(P1)

June 2012, I begin:

"This Thing Called You"- Life Enhancement course.
I intend to post both the weekly Home Study assignments out of the student workbook, as well as pertinent exercises presented in the facilitator guide which gives the course purpose and objective [as]: *To explore and experience our spirituality in ways we can apply it to our daily lives. *To explore the aspects of our being by which we express our uniqueness. *To identify and experience our connection to the Divine. *To learn to apply our spiritual insights to our daily lives.

I am certain to benefit from presenting this work on this site – such benefits I hope to share with readers of these weekly blogs. All comments and questions are encouraged and welcome.

And so we begin: WEEK 1: Core Values.

The guide states the purpose of this week's lesson is; *To identify and connect with our core values and their place in our lives. And the objective; *To experience how our perceptions mold our experiences. *To explore and discover the power of living in integrity with our values. *To reinforce the spiritual practice of meditation.

The guide goes on to suggest we read ch. 7 of SOM and "Talk about spiritual values and why we need to know what ours are." Ch. 7, The Nature of Being: let's see... Essentially it says man already has, within himself, the key to freedom – but he must come to realize his relation to the whole. This relationship is one of complete unity. Man must use nature's forces in accordance with her laws and in co-operation with her purpose – if he wishes to attain self-mastery.

That being said, I submit the attached workbook assignment of Core Value Assessment, as above and beyond all other things they are of significant importance to align our words and actions with our values.

Soliloquy RE "Spiritual Values" to follow:

WK 1

CORE VALUES ASSESSMENT

(Rated #1-#5 according to my personal value.
1- Essential 2- Important 3- Somewhat important 4- Not Important 5- N/A

2 Integrity: (adherence to a code of values)
1 Courage: (ability to conquer fear or despair; bravery; valor)
3 Diversity: (unalike, variety)
3 Security: (freedom from worry; safety; protection)
1 Wisdom: (accumulated philosophic or scientific knowledge; insight)
3 Peace: (a state of calm and quiet; freedom from disturbing thoughts)
3 Power: (the ability to act or produce)
3 Challenge: (to stimulate by presenting difficulties)
3 Creativity: (to bring into being)
2 Prosperity: (thriving condition, success)
1 Spirituality: (relating to or affecting the spirit; incorporeal)
2 Success: (favorable or desired outcome)
2 Personal Vision: (private insight; imagined aspiration)
5 Teamwork: (activity acting as a unit)
3 Harmony: (accord; internal calm)
2 Respect: (regard; esteem)
3 Change: (alter; to make or become different)
4 Belonging: (to be properly situated)
2 Communication: (exchange of information)
2 Well-Being: (the state of being happy, healthy, prosperous)
1 Knowledge: (something learned; clear perception of truth, understanding)
2 Love: (to feel a passion, devotion or tenderness for)
2 Joy: (a feeling of happiness which comes from success, good fortune, sense of well-being)
1 Gratitude: (thankfulness)
3 Service: (the act, fact or means of serving)
1 Truth: (agreement with fact or reality)
2 Imagination: (a mental image: a creation of the mind)
2 Freedom: (the quality or state of being free; independence; frankness)
2 Beauty: (qualities that give pleasure to the senses or exalt the mind)
3 Compassion: (sympathetic feeling)
4 Risk Taking: (exposure to possible loss or injury)
2 Family: (a social unit of realtives)
3 Authenticity: (genuine; real)
1 Faith: (complete trust)
2 Nature: (the inherent quality or basic constitution of a person or thing)
3 Orderliness: (arranged according to some order; well behaved)

P3

WK1

Discussion:

The guide states: Core Values are those deeply valued principles which guide how we think and feel... They are the ideals that drive what we do and how we do it and form the basis of our beliefs and our attitudes.

Okay, courage, wisdom, spirituality, knowledge, gratitude, truth and faith are seven values I've rated as essential here, vis a vis: Belonging and risk taking, two values I rate as not important.

The above mentioned seven are values I've held dearest most of my life – despite 15+ years of prison culture where it is actually far more common to see people place risk taking and belonging as essential values, which unfortunately all too often lead to tragic consequences. Not to say a little knowledge along with courage hasn't provided its own tragedies during my own idealistically quixotic crusades.

Nevertheless, as the guide states: Knowing, understanding and communicating