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What is Spirituality?
It is important to
distinguish religion from spirituality since while they
may overlap its entirely possible to be spiritual
without being religious and vice versa.
Spirituality is a
commitment to a life of depth and compassion that
connects each of us to a larger whole. It is predicated
on the development of a contemplative life in the
classic sense of contemplation: an open and curious
examination of experience as it unfolds, moment by
moment.
This is also called
Presence, and it is the basis of an awakened life based
on guidance from the Source, in service to the highest
good.
What is
interspirituality?
The Claritas
Institute is dedicated to carrying on the work of the
late monk and spiritual teacher Brother Wayne Teasdale.
Wayne was recognized by people of every religion as a
wise and pure being. He was committed to finding the
spirituality both within and beyond religion. Brother
Wayne defined interspirituality as "the sharing of
ultimate experiences across traditions."
Our intention for the
Spiritual Mentor Training Program is to delve deeply
into the perennial interspiritual philosophy of guidance
and discernment so that we may become more fully present
and capable of clear, compassionate action in the world.
Our intention is to help realize Waynes dream of
birthing a civilization with a heart.
What is
spiritual growth?
Spiritual growth is a
maturational process through which our potential for
full humanness, the ripening of all our capacities in an
integrated way, can be realized as our birthright or
true nature. The methods through which we cooperate with
the indwelling spirit that is always moving us toward
growth and freedom are generally thought of as spiritual
practices. One of the most profound practices is the
willingness to engage with the questions that arise in
the process of daily life.
What is
spiritual mentoring?
Spiritual mentoring,
as practiced in established wisdom traditions where it
may be referred to as spiritual direction or spiritual
guidance, involves skillfully accompanying the spiritual
journey of another by facilitating the following three
movements:
Alignment:
Personally connecting to the Source or Ground of Being
Discernment:
Distinguishing between genuine guidance arising from
that deep connection and conditioned reflexes of the
ego.
Action: Acting
in the world with the spontaneity, grace, and
compassionate wisdom that comes from authentic inner
guidance.
In short, spiritual
mentoring, itself a spiritually guided activity, assists
others in navigating the natural flow from inner
contemplation to action in the world.
It is not in any way
a direction of the other. Rather it is a process of
Presence and companioning that helps the other to
connect to their own inner guidance. The ideal result
for those assisted is a life energetically lived as
engaged spirituality and passionate growth toward
wholeness. Such a life invites a harmonious state in
which the mind, heart, and hand work together to create
a better world for the individual seeking spiritual
direction, and for all beings.
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