by Connie Habash | Dec 19, 2025 | Consciousness, Divine, Spirituality
Almost every day, I listen to something inspirational. Downloads, audiobooks, podcasts – whatever I can get my hands on that speaks to me, listening and learning from a variety of spiritual teachers.
Many of you know that one of my favorites is Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith. Minister of Agape International Spiritual Center in Los Angeles, CA and author of several books and inspirational recordings and DVDs, his teachings have profoundly impacted my life.
He has some favorite sayings, and one of them is a quote from the bible. From Psalms 46:10 Be still, and know that I am God. I hadn’t delved into the bible very much until my interfaith studies, and found myself becoming more intrigued by this passage as I would hear him say it time and again. Then, a couple days after hearing Beckwith once again quote this verse, I heard it in a very different way that suddenly impacted me. It was read by Arthur Samuel Joseph, a leading authority on the human voice, who created a set of CDs called Voice of a Leader. He read the passage like this:
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I am.
Be still and know.
Be still.
Be.
Suddenly, worlds of understanding opened up. This simple phrase addressed spiritual truths in a succinct and clear way, much like the short verses of the Yoga Sutras or the Tao Te Ching convey profound ideas in just a few words. For me, this way of distinguishing parts of the passage answers many questions along the path to enlightenment. Here, I share with you my inspirations from this phrase, and may it spark your own process of understanding what it means for you.
Be still and know that I am God.
We begin with perhaps the most controversial and yet most essential aspect of this passage, the word God. We all have different feelings about this word, depending on how we grew up and what spiritual tradition, if any, we were raised with. You may notice some resistance or even disdain with this word, while others may feel joy or fear. This is why I don’t usually use this word, God, but rather the more expansive and undefined terms such as The Divine, The Infinite, Source, Spirit, The Universe. Each of us comes to a term that more befits what feels right and true for us. And ultimately, each of us needs to come to our own understanding of WHAT that is.
I think if we are to find common ground amongst the many possible interpretations of this word, it’s helpful to first understand what God isn’t. God isn’t an old man (or even male, necessarily) with a long beard and robe, sitting in a chair up in the clouds. God isn’t throwing down thunderbolts at you. God isn’t looking at a list of who is good or bad and deciding to dole our punishments or rewards for your behavior. These are anthropomorphized ideas of God; in other words, God made in (hu)mans image, pictured as some sort of person with magical powers.
No, if we’re to talk about something ultimately transcendent, God can’t possibly be these things. The Divine is a transcendent Reality, it is beyond shape, form, physical limitations, and even what we can think of or imagine. Just about every religion agrees that God, whatever they call it, be it Allah, Yaweh, Siva, Goddess, Great Spirit, Olodumare, etc. is Infinite. That is, there is no limitation, no beginning, no end to what God is. So any imagination of a person-like form is not the reality of what God is, but rather a form that makes it more convenient to relate to something that is beyond form (after all, it’s a bit challenging to have an intimate conversation about the most important things in your life with an amorphous, intangible energy-presence).
That is something else that is universal: God is energy and a presence that is the source of all power, all life, all love, and all peace. She/He/It (for something infinite would be neither limited to male nor female, and yet also include male and female) is Omnipotent. It is the source of all knowledge and wisdom, which reveals itself to us, so it is Omniscient. This doesn’t mean it is a person listening in to your every thought. Again, that’s projecting our fearful human images onto a Presence that can’t be limited by our projections. Rather, that the Divine is Consciousness itself, and is conscious of everything that occurs in every possible space of consciousness including your own mind. Again, this is not to dole out punishments or rewards for our thinking (we are the ones doing that), but to reveal to us our own ability to become conscious of ourselves and to be empowered to choose what we focus our attention on, rather than unconsciously reacting mentally, emotionally, and physically.
So, what do we have for our new definition (which would be an oxymoron, really, of something that can’t be defined) of God? An Infinite energy and presence that is everywhere, that is conscious of all things (and the consciousness of all things), that is the source of all power and possibilities.
Beckwith adds another important aspect to what is The Divine. It is constantly expanding into greater and greater possibilities. These possibilities manifest in the continual evolution of our universe. Thus, my understanding of God/Spirit/The Divine is the Infinite presence and source of all, expanding and evolving through all that is. That includes evolving through you and me. This can be food for thought, as you contemplate what God is for you.
Be still and know that I am.
The words I am are very powerful words. They are a recognition of existence. There is nothing to prove, but a beingness that is self-evident. God is, period. Everywhere, always. Its evidence is in all that is, for all have emerged from something. The Divine has nothing to prove, for what would something that is Infinite and the source of all have to prove? It simply is, and continues to be. We can feel this when we open ourselves to the interconnectedness of all life and all things in the universe.
There is a presence that is in all things. To be Present is to be here. I remember as a child, my teacher would always call roll. Connie? the teacher would ask. Here, I’d reply. Or we could say present. But what we’re really saying is I am here. We assert our existence in this very moment and place. God is the I am in all things, asserting its existence always, in all always.
