| Every spiritual journey brings us to a place of | | | | questions because we seek a greater |
| discovery that teaches us something about | | | | understanding of the spirit and what happens to it |
| ourselves our faith and the life we lead. There are | | | | when the flesh is no more. |
| certain places that no matter what path we take | | | | 6. Worship |
| in a spiritual journey they cannot be avoided and | | | | Whether we choose to worship God in heaven or |
| determine the outcome of what we get from the | | | | other gods in this realm of existence we look up |
| journey. Below are ten of these places and how | | | | to something to give us the strength that we |
| they affect our journey. | | | | desire to continue down this path. The fact is it is |
| 1. Peace | | | | through this worship that we feed the spirit to |
| This is where it all starts for every spiritual | | | | carry out the desires that we need to fulfill the |
| journey. All spiritual voyages begin with an | | | | journey. Whether our worship is devotional or in |
| awareness of a new peace that takes hold of us | | | | meditation we are still bowing our heads before |
| beyond what we have ever witnessed before. | | | | what we believe in. What is of importance is that |
| This peace enables us seek more in this realm | | | | we choose to bow our heads before the greatest |
| and from henceforth we desire to always return | | | | in this realm of existence and that is God. |
| to this realm of existence. Peace through | | | | 7. Transition |
| spirituality is not attained by alcohol or any other | | | | These are the seasonal changes that occur in |
| induced medicines into our system. It is attained | | | | spirituality. In this realm we rarely know what is |
| from a greater awareness that usually is beyond | | | | happening but we have a sense of the ending of |
| our daily existence. | | | | one form of existence for another to take its |
| 2. Isolation | | | | place. It is like changing classes and passing from |
| This is another place of spirituality that cannot be | | | | old to new. They are periods of calm where we |
| avoided. It is during these times that who and | | | | wait for what is to come next. |
| what we know departs from our shores of | | | | 8. Faith |
| existence allowing us to seek a greater | | | | Spirituality calls upon the forces of the spirit. When |
| understanding of this new existence. Sometimes | | | | we delve into this world there is no doubt that |
| we instigate this but most times it is the nature | | | | we would also be dealing with our maker. |
| of spirituality that we shall be isolated from | | | | Whether we choose this to be God and our lord |
| everyone and everything to grow in this realm. | | | | and savior Jesus Christ or not, we still pause for |
| 3. Rebuke | | | | thought and ask ourselves where our faith lies. No |
| One of the fruits of labor in a spiritual journey is | | | | one can enter in to this realm without being |
| being an outcast at certain times in society. | | | | visited by the choice to follow a belief in God or |
| Taking upon this mantel means not following the | | | | not. This world is owned by our Lord and so |
| normal pattern that most people do in society. | | | | naturally he would give us that choice whether we |
| When this happens rebuke for our beliefs often | | | | desire it or not. |
| knocks at our doorstep. This rebuke builds | | | | 9. Transcendence |
| strength, faith, courage, patience, wisdom, | | | | Another aspect of spirituality is in understanding |
| temperance and the will to endure. | | | | what lies beyond what we can see in the physical. |
| 4. Self-judgment | | | | This question is asked as we become removed |
| No spiritual journey is complete without visiting a | | | | from the world to seek a higher understanding. |
| place of self-judgment. This is standing before our | | | | Whether these questions are asked in meditation, |
| conscience and analyzing our strengths, | | | | in dreams or in visions we desire to know what is |
| weaknesses and faults. Every spiritual journey | | | | beyond the physical. The key in this place of |
| requires this for us to grow in it. It is at this time | | | | spirituality is acknowledging that all righteousness |
| that we learn the changes that have come about | | | | comes from believing in God. If the spirits we |
| since we embarked on the journey. This | | | | command are not by his guidance then they are |
| self-judgment serves also as a point of | | | | for the devil. |
| measurement in our journey for whatever | | | | 10. Sacrifice |
| progress we may have made. | | | | Sacrifice is giving up something that we care |
| 5. Death | | | | about for what we believe in. This is a place that |
| Spiritual awareness also involves comprehending | | | | cannot be avoided in spirituality and comes to |
| our mortality on earth. In this journey we must | | | | everyone who embarks upon this journey. It is a |
| ask ourselves the question of death and what | | | | test to see if we are committed to the path we |
| happens to us after it. As we move from the | | | | have chosen. |
| world of the physical to the spiritual we ask these | | | | |