We know that our path to intentional living and to our spiritual life begins when we become aware. Awareness is about making the leap to living an authentic life. We commit to being fully present, feeling our heart, and engaging in the next moment without an agenda.

As we continue to awaken to our spiritual life and embark on our spiritual journey, it may be helpful to have spiritual principles to guide us along the path.  You may already have spiritual principles developed or you may wish to explore another foundation for intentional living and the leap into an authentic life.

The following spiritual principles provide a way to begin to frame some possibilities.

Five Spiritual Principles:

1. Listen deeply to your heart and trust what it says.
2. Commit your heart firmly to God, Jesus, a higher power, the Spirit, Buddha, the Divine, or the Other.
3. Strive gently for freedom of the heart.
4. Belong joyfully to the Other in the midst of all you do.
5. Do each day’s ordinary things with great love.

These five spiritual principles express a spirituality that seeks inner transformation:

Why #1: The cost of not listening to our hearts can be high. Until our health suffers or we develop destructive life patterns, we may not realize that our spirits are bruised and battered – we may not even recognize ourselves anymore.

Why #2 Spirituality is about love – being loved and loving in return – ourselves, others and the “Other.” Like all love, if it is real and if it is to last, it has to have a spine: the firm commitment of the will to life-changing resolutions.

Why #3 Choices involve losses as well as gains – we always choose one thing over another. Freedom of the heart means letting go of anything that threatens to possess us. We must let go of everything that gets in the way of our spirituality – of who we really are.

Why #4 Belong joyfully – be present. To live in the present moment is a miracle. The miracle is to appreciate the peace and beauty that is available now. Peace is all around us – in the world and in nature – and within ourselves.

Why #5 Love is the measure not the deed.

Think small steps, every day, joyfully:

1. Listen deeply 2. Commit firmly 3. Strive gently 4. Belong Joyfully and 5. Do Daily