Spirit – From the Latin spīritus, meaning an activating and breath imparting force.
– Individual – From the Latin indīviduālis, meaning indivisible and distinguished from social constructs.
– Familial – From the Latin familia, meaning a household and its coherent bonds.
– Universal – From the Latin ūniversālis, meaning as one and characteristic of the whole.
Inform Your Vision!
True spirituality implies responsiveness to Divine leading. The unifying and coordinating quality that we term “Divinity” is etymologically understood as “belonging exclusively to Deity.” And, although our concept of Deity has become more refined over the course of human history, one of the oldest religions on earth describes three distinct paths to Divinity. They are:
- The path of duty — Etymologically and by today’s standards, duty refers to what is due; a moral, social, or legal obligation.
- The path of knowledge — Socrates argued that knowledge is a virtue. For without understanding the true nature of things, it is impossible to do good deeds, to be brave, or to act justly.
- The path of devotion — The word Devotion stems from the Latin verb vovēre which means “to vow.” In contemporary use cases the term generally refers to a commitment for some purpose.
Jesus said” “Except you become as a little child, you shall not enter the kingdom.” Although the faith of Jesus’ was childlike, it was in no sense childish. And we are inspired by his example to engage in continuous spiritual growth. True spiritual development is on full display in those human personalities motivated by love, activated by unselfish ministry, and dominated by the wholehearted devotion to the will of Our Divine Parent.
—110 Individual (The Self-Aware)
——111 Personal Mastery
——112 Progressive Altruism
——113 Spiritual Motivation
—120 Familial (The World-Aware)
——121 Healthy Relationships
——122 Social Equity
——123 Harmonious Fellowship
—130 Universal (The Cosmos-Aware)
——131 Eternal Truth
——132 Divine Beauty
——133 Infinite Goodness
Whether you are a person of faith seeking “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” or an atheist looking to get in touch with your inner cookie, the Spiritual Disciplines are about relationships.
The Spiritual Disciplines encompass our incomplete yet increasing understanding of who and what makes the universe of universes work. They are symbolized throughout Ascension University by the ongoing effort to understand the whole. Within the primary spiritual disciplines we focus on the individual, the familial, and the universal. they are seen as parts of the whole in a peer to peer setting.
This disciplinary focus will begin with a time of personal discovery, progress through the assessment and development of our interpersonal relationships, and culminate with an exploration of, and possible embrace of, universal values. We will encounter challenges that stimulate our growth. Healthy challenges to our assumptions, our attitudes, our habits and our vesting contribute mightily to the development of our very souls. In this gathering we encounter provocative essays, lectures, songs, images and conversations that favor a new luminosity. We are challenged in ways that help us as we move along Eternity Road, all the while making the adjustment to Infinity.