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Center for Spiritual Intelligence® Inc |
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THE SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE ®SM
ADVISOR A monthly newsletter
bringing you great ideas for spiritual development and practical success! Published by Yaacov
J. Kravitz, Ed.D., © October 6, 2002, www.spiritutalintelligence.com *************************************************************************** IN THIS ISSUE: Article: PREPARING FOR CHANGE Free-Teleconference:
PILLARS of SPIRITUALITY: Mindfulness, Love, Discipline and Forgiveness. **************************************************************************** Change:
Stage 3 - Preparing For Change: Commitment And Mindfulness Over
the last two months we have discussed moving through the stages of
precontemplation and contemplation as one begins a process of personal change
and transformation. The
entire six stage change process described by psychologist James Prochaska
includes the stages of precontemplation, contemplation,
preparation, action, maintenance and termination.
This month we will examine the preparation
stage and related spiritual concepts and techniques.
During
the contemplation stage you obtained an increased awareness of the value to your
life of changing a particular behavior. You
began to develop a picture of your goal and what your life might look like when
you completed your change successfully. The
primary tasks of the preparation stage are to make a commitment to your change
goal and to begin to take small steps that will make your change possible.
Making a commitment to change can be a frightening process.
As we have learned, in order to change successfully you must strongly
desire the change and the vision of the “new you” that you are creating. Spiritually,
you must have trust in your vision so that you can truly dedicate your self to
it. Trust is established by making sure that any change goal that you choose is
guided by your established ethics, values and Higher Power. Those who have
participated in a 12-step addiction recovery program know that one of the first
preparatory steps toward health is to "make a decision to turn our will and
our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him." This decision represents an understanding that your personal
goals and behavior must reflect the spiritual values that you hold in highest
esteem. One
practical way to bring these aspects of spirituality into the change process is
to write a Personal Mission Statement that integrates your values and goals. (You can
click on the link for suggestions about one way to do this.) After completing
your mission statement make a list of the practical benefits that change will
have for you. Read your list and Mission Statement out loud every day. As you
move through your day bring your Mission Statement to mind frequently. Be
mindful of what you are doing and work to ensure that every action you take is
in line with your intended mission. When you are fully mindful of your actions
in the present moment and bind that mindfulness
to your intention to act in accordance with your highest value (God’s will)
you have achieved a high level of consciousness called da’at or
knowledge. During the preparation stage you continue a self-evaluative process in which you compare your present functioning with the vision of the future you have created. This process helps you become aware of the small steps that you must take to achieve your goal. Writing down these steps to create a plan of action is an effective way to help reduce the anxiety that comes with change. Your action plan should include setting a day to make the change, scheduling time to practice new behaviors, participating in activities that will support your changed behavior, and talking to others about the change you will be making. The
preparation process described here can be used by businesses and organizations
as well as by individuals. Many businesses write mission statements that deal
only with the practical aspects of their mission or mention ethics only in very
general terms. A statement that includes even a few specific values held by a
company (e.g., honesty, sustainable environmental practices, honoring customers
and employees) can help set a positive tone that will guide the inevitable
changes and transitions that will be made by every business. Adequate planning
and anticipating the impact of change on the entire organization is a hallmark
of effective organizational change. Preparation for change is essential. Premature changers and those who keep
putting off change often fail. If you are clear about your mission/commitment
and if you plan your action steps carefully you are ready for the next stage of
change: ACTION!! - to be discussed
in next month’s SPIRITUAL INTELLIGENCE® ADVISOR. ******************************************************************************** If you would like to bring spirituality into your personal work or
your organization we can help.
Send an e-mail to yaacov@spiritualintelligence.com briefly describing
your goals and request a complimentary half hour consultation. You can continue to LEARN MORE about Spiritual Intelligence®SM
by Reading about Spirituality
on our web site Becoming part of our Spiritual
Mentoring program or Professional
Coaching program. ******************************************************************************** Please send us your comments. Let us know if there is a specific
topic you would like addressed in this forum. ******************************************************************************** ABOUT YAACOV J. KRAVITZ, Ed.D. Yaacov Kravitz, a psychologist, certified pastoral counselor and
coach, has spent 30 years working on the integration of spirituality and
psychology. His favorite personal spiritual practices include meditation,
mindfulness, yoga, prayer, chanting and study. He has developed a comprehensive
program for learning the skills of Spiritual Intelligence®SM
based on the ancient mystical teachings of the Kabbalah and the insights of
modern psychology. You can contact Dr. Kravitz at yaacov@spiritualintelligence.com. ******************************************************************************** SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATON To subscribe send an e-mail to
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will never be shared with others. ******************************************************************************** DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS The above material is copyrighted, but you may retransmit or
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