Spiritual Renewal Every Day

How could we experience spiritual renewal day by day, every day? Think about it – spiritual renewal every day is quite an ambitious goal. How could such a daily renewal truly and practically work for all of us?

The answer is this: It must definitively be fun, inspiring, fresh, and colorful just like a rainbow. Otherwise, after a short while, won’t our minds and hearts look elsewhere for pleasure and enjoyment?

Isn’t JOY what we are basically looking for? Our renewal every day must have this at its core – joy, enjoyment, inner pleasure, and yes, fun!

The best thing would be if spiritual renewal every day could feel like a continuous holiday. Wouldn’t you be up for a never-ending spiritual holiday? If you are, pack your inner suitcases and get ready. It’s time to GO!

Think for a moment. What is a holiday really? Originally, a holiday was a day of spiritual renewal. The word holiday sprang from these words: ‘holy’ and ‘day.’ For Christians, this day is on Sunday. It is their holy day or holiday. Sunday was originally a day of prayer. It was a day for nurturing one’s soul qualities, a day of dedication to God and noble aspirations but also a day for the family, rest, and fun.

If you think about it, the word Sunday itself reveals a lot of potential fun. Let’s try repeating this sentence a few times in a conscious way:

Today is SUNday

Doesn’t it sound like a joyful day of sunbathing?

Turn Your Sunday into a Holiday/Holy Day

So then, let’s start our daily renewal in this special way — On your next Sunday, make it a point to concentrate on the sun. Fully dedicate your entire day to it. If it shines bright and warm in the sky, take your time basking in its gorgeous rays, enjoying it deeply and consciously.

After relishing the blessings of the sun, begin to reflect on the deeper side of sunlight: the sun symbolizes your spiritual eye in the forehead. Meditate on that point between the eyebrows for a while. Try to understand that other light, intuitively. All day long, look at that point between the eyebrows. Imagine that you are joyfully basking in that inner sun. Gaze at that point towards the divine Presence, absorbing those rays of Light. You may even visualize a golden light blessing you.

This kind of sunbathing might be new to you but you will soon see that this is a gorgeous and truly enjoyable practice.

Remember throughout the day:

This is my SUN day, full of light, warmth, and joy. I am bathing in it, and the greatest Light comes from within.

You can also enhance your inner sunbathing experience with Yogananda’s affirmation:

Beloved Divine,
make me know at once and forever
that Thou hast always been mine, ever mine.
My error dreams are past,
buried beneath the sepulcher of oblivion.
I am awake, basking in the SUNLIGHT
of awakening in Thee.

Do you see now that spiritual renewal does not have anything to do with grey, dusty rituals, or obligatory prayers? It can be great fun if you approach it in a fresh and creative way.

Turning Your Monday into a Holiday/Holy Day

Do you know where the word Monday comes from? Yes, you are correct. It originally was the MOON-day. The moon is gorgeous, isn’t it? So, why don’t you dedicate your next Monday to the moon? Reflect on it. Visualize it at night. If it is visible, look at it carefully. Contemplate its incredible beauty, its emotive feeling, and its deeply sensitive and poignant nature.

Consider its meaning deeper. What is the moon really? It marvelously reflects the sunlight. Spiritually speaking, isn’t that a great inspiration to all of us?

On your special MOON day, meditate in the morning for some time and think of God as the sun, and yourself as the moon. Throughout your day, consciously reflect the divine sun into the world as you interact with co-workers, family, and friends. Think on this:

I am reflecting God’s light, kindness, and sympathy all around me…

Don’t you see how beautiful you instantly become?

You will see how much spiritual renewal lies in this practice and how much fun it is to think of yourself as a living moon. Try it! Your Monday or MOON day will turn into a wonderful holiday, a holy day.

Affirm with Yogananda:

I will spread the moon-rays of my sympathy
to all individuals…

Turning Your Tuesday into a Holiday/Holy Day

When Tuesday comes along, change your practice completely. Do you know the original meaning of the word Tuesday? It too has a divine origin: “Tues” was Tiw, which came from Tiwas, which in turn derived from deya, which is the root for deity. It means to shine and is connected to Mars, the god of radiant power.

Please remember that power is not something negative. Power is a pure and fundamental aspect of God and the soul. It is shining, radiant, and naturally divine. It is also great fun if rightly used.

So, this day of renewal will be your MARS-day. The day in which you become a living Mars. First, meditate and feel the soul quality of high energy, magnetic radiance, and power. Then, manifest this quality outwardly. Do not shun that aspect of your being. Be as radiant, energetic, and magnetic as you possibly can during your day. 

