The Six Foundations of Spiritual Life by Dr. Gabriel Cousens
“I love hearing about different forms of spiritual growth, especially connected with nature. Is there anywhere I could find information about things like this? I’m on a little bit of a spiritual exploration myself.” -Caitlin
I believe that as many people as there are in this world are as many spiritual paths there are There are so, so many paths, teachings, teachers, traditions and practices out there. What they are is less important than that they make your heart sing, and draw you deeper inward and to the Divine/Oneness/God/Insert Name Here. Obviously, I’ve found spiritual inspiration here at the Tree of Life and with Gabriel, which is most appropriate for me in my life at this time. An important reminder I give myself is that all these practices – inipis, dancing, yoga, etc. etc., – are all just that; practices. They are tools for spiritual growth, not spiritual growth itself – that part is up to me. For me, what’s most important is consistent meditation, and always working on integrating what I learn into my life. I have found a lot of solidity in the 6 Foundations, which I have condensed below:
1. Nutrition: a vegan organic live food, high mineralized, low sugar, and high hydration diet and spiritual fasting.
2. Building prana (life force): Yoga asanas, pranayama (breathing practices), the Ophanim (the energetics of the Hebrew letters), T’ai Chi, Reiki, Tachyon Energy or other energy practices, and sacred dance. These all enhance and expand the consciousness of the body-mind complex, filling it with increased life force energy or prana.
3. Service (sheirut) and charity (tzedaka): In the process of service and charity, we are able to face our attachments to things (seva), as well as to feel our connection to all of the family of humanity. This helps to expand consciousness through the direct experience.
4. Spiritual Guidance and Inspiration: Satsang, being in the energy of Truth in the presence of a liberated or awakened spiritual teacher. Satsang gives meaning, value, heart, and energy to spiritual wisdom teachings and spiritual life energetics. Expanding and refining the mind with spiritual wisdom teachings, the great scriptures such as Zohar, the Torah, the Tao Te Ching, the Vedas, great mystical poetry such as that of Hafitz, Rumi and Blake. Wisdom literature helps formulate and focus our consciousness and expand it. Zero Point, sacred music and spending time in nature are also part of this Foundation.
5. Silence: Meditation, prayer, repetition of mantra (hagia) and chanting (in the God focused traditions)
6. Kundalini Awakening: Shaktipat initiation (S’micha le’shefa/Haniha), which is the awakening of the Divine force that is resting in potential within us. This is known as the descent of Grace. It usually occurs through a living enlightened spiritual leader, but may occur spontaneously. Once the spiritual energy is activated, it begins to spontaneously move through our body, spiritualizing every cell, every aspect of the DNA, every chakra, every nadi (which are the channels of the subtle nervous system), every organ and every tissue, so that all consciousness becomes activated into the next evolutionary stage.
Gabriel Cousens M.D.M.D.(H) from Spiritual Nutrition
The six foundations are not goals to be attained, rather they are foundations lifestyle practices for “awakened normality. The spiritual life requires commitment and intensity and is not an easy ride. The spiritual practices are designed to help people come into balance in all aspects of life. They are a chance to build your spiritual body so that it may hold more light.