This is why the statement I am is a very powerful affirmation. We are asserting our Spirit, our true nature or essence, when we say the words I am. We don’t have to qualify our essence by following it with a boy, a woman, a therapist, an accountant, married, divorced, Hispanic, bisexual, happy, good, guilty etc. We don’t have to explain anything. We simply ARE, and that is powerful. When we are in touch with I am, we are in touch with the ability to create ourselves anew in each moment, and to allow ourselves to be what we are in that moment, rather than holding on to our old definitions or perceptions of who and how we are. I am.
Be still and know.
Knowing is different from believing or thinking. It is, for lack of a better word, an experience. You can imagine what chocolate tastes like all you want, you can study it, read books about chocolate, watch someone bake with it or eat it and see their expression, even smell it. But you don’t know what chocolate tastes like until you let yourself taste it. And then you KNOW. Ah, that is chocolate. And forever you have that knowing in you.
We are being asked to take that bite, to open up to experiencing what the Divine is. This is not as simple or clear as taking a bite of chocolate. It requires us to let go of all the ideas of what we think is Spirit and let ourselves be open to it revealing itself in our heart. It is an experience that may be inspired by something around us, like a candle flame or the big sky of New Mexico, but is always felt within.
My understanding of knowing is that it is beyond words. Something that is infinite, again, can’t really be described, although we certainly try to approximate the experience of knowing through language, music, movement, or art. But really, it is more akin to something you feel. And it takes patience and time to allow that understanding, that knowing, to unfold for each of us. When you do know, it’s undeniable.
Be still.
Now we have the instruction on how to know by being still. This, of course, is the foundation of meditation. Meditation is the practice of opening ourselves to have an experience, a knowing of The Divine. We sit down and become still, in body, emotions, and mind. The Yoga Sutras tell us that in order to experience Yoga, or Union, which is the oneness of the individual self with the Infinite Self of the Divine, our consciousness becomes completely still. That means that all the distractions of thought and emotion have to stop in order to know God.
God is unlimited, infinite presence so how could one experience it when we’re caught up in limited, finite ideas presenting themselves to us over and over in our mind? The Sutras then say that if we aren’t able to stop these fluctuations in our consciousness, we become identified with those fluctuations, instead of with our true Essence. This is what happens to most of us. If we think we’re unworthy, we become identified with that. If we perceive someone else as more successful than we are, that’s what we experience. If we think we don’t have enough time, we’ll end up creating that.
Meditation, as challenging as it may be, opens the door to know what is beyond all these thoughts and perceptions; our true nature, and the Infinite. When things become still and quiet in the body, mind, and emotions, what IS then can reveal itself. Stillness within and without is the path to knowing.
Be.
The sutras say that once our consciousness is quiet, then the one who is seeing/meditating/knowing abides in his or her true essence. We abide in that Presence, the Infinite Consciousness that is everywhere, including in our own inner being. Knowing and experiencing that happens when we let go of doing and just be.
When we have more and more experiences of this during our times of stillness, that beingness eventually permeates our lives. We feel more and more at One with the Infinite Presence, the Infinite Love, and Infinite Power of G-O-D or whatever you call it, and the quality of our life transforms. Allow yourself time to Be, and this will allow you to Be your True Self more and more.
Be still and know that I am God. Words to reflect upon for a lifetime.
As you rest into the wisdom of “Be still and know,” may you open to the quiet guidance already within you. Discover Spiritual Mentoring to nurture your connection to the Divine in daily life.
by Connie Habash | Mar 1, 2025 | Divine, Gratitude, Spirituality
If we want to spiritually awaken, we need to create space in our lives for the Divine. Here’s how.
Beneath the daily routines, the to-do lists, the commute to work, and lugging the groceries home, there is a stirring within, like a tremor deep in the earth. Something longs to come alive in each of us; greater than we can imagine yet finer than a spider’s thread. The Divine is whispering, tugging a bit at your sweater. Most of the time, we’re just too busy to look and listen.
The Divine is the Sacred — not just in a church, synagogue, mosque or temple, but right here before us in everyday life. The Sacred is called by a plethora of names through many cultures and spiritual traditions, but its essence is the same: goodness, aliveness, consciousness, peace, and love. It’s not a thing that we can see or touch, and yet it is in everything.
Beyond the Phenomenal Realm Yet in Everything
The Divine is beyond emotions, yet we feel it. It is the Creator of the physical world yet far more than the phenomenal realm, bringing the world to life, igniting our passions, impelling us to action, and touching our hearts. The Divine is the Source of all, and it transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary.
It is not the pomegranate itself, but what makes the seeds seem like rubies and the juice taste like immortal nectar. It is not the golden retriever, but the joy inspired by that caramel-colored dog bounding after a tennis ball, tail wagging, and happily depositing it at your feet with a panting smile.
We see Divinity in the icy mountaintop, but also in the eyes of a lover, and the delight of a child making her first cookie. Spirit dwells within simplicity and profound truths equally. And if we make space for it in our life, the mundane will take on the shimmer of the majestic.
5 Aspects of Holding Space for the Divine
Although the Divine is ever present, in order to experience it we need to make space for it in our lives. Holding a space for the Divine involves five aspects: intention, receptivity, time, place, and expectancy.
Intention
To deepen our relationship with the Divine, we first must have clarity of what we are asking for. When we hold a space, we’re asking for something to fill that space.
