Spiritual Personality: An excerpt from Return to the Sacred
Everyone has their own “spiritual personality” that drives them naturally to be drawn to one thing or another. Deeper than all the roles, expectations and preconceived ideas you have accepted from others, is a natural knowledge of what you uniquely find inspiring, restoring and meaningful. Your spiritual personality reflects your “true self:” your soul, your basic spiritual nature. The only thing that defines a spiritual practice’s worth is whether it works for you or not – whether it helps to become free in heart, mind, and spirit. It should truly connect you to the qualities you seek: love, trust, connection to Higher Power and grace in the flow of life. There can be no hierarchy of spiritual practices, even though it seems it would make the choice much easier. There is no logical pattern to the way you personally might combine a variety of practices in your life. Today it is possible to find a guide, a teacher, a book or a product that will help you to make anything into a source of healing and spiritual growth. From exercise to mind-body computer programs, and from new self-help strategies to cinema, pet therapy, and chocolate - if you look hard enough, you can find someone who’ll teach you how to make anything into a spiritual practice. Most traditions believe that psychology, genetics, and the nurturing of our environments are only layers, like clothing, that are worn by the true self or soul. These traditions believe that it is the soul that is the source of our spiritual personalities. It is the root of our preferences and our healthy attractions. Spiritual personality is all about where you uniquely find a sense of connection, peace, and healing. Some people love to sing, some love to pray, some love sacred movement, some connection in art or science. There is truly something for everyone. When people are unaware of their spiritual personality it is easy to feel confused when the things that they are attracted to don’t match what they’ve been told by family and friends. We can be made to feel wrong for choosing a practice that is strange to our family or community. Remember, those who impose expectation on others often fail to recognize the diversity of practice that is natural to all people and communities. For some readers choosing and committing to one or more of the twelve Master Paths may feel like a risk, an adventure. For others this is simply a time to re-evaluate their current practice. Is it time to add a new layer? Is it challenging you enough? Are you still growing? Is there something new you could explore to create the change you seek? The stories in this book will help you to reflect on your spiritual journey: where you have been, what is possible, and where you are going.

Spiritual Personality: Four Orientations

Each human being is a complex expression of four main dimensions: body (physical), mind (mental), heart (emotional), and soul (spiritual). Each of us generally has a tendency to favor or orient our lives around one of these four dimensions. There is no better or worse, healthy or unhealthy, there are only different preferences. Our spiritual personality may reflect our aptitudes and talents, or our present moment needs. At different stages of our lives we tend towards one of these four spiritual biases. You may also notice that there are distinct tendencies in how people relate to the world. Some people are “thinkers” they like to live in the word of thoughts and the mind. Some people are highly emotional, and easily feel empathy and connection to others. Other people live in their bodies; their appearance, physical health, and pleasure of movement all dominate their choices. Others are naturally oriented to the soul the questions of ultimate meaning and a sense of a higher power develop naturally from a young age and become a natural preoccupation and lens through which all choices and actions are examined. Typically, from these biases our spiritual attractions are formed. People who are body oriented are attracted to things like yoga, walking meditations and Tai Chi – all movement based. People who are mind oriented are attracted to reading, lectures, audio CD’s and discussions – all intellectual pursuits. People who are heart oriented are attracted to acts of service, devotional practices or relationships with guru’s and communities – all are emotive and relational. People who are soul oriented typically seek to experience the reduction of the other domains through things like fasting, isolation, or rigorous renunciation of one kind or another – all seeking the experience of the raw spirit. These people want to move beyond emotional, mental, or physical encounters into what might be described as “spirit to Spirit” contact. Typically, this is expressing either an extreme form of devotion, or an extreme desire for enlightenment – the full awakening of consciousness to the eternal nature of being. Pay attention to your natural pulls and longing. No path is wrong, no path is right. The only thing that makes a path unhealthy is the motivation behind it. If your spiritual practice is feeding a bias to an extreme or actually becomes a barrier to your maturation, it is time for a major change. Don’t let fear or peer pressure decide for you either. Following your spiritual personality is not the same as doing what is easy or comfortable. Once you have committed to a practice the work begins, no matter how much you love your practice there will be times of challenge, or it is not a healthy path for you. Always be careful of the ego and always be willing to try a practice outside your area of strength and preference. The 12 Master Paths also can be organized and understood according to the four spiritual personalities. Depending on the primary dimension of the self that a practice is rooted in it will fall into one of the following four categories:

• Body-Centered Practice
• Mind-Centered Practice
• Heart-Centered Practice
• Soul-Centered Practice

All practices have the potential to lead a person to fully awaken spiritually. History shows that mystics have been born of each and all of the these pathways. If applied with a healthy intention, any can lead to lasting change and transformation. Knowing the general orientation of these 12 Master Paths will help you select the practice that will suit you with greatest power and potential. The Twelve Master Paths can be organized as follows:

• Body-Centered
• Ritual and Ceremony
• Sacred Movement
• Sacred Sound
• Mind-Centered
• Meditation
• Sacred Study
• Prayer
• Heart-Centered
• Devotion
• Service
• Guru Guidance: Master Teacher
• Soul-Centered
• Ascetic Practices
• Death Practice
• Life Path