What is Spiritual Study, and Why is It Important?

 

One of the five core spiritual practices at our Center is Spiritual Study. What is this practice all about? 

There are a couple different aspects of this practice. First, it is the simple act of gaining knowledge of how our universe works--and in our teaching specifically, gaining knowledge of how our consciousness operates in the world. So, we can read books like the Science of Mind, take classes at the Center, and we can listen to the Sunday talks for nuggets of wisdom. 

When we examine spiritual study a little deeper, though, we see that there is also, at the root of our practice, one very important aspect we want to be sure we haven't left out: our curiosity. That curiosity fuels every single act of spiritual study, and so it becomes important when we are engaging in this practice to recognize this relationship, and to make sure we are cultivating our inner curiosity just as much as we are gaining new information. 

If we aren't in that open feeling of curiosity when we engage in spiritual study, whatever we're studying might feel rote. Sure, we may learn something new, but are we really letting it into our consciousness? That's what curiosity does--it opens the door for new knowledge about the world to come into our being and to help us grow. 

It may seem counterintuitive, but I find the practices that help grow my curiosity tend to be where I'm not engaging in intellectual learning, such as reading a book. Instead, I find that going out in nature helps to recharge my curiosity about the world. Spending time with friends and loved ones helps me to feel more curious about people. Taking time to cultivate little acts of kindness each day helps to grow my curiosity. All these things then enhance and empower my curiosity, and I become more open to the books and classes and talks that I seek out in my regular practice of spiritual study. And I become more open to life itself being a source of the spiritual wisdom we seek when we engage in spiritual study.

What can you do to grow your curiosity? Answering this question is itself an act of spiritual study, and I look forward to hearing about your results!

-Rev. Russ

Upcoming Classes at the Center

While you contemplate that, I wanted to let you know that we have a number of fantastic classes coming up in April and May that can also help you to fuel your curiosity and grow your own spiritual study practice. 

Change Your Thinking, Change Your Life is being taught by Rev. Siota Belle starting on Tuesday, April 4th at 6pm in person at the Center, and will also be taught on Zoom on Saturday, April 8th at 9am. This Core class is designed to give you the practical tools you need to shift any beliefs you have about yourself and the world that aren't working for you. Why shift our beliefs? Because when we do, we also shift how we see the world, and how the world is reflected back to us. This allows us to better navigate the challenges of the world, feeling more joy, freedom, and wholeness in our day-to-day lives.

 You can sign up for this fabulous class here: 

Tuesday Evenings In Person Starting May 4th

Saturday Morning on Zoom Starting May 8th

The Five Pillars of a Spiritual Life is being taught by Dr. Edward Viljoen and Rev. Russ Legear starting Monday, May 1st at 6:30pm. This will be a hybrid class where you can join in person at the Center or on Zoom as you feel comfortable. Over the course of five weeks we will explore each of our five core spiritual practices: affirmative prayer, meditation, spiritual circulation, selfless service, and spiritual study. This class is a great way to get a practice taste of each of these spiritual practices that you can then apply to your own life. 

You can sign up for this class here:

Monday Evenings Starting May 1st, Hybrid In Person and on Zoom

Embracing Change is being taught by Dr. Edward Viljoen starting on Saturday, May 20th at 11am and will also be a hybrid class, so you can join in person at the Center or on Zoom as you see fit. Our lives are often filled with changes that we often have no control over. How can we learn to embrace these changes rather than fearing them, or feeling at the mercy of them? This is the class that helps to answer that question. 

You can sign up for this class below:

Saturday Mornings Starting May 20th, Hybrid In Person and on Zoom

The Art and Science of Spiritual Mind Treatment begins on Tuesday, May 2nd at 6:30pm on Zoom and is being taught by Practitioner Elias Owens. Have you ever listened to our brilliant Practitioners as they pray us in on a Sunday morning and wondered, "how do they do that?" If so, this is the class for you. You'll take a deep dive into how Spiritual Mind Treatment--otherwise known as affirmative prayer--works, and how you can learn the five steps and apply them to shift your consciousness and uplift your life. 

You can sign up for this class below:

The Art and Science of Spiritual Mind Treatment, Starting May 2nd on Zoom

And we have many more class just over the horizon, so stay tuned to this blog! We will add them here as well as on our website, cslsr.org, as they become available. Happy studying!