What do you want to invite in? Is it a particular aspect of the Divine, like Jesus or Kali? Do you want to experience greater awareness of the sacred in day-to-day life? Do you wish to feel more connected with the universe in a palpable way? Are you asking for support from the infinite source in practicing peace, love, or kindness? Take some time to write down or mentally formulate what spiritual aspect you’re ready to invite into your life.
Receptivity
Then, we must become receptive. Holding is embracing, containing, and receiving. When we embrace God/Goddess/All That Is, we hold the Divine like we are hugging a loved one. It is an active practice of love and gratitude for the sacred in our lives. Whenever we recognize what inspires us and see the spark of the divine in something or someone, we can embrace that moment with our appreciation.
This is much like the biblical use of the word behold. When we behold Spirit, we perceive it, whether with our inner or outer eyes. To Behold is like saying “Look!” “Wow!” Behold the beauty of the rainbow as it reveals itself in the glisten of sunlight streaming through an afternoon shower. Behold the beauty of Yosemite Falls, and the sacred feeling they inspire within. Behold the kindness of a child that drops a dollar bill in the cup of a homeless woman.
Become a Container
We also practice receptivity through the idea of becoming a container, a receptacle for Divine inspiration or love to pour into us. Imagine becoming a large bowl, a beautiful goblet, or a simple cup. When we sit for meditation, this is essentially what we are doing — allowing ourselves to become a receptacle for inspiration, wisdom, or positive energy to flow into us. Take time to be still and allow yourself to be poured into!
In your daily life, too, you can become receptive to all the good that is available to you. It is amazing what inspiration and joy we can find all around us when we have receptivity to the infinite source of goodness that we call the Divine.
Just this morning, I was at the gym and an elderly woman smiled at me and said, “Happy New Year!” I stopped and took the time to ask her name. She lit up and expressed appreciation for my interest in knowing her. I chatted with her briefly and noticed the radiance and love coming from her eyes.
We both went about our day with smiles on our faces, and I know my heart filled with joy and a sense of connection. I glimpsed God in another’s eyes, and it moved me. A simple act of reaching out and making that connection with another can fill you with that inspiration, too.
Time and Place
Certainly, it makes a difference to set aside time and a special place for holding space for the Divine. I have an altar in a particular spot in my home, and at one time in my life I had several little altars in various places, so that almost anywhere I was, something reminded me of the Sacred.
These can be as elaborate or simple as you like. A small vase with a flower, changed regularly with intention to awaken a sense of Spirit can be enough, as well as a special stone or crystal, or a candle. A bowl filled with water can remind you to open yourself to receive inspiration. And of course, images that speak to you of your connection to the Divine are perfect, too.
But wherever you are, you can consecrate that space — in a conference room at the gym, out in a park, waiting at the dentist’s office — simply by standing or sitting mindfully and having the intention to open yourself to that greater presence.
It takes some time, even if just a couple minutes, to create that sacred space every day. If you commit to a regular time for holding space for the Divine, you will find that the feeling of connection increases over time, just as you experience greater results when you practice yoga on a regular basis.
Traditions for Making Time to Hold Space
In many traditions, this time with Spirit is before the sun rises or before going to bed, when it’s dark. The nighttime invites us to look inside, rather than outside, for our inspiration. Then, light a candle to awaken awareness of the inner light. If you can’t sit in front of a candle, it’s also fine to be sitting up in bed with the lights out, taking a few minutes before sleep to pray, meditate, express gratitude, or simply reflect on what touched your heart today.
My family has a tradition of sharing what each of us is grateful for every day before we go to sleep. This practice of gratitude creates a sacred space that opens all of us to the abundance that the Divine offers whenever we’re receptive. Morning, noon, or night — any time is a good time to hold a special space to connect to something greater.
It Can Be Effortless
Keep in mind that you’re holding space –it doesn’t weigh anything and therefore can be effortless! When you have the attitude “I should take some time…” or “I have to make space for God,” it becomes one more burden on your to-do list. Have a light, effortless attitude — the Divine is here anytime, anyplace, and it doesn’t have to be work or a struggle to bring it to your awareness!
Expectancy
Finally, when you hold someone’s space, you know that they’re going to show up. It’s reserved. This is expectancy — an inner knowing that Spirit will reveal itself when you have the intention, openness, and create the space for it.
This is different from having expectations. Expectations assume a particular outcome and often lead to disappointment. Expectancy, however, is the ability to wait with confidence and trust that what arrives is good, whatever it is, even beyond your imagination! Have confidence that you will begin to experience the Divine in new and meaningful ways when you hold a space for it in your life.
Get Ready
And get ready! When you expect a guest to arrive, you set the table, clean up the house, and have everything in place. What would you like to do to prepare yourself for this transformation of awareness? What inner or outer changes would support you in receiving more inspiration, more love, and more peace? Prepare for your guest, because when you hold the space for the Divine you can be assured of a special occasion.
The easiest and perhaps most effective way of inviting in the Sacred is to practice it in your daily life. Have the intention to deepen your connection to the Universe. Become receptive whenever and wherever you are. If the Divine is everywhere present, infinite, then it will be in any place you wish, at any given moment, if you are willing to perceive it.
