Excerpt from Chapter 9:
"DEVELOP LISTENING TOOLS"
₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪₪
He who talks incessantly, talks nonsense. -Ivory Coast
While some spiritual practices involve activity and require that we do something, others are quite the opposite and require that we stop doing things. Many find that the latter is much more difficult. This area can be enhanced by taking small steps. Perhaps try to be still for one minute a day and gradually work yourself up to 30 minutes or more. This is one way of listening to God or the spirit within. After following my priests advice to focus upon listening, I was amazed at the increased clarity regarding my direction. In fact, the impetus to write this book came to me during one of those listening times.
Schedule a quiet time to listen to God. This may occur when you first wake up, before you retire at night, or during the middle of the day. Time is needed when you can ensure that you are focused on the here and now. This is best achieved when the TV and radio are not playing or when you are not thinking about the events of the next day. Centeredness is most effective when we are not preoccupied with that new boy or girl friend, or perhaps with someone who has angered us. Our mind needs to be clear and open to receive messages from God. Often, we have the answers, yet are seeking validation for what we believe to be true. That validation may occur during these quiet times.
