Spiritual Alphabet for Every Day
adapted from Spiritual Literacy , Brussat
A – May I be Aware and Accept things I cannot change
B – May Beauty nurture my soul
C – May I have Courage, be Compassionate and feel Connected to all living things
D – May I Discern meaning
E – May I be Empathic
F – May I be Forgiving
G – May I be Grateful
H – May I be Hopeful and Humble
I – May I be Inspired and live with Imagination
J – May I be Joyful and seek Justice
K – May I be Kind
L – May I Love, Let go and Listen to others and for the still, small, voice inside
M – May I be mindful of my feelings, needs
N - May I be Nurturing
O – May I be Open
P – May I be Patient and Peaceful
Q – May I Question
R – May I be Reverent; respect, love and be awed by life
S – May I embrace Silence and my Shadow
T - May I be Trustworthy
U – May I acknowledge Unity
V – May I seek Vision “Your vision will become clear only when you look into your
heart…Who looks outside, dreams, Who looks inside awakens.” Carl Jung
W – May I rediscover Wonder
X – May I acknowledge the Unknown and the Unknowable (The Mysteries)
Y – May I Yearn for wholeness
Z – May I live with Zest and feel Zeal
Compassion is deep empathy for another who is suffering or living with misfortune.
It
is understanding and caring and a strong desire to ease their distress. Compassion
flows freely from our hearts when we let go of judgments and seek to understand. Our
compassionate presence helps people to know that they are not alone. Sometimes they
don’t need us to fix anything. They only need to be heard with compassion, so that they
can connect to their own inner wisdom. We need our own compassion as much as
others do. Whether a silent prayer or gentle touch, compassion is a priceless gift.
“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice
compassion.” The Dalai Lama
I notice when someone is hurt or needs a friend.
I feel empathy for the pain of others.
I take time to reach out to those who need help.
I care for others by listening deeply.
I refrain from judging.
I have compassion for myself.
I am thankful for the gift of Compassion. It stirs my heart.
Gratitude is a constant attitude of thankfulness and appreciation for life as it unfolds.
Living in the moment, we are open to abundance around us and within us. We express
appreciation freely. We contemplate the richness of our life. We feast on beauty. We
notice small graces and are thankful for daily gifts. In life's trials, we seek to understand,
to accept and to learn. Gratitude is the essence of genuine happiness. It is a continual
celebration of life.
“Happiness cannot be traveled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the
spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.” Denis Waitly
I am grateful for my life
I perceive the blessing in each moment
I continually express appreciation
I reflect on the good things of life
I find value in my tests
I celebrate abundance. I am happy
I am thankful for the gift of gratitude. It is the magnet of my joy.
Hope is looking to the future with trust and faith.
It is optimism in the face of adversity.
Without hope, we lose our will to live fully. Hope give us the courage to keep moving
forward. It can be elusive when we have suffered often, yet it is the light that can
redeem our dreams. With hope, we know we are not alone. There is always help when
we are willing to ask. There are gifts to be gleaned from all that happens. With hope,
we find the confidence to try and try again.
“The very least you can do in your life is to figure out what you hope for. And the most
you can do is live inside that hope. Not admire it from a distance but live right in it under
its roof.” Barbara Kingsolver
I maintain a positive attitude
I embrace my life fully
I have faith in the value of life
I have the confidence to succeed
I seek to discern life's lessons
I persevere through all conditions
I am thankful for the gift of hope it is the light of my life.
Justice is being fair in all that we do. We continually look for the truth, not bowing to
others' judgments or perceptions. We do not backbite. We clear up problems face to
face. We make agreements that benefit everyone equally. When we commit a wrong,
we are honest in correcting it and making amends. If someone is hurting us, it is just to
stop them. It is never just for strong people to hurt weaker people. With justice, we
protect everyone's rights. Sometimes when we stand for justice, we stand alone.