Ready to create space for the Divine and deepen your spiritual journey? Explore Spiritual Mentoring today.
by Connie Habash | May 12, 2023 | Anxiety, Depression, Healing, Spirituality, Stress
It’s Mental Health Awareness month, and I feel there’s an aspect of our well-being that is often overlooked with the challenges of increased depression, anxiety, and loneliness in our era. And that’s spiritual health.
Before you consider what spiritual health is, let’s be clear on what I’m referring to as spiritual. Spirituality is our personal relationship to something greater than us. Many confuse spirituality with religion. Certainly, people who follow a particular religious tradition can be spiritual. But not necessarily so. And no one needs a religion in order to have a connection to something greater.
What is that “something greater”?
We might traditionally call connection to something greater “God”, but we may not. God can be a triggering word for many of us, and misunderstood based on dogma that we grew up with that doesn’t resonate anymore. I like to use more neutral terms, such as The Divine, Spirit, or Creator.
But that “something greater” can go beyond even the idea of a higher power with a somewhat human form or characteristics. It can include The Universe or Cosmos, the higher order of all that exists. It can be Nature itself, the extraordinary interconnectedness of all life. It can also be higher qualities that we value and bring harmony to our world, such as unconditional love, truth, integrity, compassion, or selfless service.
Spirituality is something that you experience within yourself and cultivate within yourself. It is a journey that only you can take, although you certainly can share that journey with others, too. But ultimately, spirituality taps us into a deeper, more profound feeling than what everyday, ordinary life is capable of providing.
Spiritual Health
I see much of the despair, worry, and loneliness of people I encounter in my counseling practice, and in my community, as soul suffering. Without a greater vision and sense of the numinous, life can feel empty and meaningless. Spiritual health is having our connection to that greater vision consciously alive within us. When spirituality is part of our life, we feel more whole and fulfilled.
We are part of something much more vast and intricate than any of us can imagine. This can cause us to feel small and insignificant. As we look up at the stars, this is true. Yet, when we have a connection to the Divine, both within us and all around us, life becomes meaningful. As we deepen in that connection, we can expand into a sense of Oneness with that vast, sacred presence.
Each of Us Matters
Spirituality helps us understand our part in life. We are spiritual beings, coming into form to experience humanness. We came here to participate and contribute. We can here to heal one another and the planet. Each of us has value and purpose, and if we make a difference in one other being’s life, we have mattered.
When we have spiritual health, we feel a sense of belonging. That we are not truly alone, because there is something greater than us that supports us and nurtures us. We may believe that isn’t so. But we know that the sun shines every day, even behind the clouds, and gives our planet light. The waters of the glaciers and the clouds support all life. The planet, left to her natural harmony, provides food abundantly. All of life is a part of us through the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat. The Creator supports us and all life on our planet; not just physically, but our hearts and souls, too.
In order to receive that support from and experience that connection to the Divine, we need to cultivate it and open to it. If you haven’t explored your spirituality before, or want to reignite that sacred spark, here are some ways you can start:
- Light a candle and sit quietly with it for a few minutes, focusing gently on the flame
- Attend an ecstatic dance event
- Try out a new church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or spiritual center – even if it is a different tradition than what you grew up with
- Take a walk alone in nature or through your neighborhood, mindfullly
- Sit by the ocean and listen to the waves
- Simply sit, where you are, and be fully present with whatever is
- Listen to chanting, kirtan, gospel, or other inspiring music
- Join a local meditation group – meditating in community deepens the experience. Or meditate on your own.
- Journal about your beliefs – what you grew up with, and where they have evolved to this time in your life. What do you believe?
- Write a letter to Spirit; feel free to express your emotions (even if it is anger – God can handle it), share your concerns, show your gratitude, and ask your questions
- Listen for answers: they may come from within, or show up spontaneously in your environment
- Open your heart and love without expectation
- Practice Selfless Service by volunteering in your community
- Start a conversation about spiritual beliefs with a good friend; listen to their experiences
- Watch, listen to, or read inspiration from a sacred text or by well-known spiritual teachers (some good resources: Sounds True and Hay House)
- Find a MeetUp group with a spiritual topic of interest in your local area
- Sit outside in the yard or at a park and open to receive and explore what comes to you, outside of you or within your awareness
What has inspired you in the past? What has been beckoning to your soul? What can you add to the list?
Your spiritual health is part of your mental health and overall well-being. Take the time to seek it, develop it, and open to receive it. Your own spiritual journey will renew you and reveal blessings in abundance.
Ready to deepen your spiritual health? Let’s explore together – Contact Me to inquire about spiritually-oriented psychotherapy or spiritual mentoring!
by Connie Habash | Mar 5, 2023 | Emotions, Play, Playfulness, Spirituality
Ever been in a funk on the path of personal and spiritual growth? Those times when you feel discouraged, irritable, or angry, and can’t seem to shift out of it? “I’m not in the mood to be patient,” we might say, “I have to get to my appointment!” We snap at our kids for leaving their socks all over the house, or blow up when someone interrupts our precious yoga practice. We try to go outside for solace beneath a tree, but we can’t seem to shake it.
I call that the spiritual grumpies – when we’re not in the mood to behave in an “enlightened” way, and just feel stuck. They’re a sure sign that we haven’t had enough fun lately.
