect After Each Meditation
Regardless of how busy your thoughts are (how many meteors there were in the night sky), when you finish meditating take note of the space or equanimity in your experience.
Write a few lines in your journal reflecting on the nature of consciousness. Did you feel infinite, vast, empty, full, alert, stainless, alive or timeless?
Hold everything freely and see what emerges in your experience. The more aware we are of what we are discovering about consciousness, the more confidence we’ll have in it.
Set Spiritual Goals
We set goals for many things we do in life – how many miles we want to run, what occupation we want to qualify for, how many visitors we want to our website. Spiritual goals are good to set too. We can’t hit a bulls-eye if we can’t see the target. After meditating and reflecting on the qualities of consciousness for a week, make some notes in your journal.
Ask yourself: “How could my life change? What is the one thing I could do to live more in accordance with what I have just discovered?”
Start small. Be consistent. Value your intention and your spiritual effort. The more we value our intention to evolve, the stronger it becomes, and the more spiritual self-confidence we develop.
As you notice things beginning to shift in your experience, keep going. This type of momentum has an automatic feedback loop. The more we value our spiritual intention, the more subtle our awareness becomes and the more we understand the nature of consciousness. From here, the more confidence we have in our “being”, the more steady and trustworthy we become, and the more we serve as examples to others. That’s the beauty of spiritual self-confidence.
Have you moved to a place of spiritual self-confidence? We’d love to hear about your journey and the steps you took in getting to this happier place.
