(This is a chapter from my future book, Conscious Evolution – Crafting Our Wat Together)

Spiritual life is structured by three frameworks, each with its own role: 1) Rituals and Ceremonies; 2) Spiritual Practices and 3) Spiritual Principles to which we align ourselves. Beside spiritual practices, we need to believe in “something greater than us”. Without believing there is no spiritual life. 

I firmly believe that we live in a Universe inspired by a Cosmic Dynamics. This means that our Universe has a dynamic by which it seeks to realize its potential. Thus, I trust that “something greater than me” inspires me, guides me, nourishes me. 

Our beliefs are actually our metaphysical choices. Personally, my metaphysical choice is for a Universe that communicates with me – therefore, my belief that I can communicate with the Universe (I personify her as the Great Goddess of Life). 

My belief aligns with the honest scientific perspective. My relationship with the Great Goddess of Life is similar to that between a cell and the organism of which it is a part. Because of this belief, the ageless spiritual principles still make sense to me and help me find my ground (where many of us, who fail to trust in something beyond them, cannot find any ground). It is clear for me that this is a belief I choose to believe. It works for me. I simply trust Life and her guiding and nourishing powers. Thus, I easily find my ground and meaning in my challenges. These beliefs have the strange tendency to become self-fulfilling prophecies.

Here I have compiled a list of spiritual principles, to which I give a brief description. I hope the reader will understand that, if we were to do them justice, each principle would require a whole book – and not just a few sentences – to be properly addressed. Each principle is infinite in depth and meaning. It only depends on us to discover their depth! These principles are the axioms of spiritual life. Aligning with them will make us alive. But a spiritual journey is requested.

1: The principle of serving a greater good, of participation in something greater than you.

2. The principle of self-sacrifice. In our individualistic world it is almost impossible to understand what this principle means. It doesn’t mean weakening yourself, but offering yourself. Etymologically means “to make sacred,” from sacra – “sacred” and facere – “to do”. It aligns us with the sacred, the Living Principle of the Universe. Through self-sacrifice we don’t waste ourselves, but nourish the conditions that are conducive for life to flourish around us. This spiritual principle is based on the deep understanding that Life is a circle of giving. We aren’t the ultimate recipients of Life’s gifts, but, as in any Circle, we pass the gifts on, continuing the great Circle of Life.

3. The principle of servant leadership. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (Luke 6:31), (Matthew 7:12) We are the first to take the step toward the other and behave in a nurturing way. This is the Golden Rule.

4. The principle of believing that we are living in a nurturing Universe: “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who keeps on asking receives, and he who keeps on seeking finds, and to him who keeps on knocking, it will be opened.” (Matthew 7.7-8)

5. The principle of trust and gratitude: “Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” (Mark 11:24). This principle must be understood as it should be. Obviously, we don’t ask for anything selfishly: what we ask for is always something that helps us move forward on the spiritual path to become who we are called to become.

6. The principle of materialization: May it be according to your heart! May it be according to your faith! Our outer world is always a reflection of the inner one. If I want to change something on the outside, I understand that I first have to change something on the inside.

7. The Principle of Providence: The Great Goddess of Life nurtures you, inspires you, guides you. Therefore, everything that happens to you has an educational role. Learn from everything, evolve and move on! (If you fail to learn something from the challenges you have been given, they will return, until you evolve and move on.)

8. The principle of self-honesty. It could be considered the first spiritual principle, without which no spiritual journey can begin. We must have the strength to acknowledge our deviations and biases and courageously act to overcome them.

9. The principle of humbleness. I let you decide for yourself what humbleness means to you!

10. The Principle of Calling (or Blessing): The inner calling cannot be silenced – it will always seek forms of expression. The blessing from above is never taken back – it just waits for the conditions to blossom.

These spiritual principles can’t be explained in any way, yet you can rely on them and they will never fail you. They are simply the axioms of the spiritual world.