The Antidote
The antidote to your spiritual grumpies is playfulness.
To start, recognize that those “unspiritual” emotions, such as anger or impatience, are normal and welcome on the spiritual path. The key is finding ways to play with those emotions – a healthy form of expression – rather than taking them out on others (or yourself).
Playfulness allows us to get out the grumpies. Children love to have permission to feel their feelings. They’re delighted to make happy faces and sad faces. When their feelings are hurt or they become angry, kids love to shred some newspaper or smash clay with their hands to express their emotions. When they have healthy outlets to play with their feelings, their mood shifts and they’re back to the present moment – right where we endeavor to be.
To move through those spiritual grumpies, break out your inner child and find a playful solution:
- Smash some playdough or clay – the tactile experience of clay is so satisfying! You can break through stuckness or express anger while having fun pounding on the dough.
- Scribble and Doodle – you’d be surprised how much energy can move with a few minutes of scribbling on some paper. Don’t try to make a work of art. Allow your energy and emotions to have free, uninhibited reign on the page. Play with colors, movements, and shapes, allowing yourself to express fully. Be messy and have fun!
- Scream and shout! – Step into a closet and let your voice sound! You can even make animal noises. Growl, roar, say profanities, whatever helps your release the energy. No one else is there and you’re free to express yourself. Scream into a pillow if a more private space isn’t available.
- Stomp and dance – allow your inner toddler to have a tantrum (in a safer, more contained way)! Stomp all over the living room floor. Do an angry dance. Let those grumpies express through moving your body.
Check in with yourself after you’re done. What do you notice after giving yourself permission to play? If emotions come up, give yourself some time to feel and honor them.
Energy moves and is freed up when you allow yourself time to play. It relieves tension, opens your heart, and returns you to the present moment. Now, you can go back to the meditation cushion or create a beautiful ritual with renewed vitality and inspiration.
What helps you overcome the spiritual grumpies? Share it here!
by Connie Habash | Feb 18, 2023 | Articles, Ecopsychology, Self, Spirituality
Recently, I have noticed more authors and writers choosing to put their name in lowercase letters (like bell hooks, or adrienne maree brown). I found it annoying and didn’t understand. I like rules of grammar and following rules – I think it gives me a sense of safety (well, that’s what rules and laws are for after all!). So why couldn’t they just follow the rules?!
But I wanted to understand. So I did some research which led me to explore the historical, political, ecological, and spiritual significance of capitalizing our self-prescribing pronoun, “I” (and why we might want to consider “i” instead).
As I did my search for “why do people not capitalize their name” on Google, I came upon danah michele boyd’s webpage on the subject. She had a lot of interesting and worthy reasons for changing her name into all lowercase that I hadn’t considered, because “I follow the rules”! I never questioned the concept. I still think it’s a lot easier to read someone’s name in a sentence if it is capitalized (I struggle reading articles about bell hooks for that reason).
While I strongly prefer names to be capitalized, I can now understand why someone wouldn’t – perhaps most importantly to de-emphasize the significance of who the author is and turn our attention more to their content (although, to be honest, I end up staring at their name over and over and trying to let the lowercase settle into my brain). It makes sense and I respect it after I reflected on their reasons.
Capitalizing “I”
But something that boyd said about “I”, our first-person, self-identifying pronoun, made me stop in my tracks.
Ever since i was a kid, i was told that the world does not revolve around me, yet our written culture is telling me something entirely different. Why not capitalize ‘we’ or ‘they’?…
And then a quote by journalist Sydney J. Harris that she interjected:
It’s odd, and a little unsettling, to reflect upon the fact that English is the only major language in which “I” is capitalized; in many other languages “You” is capitalized and the “i” is lower case.
The English language emphasizes “I” in a way no other major language does. It’s also fascinating that our first-person pronoun is only one letter. Even if not capitalized, it stands out among words – the only other single-letter word is a. So we reference ourselves with one simple sound, captured in written language by one simple letter, and we capitalize it.
Giving Importance to Self, the “I”
This has an impact on our psyche and consciousness. It gives high importance to “I”, the sense of self, every time we read it, even if we’re not aware of it.
Which is why my friend and healer/ceremonial leader, Denzal Santana, uses a different word but the same pronunciation: “Eye”. He says:
I tend to use “Eye” (poetically) instead of “I” to place the ego aside, to stay humble, present, non-selfish, and acknowledging the all seeing God within, and without.
Over the years, in the line of work/service we offer (i.e. mediation teacher, ceremonial leader etc) there have been many testimonials given, praises, and positive feedback, expressed to us, which can inflate the ego, (if a person is not aware/carfeful), tricking us to believe that it is “I” “me” that is doing the work, “I” am special “I” am bad ass, etc, forgetting that it is God or a Higher Power working through our vessel/body temple doing the work to assist in the Uplift, of the human consciousness .
By shifting our sense of self to the Divine Eye, seeing and expressing through all of us, we perceive ourselves and all life differently. We see with sacred eyes the miracle of creation and the Divine within everyone and everything. “Eye” see with the larger perspective, rather than my myopic focus on the individual self.