Think of a divine warrior who inspires you. Maybe it is Arjuna from the Indian scriptures or Archangel Michael from the Western tradition. Renew yourself spiritually in this shining way. Conquer your lower self, your temptations, or other low emotions. Divine victory is written on your brows. Strongly affirm with Yogananda:

Life is a struggle of joy
all along the way.
May I fight to win the battle
on the very spot where I now am.

Turning Your Wednesday into a Holiday/Holy Day

Then Wednesday comes along. It too can be turned into a bright and enjoyable day of spiritual renewal lived with inner fun. The word ‘Wednesday’ derives from the Old English Wōdnesdæg, meaning ‘day of Woden’, a god connected to Mercury. In fact, it is in Latin the Mercurii dies (day of Mercury).

So let Wednesday be your inspired MERCURY day. Are you ready for it? Mercury represents calm and peaceful wisdom as well as communication. On this special day meditate in the morning, touching the inner peace of the soul. Then consciously try to maintain that inner peace and calmness and carry it into all of your communications and relationships throughout the day.

Feel yourself being a living Mercury, who (because of his calmness) is wise, detached, and profound in all circumstances. Fill your aura with peace. Emanate it to others. Enjoy the special inner renewal it brings you. Peace is like a healing balm for you and also for others.

Affirm with Yogananda:

Today and every day I will hold on
to the quiet and peaceful after-effects of meditation.
I will soar in the ark of silence
over the peaks of the highest wisdom
and roam in the land of endless beauty.

Turning Your Thursday into a Holiday/Holy-Day

Then Thursday comes along which originally was Thors-day. Thor is the god of thunder, who is equivalent to Jupiter. So, this will be your glorious JUPITER day. This will be another day of spiritual renewal fun. So how can Jupiter joyfully renew us?

Jupiter stands mostly for growth and expansion. In India, he also stands for the Guru. In fact, Thursday for Hindus is Guru-vaar, the day of the Guru, who helps us grow, expand, and reach the highest heavens.

This will indeed become your greatest renewal. Take a true guru, or a saint of any religion, with you through your busy day. He/she will become your Jupiter. Feel his or her presence at your side like a heavenly bodyguard, guiding your thoughts, calming your emotions, lifting your spirits, opening your heart, and bringing you closer to the tangible reality of God.

Thursday will indeed be a true holiday/holy-day lived in this way because such a saint, if inwardly kept close, powerfully channels the blessings of Heaven to you.

On this special day, affirm with Yogananda:

I will mingle my inner devotional whispers
with the prayers of saints
and continuously offer them
in the temple of silence and activity
until I can hear His whispers loudly,
everywhere.

Turning Your Friday into a Holiday/Holy-Day

Soon it will be Friday, which has always been the day of the heart. Fri-day etymologically comes from the Old English Frigedæg, the day of Frigga, who is the goddess of pure love. It is a translation of the Latin Veneris dies or day of Venus.’ 

What can be of greater spiritual renewal – and of greater soul-fun than our hearts’ pure love? Love is divine. So all day long keep your heart open wide. Feel, however, that you are not loving with your personal love but are channeling the love of God, or of Divine Mother to all and to everything.

In other words, become a living Venus. Enjoy that secret mission in that sacred role. Think of nothing but love all the time. Affirm it. Practice it. Pray for it. Make it your supreme priority, all day long. God will be with you because God is Love.

This will certainly turn Friday into a true holiday/holy-day for you.

Use this affirmation by Yogananda:

As I radiate love and goodwill to others,
I open the channel for God’s love to come to me,
for Divine Love is the magnet
that will draw all good unto me.

Turning Your Saturday Into a Holiday/Holy-Day

The word Saturday comes from the old English Sætern dæg, meaning the day of Saturn. This too is a day of fun and renewal for your soul. In what way, you may ask? Saturn is the giver of discipline, lessons to learn, and perseverance. Could that ever be fun?

Yes, it can be. Self-discipline is in truth, an act of love toward yourself. Self-discipline in and with that spirit will bring you joy and enjoyment. On your next day of Saturn, meditate for a while, thinking of yourself as a living Saturn. Doesn’t that already feel special? Don’t you feel a sense of confidence and joyful self-mastery? Next, think of just one thing in your life that you want to discipline: food, meditation, exercise, sleep, certain thoughts, mood, behavior, habits, reactions, etc. Feel the joy, feel the renewal and marvelous effects when you carry through on self-discipline.

Affirm with Yogananda:

May I discipline myself
so that I will never begin my day
without concentration and meditation
on the Supreme.

Well, it’s Sunday again. You can start your renewal all over. In this way, may you experience the perennial holiday of spiritual renewal every day? Most of all, may you have FUN!

The Big Question

How many of you will actually try to have spiritual renewal every day? May you be one of those who take this perennial spiritual renewal holiday as soon as possible.

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