- In life there are no easy short-cuts or "quick-buys", and we need to clarify the life/faith connection. Spiritual Intelligence was designed as a "giveaway book", and one that would likely be purchased at airports.
- God wants to challange you, and breathe grace/comfort into you.
What is intelligence?
Our understanding of intelligence is no longer just judging people by how clever they are through IQ quizzes, etc., but we now have emotional intelligence, and the idea of spiritual intelligence is also gaining momentum.
What is coaching?
Coaching is all about embracing ourselves as part of a bigger picture. Whether we're dealing with a business or with people, we want to become part of the solution, rather than being part of the problem.
Would you like your life to have significance?
How effectively are you using your innate spiritual intelligence now? What part would you like to play in your local/global world? What will you do with your "one wild and precious life"?
How do you define success?
We need to re-evaluate the nature of success by what we celebrate, as what we define as success tends to identify our priorities. We need to say enough is enough and love those in our communities becasue of our differences. We're all unique and have different things to contribute [how boring would it be otherwise?]. God has set eternity in our hearts and won't let us rest or settle into mediocrity.
The Road of Life
On Finding "the road", we need to live life in all its fullness. Often in Christianity the life now is not seen as important as heaven, but God created us for a purpose and to enjoy our life on earth, so we need to appreciate NOW. The challenge is to become more fully aware, observant and ready, nurture those seeds of awakening into life.
Staying Alive!
When do you come most fully alive? To whom? To what are you giving your life? What is the higher cause you serve? Christianity is a description not a prescription, it's a journey of faith. What is the context of spiritual transformation in your own life? Malcolm Gladwell describes in
The Tipping Point that if the context is right for transformation only need a 1degree change at a time for true change. Think about snowflakes, each tiny flake is like nothing, but as they settle, everything changes.
So how are you living?
Are we living hurried, stressed lives, against a constant background of noise? We need to get to a place where we can expect the unexpected, where radical change can be expected. (You can gain an idea of how
Brian has been living recently)
The Four Stage Iconic Journey of Spiritual Development
Alarm Clock
Every day offers the chance for (spiritual) awakenings, if only we noticed them! Are you awake to what is unfolding around you?
We need contemplative times, otherwise we rush around building a false ID of ourselves using our ego-driven minds, which drags us back to the past, or forward to the future, never enjoying the moment!
What can give us those small seeds of awakening?
- Conversations
- Art
- Scenery
- Smells
Eye
Once you awaken to something, you begin to see the world/your place in it changing. How is your life different? What do you look for in life? The scales can fall from your eyes fast or slowly! What do your friends and family see that is different about you?
Your eyes are your windows on life. If you are squinting, you won't let the light in and your life will be dark, if your eyes are wide open, you allow it all in!
With some music in the background, we considered this image for a couple of minutes - each of us will something different - and this is how it is in the world, we all picture the world differently. What we see/believe affects how we act.
Paint Palette
How do we respond uniquely/creatively to the world? We need to glimpse our potential as children of God! We need to lead a charge as we're in a battle for life (and it's hard to lead the battle if you think you look stupid on a horse). As Gandhi said [and one of my favourite quotes]: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world".
Pass It On
Jamie Oliver offers a contagion of cooking - he's passing it on. Why don't we do the same with our faith, and the benefits that we receive from them?! We're not teaching or telling others how to live, but allow those around you to benefit from the fruits of your own life.
The "
fruits of the spirit" - you can't put a price on that kind of benefit! We need to begin to live a life less ordinary, offering a contagion of HOPE, and of the infinite potential in life [so many people are strangled by fear, and never live up to their potential]. We can be more fully human!
For the soul to flourise, we need to shake off the idea that we are passive partakers in this world, we can shape our own lives and those of the whole world.
We have an opportunity for a new culture created by those prepared to risk/try. Fear causes a hold on the old ways, which are ineffective!
Dear allI hope that you have a great couple of weeks. I will be wearing my "Keep Calm and Carry On T-Shirt", and "Keep Calm and Carry On Apron" whilst I cook for 82 people on a campsite in the Loire Valley with Oak Hall, and as I then bike-sit, and drive down to Provence on the wrong side of the road, before coming back to get back on track with my projects.
On Sunday 5th July, 
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