The other interesting thing about the emphasis in our written language – and in our culture – on the capital “I” and individualism, is that it simultaneously creates separation. The “not-I”.
By giving “I” prominence, we focus on our separation, our difference between the self and everything else. It is an outpicturing of the rampant sense of disconnection and loneliness that we experience in our very individualistic culture. Furthermore, “Not-I” has led to war, racism, genocide, and ecological destruction.
The “We” – Greening of the Self-Concept
Imagine if “We” were capitalized in the middle of a sentence instead of i? This shifts us out of individualistic focus to collective belonging. I could extend that “We” to all beings on the planet, not just human beings. This brings up the importance of ecopsychology and, as Joanna Macy calls it, the “Greening of the Self”.
We are, in Joanna Macy’s words, “beyond that skin-encapsulated ego.” From the perspective of systems theory, the “self (“I”) is “inseparable from the web of relationships that sustain it.” This leads to the understanding that “there is no logical or scientific basis for construing one part of the experienced world as ‘me’ and the rest as ‘other’.” (World As Lover, World As Self, pp. 135, 136 and 139).
The Greening of the Self is expansion of the understanding of “I” to include All That Is. For we drink the waters from the glaciers and rains, we breathe the oxygen given to us by plant life, we eat those same plants or of the animals who have, we walk on the soil and grow our food in it. From this systems perspective, all that exists on our planet is related to us, our relatives. We are created from the same elements and living together in one ecosystem – and we might say greater consciousness – that we call the Earth.
As I sit with the word “I”, and all these perspectives on the prominence and impact of its capitalization in the English language, I’m uncertain whether I will change how I write it. But I am clear that there is a desire to transform my self-concept. To shift away from the cultural focus on “I, me, and mine”, and towards a collective consciousness that honors our interconnectedness and interdependence with others and all forms of life.
What about you? Share your thoughts here!
by Connie Habash | Jun 23, 2022 | Articles, Challenges, Meditation, Spirituality, Yoga Philosophy
This post, on doubt (samshaya) is the second of a 9-part series on the obstacles to spiritual practice, from verse 1:30 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras:
vyādhistyānasanśaya pramādālasyāvirati bhrāntidarśanālabdha bhūmikatvānavasthitatvāni cittavikṣēpāstē̕ntarāyāḥ |
Disease, dullness, doubt, carelessness, laziness, worldliness, delusion, non-achievement of a yogic state, and instability are the distractions of the mind, and they are obstacles [in yoga].
Is it really worth it?
Am I capable of doing this?
Am I doing this right, or good enough?
Am I on the wrong path?
Why am I not enlightened yet?
Is there really any higher state of consciousness, anyway?
In any worthy endeavor in life, we’re bound to run into some doubt, known as Samshaya in Sanskrit; one of the 9 obstacles to spiritual practice. You may notice it arising in your mind as questions like the ones above.
Aspirational goals take time, effort, courage, and persistence. It’s not always fun. Whether we’re training for a marathon, getting through college, raising a child, starting a business, or on the path of awakening, there will be joys and success, and moments when we wonder if we’re capable or if it’s even worthwhile.
We doubt ourselves, our efforts, and the outcomes. We question if we’re doing things right, if we’re good enough, smart enough, or have what it takes. It’s all a bunch of hogwash.
Seriously. You may have just thought, “but really, I’m lazy. It doesn’t seem to be working. I’ve tried so hard and it’s not changing. Other people seem to be further along than me…” etc. Your thoughts are very normal, but they aren’t Real, and it’s important to not buy into them.
The Path Up the Mountain
If you want to make it to the top of a mountain, you have to keep going. It’s fine to stop and rest for a while. You can enjoy the view and appreciate where you are. You can turn back if the weather is bad and then re-ascend another day, or gather some equipment you realized you needed. You can go nice and slow, taking your time, or you can decide to shift to a different trail that is less steep. There are many ways to get up the mountain besides just a quick, easy, direct ascent. But don’t give up on your climb!
The spiritual path is very much like that trail up the mountainside, but the obstacles are primarily in our thoughts. The mind is very sneaky. It prefers not to change, to just keep doing what you’re doing and avoiding any discomfort. It fears that if you become more conscious and awake, that you won’t need it anymore. So any chance it gets, it will use these doubtful thoughts to attempt to dissuade you from your spiritual evolution.
Recognize that this is happening whenever those doubts apear. Know that the obstacle of Samshaya, doubt, is bound to arise on the path. And there are four essential practices that will help you move past it.
Practice #1 – The Neutral Witness
The first and most essential skill to cultivate is having a neutral witness within yourself. This is your higher consciousness, able to observe your thoughts, words, and actions without passing judgment one way or the other. It simply sees, hears, and recognizes what is happening in your thoughts and the reactions to those thoughts, which manifest in words and actions.
From your neutral witness within, you can catch that doubt in the act. OK, there’s the doubting mind again. Label it. The neutral witness won’t freak out because you’re having doubts; it won’t get angry at yourself, or fret over it. It simply notices and says, there it is again.
Normal, but not Real
Remember, doubt it is normal, but it’s not Real. Thoughts are not real or true in themselves, they are simply mental manifestations. You can manifest all kinds of different thoughts. Right now, you could choose to think utterly absurd things, such as that your toes are actually strawberries, or that poop is actually a song in mud form. Did I make you laugh? Why? Because those were probably some of the most bizarre thoughts you’ve heard and you know they aren’t true.
