The Power to behind a Light Bearer - Pt. 2
Developing Faith, Self-Confidence, Determination and Will-Power - this is the power behind a light bearer for to hold light in the world takes strength.
(please, don't be turned-off the word 'faith' - read on, it may not be what you think)
First let me be very clear that when I speak of faith I do not mean a belief in something like God, Dharma, religion or some philosophy. The Faith I speak of is a divine quality of knowing and trust in a powerful omnipotent part of reality that is beyond our belief systems. It is an awakening awareness to this all powerful part of the One Reality to which we are an expression – this is the ultimate self-confidence.
Success is in store for the faithful, for faith ensures success.
Self-confidence is the true meaning of faith, and in faith is the secret of the fulfillment or non-fulfillment of every desire.
–Inayat Khan
The development of true Faith results in a progressive uncovering and reclaiming of a powerful part of what we really are rather than what we think we are. This Faith becomes an inherent knowing that one is an intimate expression and manifestation of a great universal reality that one can always trust and rely upon. It is part of our divine heritage.
Faith reaches what reason fails to touch.
Faith reaches beyond the limit of human comprehension.
- Inayat Khan
I was raised in an environment that, not on purpose, completely undermined my sense of faith and self-confidence. By the time I met my spiritual teacher Amin I was the poster child for insecurity - the first "spiritual" practices given to me were all about developing faith and self-confidence in my life.
How do we develop greater faith and self-confidence? The process is simple but requires persistence. Four kinds of practices will help develop faith and self confidence in you: Affirmation, Concentration, Meditation, and Wazifa. Although there are many forms of these types of practices, I will share one of each, focused specifically on faith, that I have personally found works.
Concentration - Everything is made stronger and more potent according to the strength of our concentration, therefore it is most important to develop this ability. This is a big topic in itself so I will share it in the next blog.
Affirmation - The use of affirmation is a powerful tool, completely under our control, to reprogram our consciousness. The key to successful affirmation is, quite simply, not to think the affirmation but to feel the affirmation manifesting; to feel you becoming what it says. The affirmations I am talking about represent aspects of our self, and by repetition and feeling their reality emerge from the super-conscious into the conscious part of us. Always remember, what you focus on, you become.
Faith Affirmation I
Sufi Amin
I demand of myself complete and total self-confidence, and I will never stop trying until I have attained it.
Daily I will feel and picture myself filled with faith and confidence. I will picture it as a radiant, blazing light about my body. I will then feel the strength of accomplishing my goal.
Faith Affirmation II
Hazrat Inayat Khan
“Let my faith be as firm as mountains, Lord, standing unshaken through wind and storm.”
Faith Meditation - this is a visualization practice, takes a little more effort, but goes more directly into our consciousness. This comes from Sufi Amin...
"Slowly breathe in very deeply through the nose to a count of 5 or 6 relaxing heartbeats, as you inhale imagine or be aware of yourself being drawn up into a point at or just above the top of the head.
Then, when you are ready, retain the breath for 5 or 10 seconds, imagine and feel that you are floating in a sea of light that radiates faith. If you let go, you can feel the buoyancy of the light, it is like you were floating in water, but instead of water, you are floating in light and the light just radiating FAITH.
Then as you exhale, imagine your breath like a cool breeze radiating faith, filling your entire aura, heart and consciousness with the faith; with every breath you are filled more and more, it is as though one were breathing out the energy of faith rather than breathing out air. Do this for 8 or 10 breaths."
Wazifa - repeat: Ya Maumin, Ya Maumin, Ya Maumin; or as you walk breath in Ya Maumin and breath out Ya Maumin coordinating your breath with your steps - breathing in 3 or 4 steps Maumin, breathing out two or three steps Maumin.
As you do this remembering that this is the power of divine faith bringing your whole aura in resonacne with its vibration of Divine Faith. Note, it is acceptable, repreating a wazifa on the breath (called Fikr) you can drop the inovcatory 'Ya'.