“Thou shalt not be a victim. Thou shalt not be a perpetrator. Above all, thou shalt not be
a bystander.” Holocaust Museum
I think for myself
I do not engage in prejudice or backbiting
I make fair agreements
I make restitution for my mistakes
I honor people's rights including my own
I have the courage to stand up for the truth
I am thankful for the gift of justice. Is it the guardian of my integrity
Kindness is caring that springs from compassion.
We have genuine concern for the
welfare of others. We are warm, friendly and ready to help. We listen for the needs
beneath the words. We give tender attention in simple ways that bring others
happiness. Kindness is the daily brad of love, When we feel angry, we resist the
temptation to be cruel. We balance honesty with tact. We are good stewards of the
earth and all living things . We remember to be kind to ourselves. When we fill our own
cup, our kindness naturally overflows to others.
“Be the living expression of God's kindness; kindness in your face, kindness in your
eyes, kindness in your smile.” Mother Teresa
I have empathy for others
I notice what people need
I love to be helpful
I am thoughtful in little ways
I practice good habits that help the earth
I am a good caregiver to myself
I am thankful for the gift of kindness. It awakens my heart.
Love is at the center of our being.
It is the vital force that gives us energy and
direction. It connects one heart with another. Love is irresistible attraction and affection
for a person, a place, an idea or even for life itself. Love is cherishing others, treating
them with tenderness. Love thrives on acceptance and appreciation. It has the power to
heal. It calls us to continually hone ourselves, while releasing the need to control or
make someone in our image. Nurtured by commitment and seasoned by kindness, love
is our greatest gift.
“Love is patient; love is kind... it bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things,
endures all things. “ Corinthians
I allow myself to connect deeply
I commit myself wholeheartedly
I show love through acts of kindness
I accept and appreciate the ones I love
I do the work on myself that love requires
I cherish the loves of my life.
I am thankful for the gift of love. It is my treasury.
Mindfulness is living reflectively with conscious awareness of our actions, word, and
thoughts. Awake to the world around us, we fully experience our senses. We are
attentive to others' needs. We refuse to rush. Living mindfully lightens our lives by
helping us to detach from our emotions. We transform anger to justice. We seek joy
instead of mere desire. We cultivate our inner vision, aware of life's lessons as they
unfold. Mindfulness brings us serenity.
“Can you cleanse your inner vision until you see nothing but the light?...Can you step
back from your own mind and thus understand all things?” Tao Te Ching
I seek always to be awake and aware
I am considerate of the needs of others
I keep a pace of grace
I do not allow emotions and impulses to rule me
I cultivate my spiritual awareness with daily reflection
I am a lifelong learner
I am thankful for the gift of mindfulness. It keeps me present.
Reverence is respect, love and awe of life; living with an awareness that we are
always in the presence of the spirit and that all life is precious. When we practice
reverence, we open ourselves to experience faith, love, and deep respect for the
mysteries and wonders of life. We take time in solitude and silence each day to
contemplate to pray and reflect. We seek to discern the deeper meaning of our lives.
The beauty of nature restores our souls. We are respectful stewards of the earth. We
treasure all life.
“Affirmation of life is the spiritual act by which man ceases to live unreflectively and
begins to devote himself to his life with reverence, in order to raise it to its true value.”
Albert Schweitzer
I take time each day to nurture my inner life
I open my soul to life's wonders
I live with an awareness of divine presence
I discern the meaning of my experiences
I allow beauty to nurture my soul
I respect the value of all life
I am thankful for the gift of reverence. It consecrates my life.
Trust is having faith, hope and a positive outlook.
Trust is believing in someone or
something. We have confidence that the right things will come about without trying to
control it or make it happen. We trust others to do what they say they will do, and give
them the space to be trustworthy. Sometimes it is difficult to trust when life brings
painful experiences. Trust is being sure in the depths of our being, that there is some
gift or learning in everything that happens. We move confidently with the flow of life,
gathering strength from adversity. We know we are never alone.
I maintain my hope
I do not nag others or try to control them
I believe there is some good in everything that happens
I allow trust to heal my fears
I am confident in my capacity for lifelong learning
I rely on divine assistance
I am thankful for the gift of trust. It renews my strength.