The funny thing is that we tend to believe a number of similarly false (but perhaps not as bizarre!) thoughts that occur in our mind. Why? Because they’re familiar. We’ve repeated them again and again, so they appear to be true because that’s our habit.
Question It!
The neutral witness gives you a fresh observation point on those thoughts. You can begin to question anything that arises – especially doubt! The neutral witness within you can bring your attention to the fact that it is happening.
When you are aware in that moment, then you actually have a choice. If we’re unconscious of our thoughts, they’ll tend to run us. But when they are consciously observed, then we can decide whether or not to believe them and what thoughts we’d like to change.
The next time a doubt about your meditation, yoga practice, or other spiritual endeavor arises, cultivate that neutral witness within you. Question the thought, give yourself a little compassionate understanding, and consider what to refocus on to keep you on that trail up the mountain.
Key #2 – Refocus
Yes – once you can see that you’re plagued with doubt, and have neutrally observed it with compassion, then decide on a different mental focus.
Feeling burned out? Rather than give up, take a little break with a clear time or day to restart. Wondering if you’re good enough? Know that almost everyone has this doubt, and that we’re all Divine beings with infinite potential. Feeling like a failure because it hasn’t happened fast enough? The journey is the blessing in itself when we’re fully open to it, and the goal is a great mystery. So come back to the here and now and practice Presence rather than having an agenda.
Use the skill of refocusing to shift your attention from the doubt to a more encouraging thought or a gentler way of practicing.
Key #3 – Faith
There are times on the spiritual path when you may feel discouraged, even depressed. This is when faith, or Shraddha, carries us through. Abbott George Burke (Swami Nirmalananda Giri) describes Shraddha as an “unshakeable faith in his objective, in himself and in the methods which he has adopted.”
Shraddha is the deep inner knowing of your path. It is the understanding of Truth with a capital T – that we are all, indeed, One with the Infinite Presence. Our true nature is not limited by our thoughts, emotions, sensations, beliefs, or perceptions. We embark upon spiritual awakening because our inner self senses this deep Truth and longs for the realization of it.
Invoke Shraddha when you’re stuck in that doubt. Remind yourself of what truly matters to you. Ask for a sign, a reminder of why you are pursuing this noble path. Pick up a book that will reinspire you. Listen to a recording of someone who is filled with the light of Spirit. This is faith informing your choice to refocus. Faith will guide you to what you need to move out of that mental funk and back onto your trail up the mountain.
Key #4 – Ask for Help
If you’re still struggling, reach out to someone. Find a yoga or meditation teacher that speaks to you, or reach out to your current one. If you are a member of a spiritual community, seek the wisdom of the spiritual director or a mentor. There are also online spiritual communities, classes, and support groups which can help you overcome doubt on the spiritual path. It helps to be part of a group of people that are similarly committed to their awakening. Together, you can bolster each other when Samshaya arises.
Keep these 4 keys in your awareness whenever you find yourself mired in the obstacle of Samshaya – doubt. Develop a keen neutral witness within you to see your thoughts and reactions clearly; remember that you can refocus your attention to something helpful or inspiring; keep your faith strong by knowing your true nature and the purpose for your practice; and know when to ask for help.
Doubt is likely a sign that you are progressing and have levelled up to a greater challenge and capacity for spiritual awareness. The Universe is saying that you are ready for more. It’s getting a bit steep on that incline. So keep your eyes on the trail ahead and know that, even when your mind doesn’t think so, you are making progress.
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by Connie Habash | Jan 31, 2021 | awakening, Awareness, Consciousness, Enlightenment, Higher Self, Spirituality
You may have heard the term “awakening” used before you found this blog, in reference to personal or spiritual transformation. But what exactly does awakening mean?
Of course, that’s really a subjective answer, but I’ll share with you my perspective on awakening and why I use that word for the name of this website and my book, Awakening from Anxiety. It’s a word that speaks deeply to me. Yes, it is a spiritual process, but also a psychological one.
Enlightenment?
Many people on the spiritual path seek the idea of “enlightenment” – myself included. Yet when I thought about the implications of the word, I began to prefer a different terminology to describe my spiritual and personal unfolding process.
Enlightenment is a noun. It implies a fixed state. There’s a belief, whether conscious or unconscious, that when we reach enlightenment, it’s an end point. We’re done. It’s a subtle (or not so subtle!) expectation of perfection. We’ve arrived at the pinnacle of personal and spiritual realization.
This just doesn’t fit with my understanding of life, the Divine, and spiritual growth. And for that understanding, I turn to nature.
Growing or Dying
All of life is constantly evolving and growing. Scientists know that millions of species have come into existence and adapted, changed, and transformed over millions of years. Everything on the planet and in the Universe is in a continual state of transformation. We also know that, in the case of plants, if they aren’t growing, they’re dying.
It’s similar for us. If our bodies aren’t growing cells, we’re not going to be around long. And if we aren’t growing as mental, emotional, and spiritual beings, we lose our vitality and aliveness. We become stuck and stale.
