By Rheo Aieta
In The Olympian
Building spiritual and physical muscles are similar. Both require regular exercises over time to develop strength and stamina.
Eckankar teaches that a person's spiritual unfoldment is the result of one's own experiences. Although we all need to understand the spiritual laws, no minister, priest, rabbi or related authority figure can dictate the how, why and when of our own personal spiritual journey. So, if understanding our unique relationship to God as Soul involves an expanding awareness learned from personal experiences, how does one obtain or recognize these spiritual insights?
Just as a health club offers a variety of exercise equipment, there are hundreds of different spiritual exercises one can practice. One of these is chanting the sacred word HU (pronounced "hue"), an ancient name for God.
We can experience the inflow and outflow of the Holy Spirit when we chant HU as a love song to God. Singing HU draws one closer to God. HU can be sung, with eyes open or closed, in a long drawn out sound, HU-U-U-U. Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eckankar, states, "The power of HU can benefit everyone, whether they are Muslim or Christian or any other belief. It doesn't change one's religion, but it will enhance it."
Just like physical exercise, spiritual exercise often requires practice and self-discipline to obtain significant results. For several months, I read about the HU, heard people talk about the HU, heard others sing the HU and I chanted HU privately. I then heard the HU, as the voice of God, with my inner ears for the first time.
I was reading a book while listening to music when a glass jar of seashells shattered into pieces across the floor. After cleaning up the glass and turning off the music, I then read that the qualities of sound in the lower worlds have negative traits that can puncture holes in one's aura and positive characteristics that can uplift one's consciousness. It was at that moment I heard the inner sound of HU.
Since then, singing HU has helped me recognize divine guidance and love, offered solace during the loss of my child, and provided peace and calm during challenging times.
My story is an example of how each one of us has our own unique relationship with God. I believe this experience would not have oc curred had I not been doing spiritual exercises regularly. In other words, I earned this experience by building my spiritual muscles.
Another insight I discovered about spiritual muscles is that we also can lose them. I can forget the consciousness of my true identity as Soul, that I am not my mind or physical body, if I neglect to do my spiritual exercises. The awareness of a hard-earned truth will not be remembered several months later if I have not consistently maintained my spiritual disciplines.
As Harold Klemp states in The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, "Do one exercise every day. Spend about 20 minutes on it. This builds your spiritual stamina gently over time. Regular daily practice is the key to success."
Regardless of your beliefs and even if you already recognize the blessings of God, building spiritual muscles through daily spiritual exercises can only enhance your spiritual journey. Singing HU as a love song to God is an easy way to strengthen your personal connection with Divine Spirit. To listen to the HU, visit http://eckankar.org/hu.html.
Rheo Aieta is the Spiritual Services Director of the Washington Satsang Society and a local member of the Eckankar clergy.
Eckankar teaches that a person's spiritual unfoldment is the result of one's own experiences. Although we all need to understand the spiritual laws, no minister, priest, rabbi or related authority figure can dictate the how, why and when of our own personal spiritual journey. So, if understanding our unique relationship to God as Soul involves an expanding awareness learned from personal experiences, how does one obtain or recognize these spiritual insights?
Just as a health club offers a variety of exercise equipment, there are hundreds of different spiritual exercises one can practice. One of these is chanting the sacred word HU (pronounced "hue"), an ancient name for God.
We can experience the inflow and outflow of the Holy Spirit when we chant HU as a love song to God. Singing HU draws one closer to God. HU can be sung, with eyes open or closed, in a long drawn out sound, HU-U-U-U. Harold Klemp, the spiritual leader of Eckankar, states, "The power of HU can benefit everyone, whether they are Muslim or Christian or any other belief. It doesn't change one's religion, but it will enhance it."
Just like physical exercise, spiritual exercise often requires practice and self-discipline to obtain significant results. For several months, I read about the HU, heard people talk about the HU, heard others sing the HU and I chanted HU privately. I then heard the HU, as the voice of God, with my inner ears for the first time.
I was reading a book while listening to music when a glass jar of seashells shattered into pieces across the floor. After cleaning up the glass and turning off the music, I then read that the qualities of sound in the lower worlds have negative traits that can puncture holes in one's aura and positive characteristics that can uplift one's consciousness. It was at that moment I heard the inner sound of HU.
Since then, singing HU has helped me recognize divine guidance and love, offered solace during the loss of my child, and provided peace and calm during challenging times.
My story is an example of how each one of us has our own unique relationship with God. I believe this experience would not have oc curred had I not been doing spiritual exercises regularly. In other words, I earned this experience by building my spiritual muscles.
Another insight I discovered about spiritual muscles is that we also can lose them. I can forget the consciousness of my true identity as Soul, that I am not my mind or physical body, if I neglect to do my spiritual exercises. The awareness of a hard-earned truth will not be remembered several months later if I have not consistently maintained my spiritual disciplines.
As Harold Klemp states in The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, "Do one exercise every day. Spend about 20 minutes on it. This builds your spiritual stamina gently over time. Regular daily practice is the key to success."
Regardless of your beliefs and even if you already recognize the blessings of God, building spiritual muscles through daily spiritual exercises can only enhance your spiritual journey. Singing HU as a love song to God is an easy way to strengthen your personal connection with Divine Spirit. To listen to the HU, visit http://eckankar.org/hu.html.
Rheo Aieta is the Spiritual Services Director of the Washington Satsang Society and a local member of the Eckankar clergy.
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