Spirituality is that "vital principle or animating force traditionally believed to be within living beings." I believe that tapping into this rich inner resource transforms us, or alters our attitudes and feelings to the extent that we can change what we have never been able to change before.

How spirituality works is a mystery. It is something that is often observed but not necessarily understood. I have observed people overcome their fear of change with the aid of spirituality. They start out at the mercy of their old habits. They are powerless over their inner compulsions and have no strength to fight back. They habitually re-enact behavior that is self-destructive and life-threatening. Then, in a moment of agony, they call out "God help me," and somewhere deep in their soul they surrender. They admit they are powerless and they ask for help. Then, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly, they are filled with the power of the spirit and...

⋅ They feel willing, when before they felt hesitant;

⋅ They feel courageous, when before they felt terrified;

⋅ They feel guided, when before they felt lost;

⋅ They feel loved, when before they felt abandoned;

⋅ They feel wise, when before they felt confused;

⋅ They feel hopeful, when before they felt despair;

⋅ They feel as if they are at the start of a glorious new journey, when before they felt near death.

There is more than one way to have a spiritual awakening. For some people it will happen suddenly during one dramatic moment, a moment from which there is no turning back. For others it happens slowly. Over time, they just find themselves with a new attitude about a Higher Power and spirituality. Their closed mind becomes open and curious. They pray and they feel connected to their Higher Power. Or they act "as if" a Higher Power exists, and in time they come to believe. Some people practice meditation to find a Higher Power. Others may read spiritual literature or talk to people about spirituality. Whatever they do, they must do it repetitively, and they must not give up. If they are really seeking spirituality with an open mind they will find it. If they really ask for spirituality with a humble heart, it will be given to them.

I had a spiritual awakening in 1983 and it changed my life forever.