AWAKENING TO SPIRIT
Prayer and Meditation Heal and Free Us by Richard Davenport
Base, in San Antonio, Texas, and was undergoing initial medical and psycho- logical screening, she was identified as having body and mind issues that would require her to be separated from the service. These problems included organ failures and spinal misalignment, as well as severe consequences of an emotion- ally abusive upbringing. It was deter- mined that she could not handle the physical and mental demands of military life. Because the policy was to not treat such problems if identified upon enter- ing the service, authorities allowed her to remain in training until her separation from the Air Force could be processed. The woman was impressed and also
By its intimate connection with divine love, Spirit infuses human experi- ence with qualities of amazing grace—unexpected clarity, vision, wisdom, peace, compassion, emotional release, inspirational epiphanies, deep understanding and comprehensive healing of mind, body and soul.
W
hile society abounds with scientific research, products and practices that promise
to enhance our mind or body and the mind-body connection, without Spirit in the mix, neither rises to its full potential. A heart open to a higher power expo- nentially multiplies the effects of this crucial connection. “Just as a candle spreads light in a darkened room, people who are living in-Spirit give off a higher energy that can bring light to our hearts and minds. In other words, we can be inspired just by being in their presence,” according to renowned bestselling author Wayne Dyer, Ph.D.
Experiential, non-verbal and
life-changing encounters with the un- bounded power and presence of Spirit in prayer and meditation are difficult to analyze in the same way as mind-body
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science. However, Dyer points to the works and outcomes of Spirit as visible evidence of how it lifts us up. We see individuals with rapturous hearts sending out signals that they love the world and everyone in it. Those that live in Spirit tend to see the world as a friendly place, are at peace with them- selves, appear to be open and accepting rather than judgmental and harsh, and often report being healed of all sorts of diseases, relationship challenges, career fluctuations and questions of purpose and direction. They attest to how Spirit shines a triumphant light in the midst of dark nights of the soul, redefining the essence of life itself and declaring us worthy in our innermost reaches.
Personal Healing When a 19-year-old woman entered ba- sic military training at Lackland Air Force
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distressed by the finality of the verdict and assessment tools used by mind and body experts among the medical staff. In talking with a chaplain on the base, she came to understand that she could choose to appeal her case to another jurisdiction, a “higher” court of Spirit. Focusing on the voice of divine love, she grew to see Spirit as more than a higher power. She saw Spirit as a higher au- thority. She surrendered to divine love’s authority as ultimate law, supremely qualified to reorder her whole being. She trusted that aligning with spiritual power could change her view of her identity and the seemingly inescapable consequences of genetics, environment and human history denying her desire to serve her country in this way.
Listening to a higher witness testify- ing on her behalf and identifying her au- thentic being as the magnificent expres- sion of the magnificent Creator, she felt encouraged to the point that her mind and body stopped arresting her progress and became more effective servants, re- sponding with greater freedom and joy. One limitation after another fell away, and the military and medical authorities seemed pleased with her progress as she neared completion of training. Finally, performing a mile-and-a-half run within a required time remained the only ob- stacle to graduation, and she was still 45 seconds too slow. This helpful passage from the Hebrew prophet Isaiah became central to her prayer and meditation as she approached her last running attempt:
Young people will get tired; strapping young men will stumble
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