A Process of Unfolding
As I see it, our personal and spiritual growth is better described as awakening, because it’s a process. It’s a verb, and as such it’s understood as an action in continual unfoldment. Roses grow new leaves, branches, and buds – even after a period of rest in the winter. When a plant isn’t growing branches or leaves above ground, it is growing roots deep beneath the ground.
We are like those plants. Our aliveness is continually longing to express in the world, and expand in new ways. Awakening is that process of opening, unfolding, and growth that our soul desires. It is very much about the consistent exploration of new territory around and within us. This maintains our vitality, joy, and awareness.
Rousing from Our Sleep
I also like the word awakening because we literally do it every day. After a night’s sleep, we wake up to the new day.
There are so many ways this reflects the path of personal and spiritual growth. First, that every moment is like that new dawn. If we awaken to the truth of this moment, to the possibilities right here in front of us, and allow ourselves to see with new eyes again and again, our lives will continue to expand. Every moment, every breath, is an opportunity to awaken again.
When we awaken in the morning (or whenever you arise!), we are also emerging from an unconscious state to a conscious one. This is the most direct metaphor of the term “awakening” for the spiritual path. Spiritual evolution is one of continually expanding in our awareness, making what has previously been unconscious to us more conscious, and an ever-increasing understanding of truth and wisdom. It is also about deepening in our connection to something greater than us – and that only comes from continuing to open our hearts and awakening to the reality of the Divine (or whatever name you have for “God” or All That Is).
Beyond Our Previous Limitations
Awakening is also my favorite word to use for this process of growth because, through this journey, we become aware of how we have limited ourselves, and expand our awareness into new possibilities. The path of awakening is the continual moving beyond our previous limitations.
These may be physical limitations – exploring new ways we can engage our bodies, or undergoing a deep healing process. Most certainly, the process of awakening also nudges us past the limitations of our mind and emotions.
We all have thoughts that keep us in restricted beliefs or perceptions, and that hinders our happiness. Clinging to our old ways of being usually means we also get stuck with the unhealthy patterns or dissatisfaction that we’re trying to transcend. Awakening is the journey through those stuck places to new, more expansive, healthy, and visionary ways of seeing ourselves, our lives, and the world.
True Freedom
This transformation of consciousness brings us more happiness and true freedom. Awakening is the discovery of true freedom within us, beyond the limitations of thoughts, beliefs, and perceptions.
We can choose our thoughts and our focus of attention, rather than be subject to the habitual ones. We can question our beliefs and allow them to evolve with new understanding, as our perception widens and clarifies. Our freedom comes from within, from being masters of our awareness rather than slaves to old, conditioned, limiting ways of being.
An Invitation
Here is my invitation to you – to embrace a path of awakening in your life. That each day and moment, you can awaken to something new. You can awaken to ever greater levels of clarity, truth, peace, and happiness. It is an infinite process – there are always more possibilities for you. There is no end to what you can experience and create in your life; and who you can be.
You read this post for a reason – you’re ready to awaken to your True Self.
Now, share your thoughts and experiences on the path to awakening below – I’d love to hear from you!
by Connie Habash | May 30, 2019 | Mindfulness, Spirituality
The NBA finals are here, and they’re providing some fuel for my spiritual awakening – from the Golden State Warriors! Yes, I’m a fan and that’s a photo of me and my family at a game with the famous Kevin Durant – well, you know, the cardboard version. *wink*
[excerpted from my recent article on Elephant Journal]Sure, I live in the SF Bay Area, so it’s easy to love our home-town champions (and even when they weren’t champs). But ever since Steve Kerr took over and the Splash Brothers have wowed us with 3-pt performances that have revolutionized the game, I’ve found more to love about this iconic team than their championship reputation. Even if you hate the Warriors, or couldn’t give a fig about basketball, there’s a lot to benefit our own personal and spiritual evolution from how this team works and plays.
The Warriors, to me, are more than a basketball team. They show us how an organization can lead, compete, and do business with higher principles. Steve Kerr, the team’s head coach, built the team around 4 core principles that shine through everything they do, and are the keys to their success: Joy, Mindfulness, Compassion, and Competition. These 4 principles reveal several spiritual qualities in how they work together and support each other.
Read the rest on Elephant Journal!
It’s 
Ever been in a funk on the path of personal and spiritual growth? Those times when you feel discouraged, irritable, or angry, and can’t seem to shift out of it? “I’m not in the mood to be patient,” we might say, “I have to get to my appointment!” We snap at our kids for leaving their socks all over the house, or blow up when someone interrupts our precious yoga practice. We try to go outside for solace beneath a tree, but we can’t seem to shake it.
Recently, I have noticed more authors and writers choosing to put their name in lowercase letters (like bell hooks, or 
This post, on doubt (samshaya) is the second of a 9-part series on the obstacles to spiritual practice, from verse 1:30 of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras:
You may have heard the term “awakening” used before you found this blog, in reference to personal or spiritual transformation. But what exactly does awakening mean?
The NBA finals are here, and they’re providing some fuel for my spiritual awakening – from the Golden State Warriors! Yes, I’m a fan and that’s a photo of me and my family at a game with the famous Kevin Durant – well, you know, the cardboard version. *wink*
