Finding Joy and Purpose Exercises from "A Call To Women" [and also Men]

Quoted directly from pages 277 and 278 of A Call To Women.

Finding Lasting Joy and Purpose Exercise

1. The first step in finding joy and purpose is to acknowledge that you have a spiritual self. People have called this the soul, inner guide, inner voice, Holy Spirit, higher self, etc......It is the God within linked to the God everywhere.....Even though you may not experience this aspect of yourself often, it is important to acknowledge its presence as a starting point. Close your eyes and take a minute now to link with your spiritual self.

2. The second step is to create a relationship with your spiritual self. [Just as] you create relationships with others through communcation and time spent together, you can create a relationship between the mind and the soul......The mind must relate to the soul, be receptive to it. There are many forms that this can take, but essentially it is a daily spiritual practice. It is a regular setting aside of time to acknowledge and be with your spiritual self, a time of inner listening.....As you acknowledge the soul's presence through a spiritual practice, you more easily recognize its voice and what it (or God) wants from you in the world.

3.The third stepp is to pay attention and actively listen to the soul's calling. This is often synonymous with listening to God's will. It is the voice of intuition that gently urges you to see situations clearly and to act in certain ways. It opens you up to a state of 'being' in the fullness of the moment, experiencing love within the transitory nature of life, and feeling the interconnectedness of everything. It asks you to act in the world, to do what you are most suited for, and to contribute to the improvement of the planet and the human condition......You can answer the soul's calling by asking yourself the following questions:
(All of the questions, and some others, are from the Meaning Mandala exercise, which [for me] is on-going)

Who am I?
What did I come here to do?
What is my passion?
What is the potential in me that yearns for fruition?
What did I come here to learn?
What did I come here to heal?
Who did I come here to love?
What did I come here to express?
What did I come here to teach?
What causes did I come here to serve?
Who did I come here to be?
What brings me the greatest joy?
What can I do that reflects my beliefs and values?

4. The fourth step is to agree to what is being asked of you. This is often painful as the ego allows the soul to be in the driver's seat.....Like a snake shedding its skin, you are asked to release old belief systems that limit your growth and expanding identity.....Faith must also be your companion through this process -- faith in yourself, faith in a higher power or God.

[This one. This one is the one that is the defense against doubt and terror. For me now, faith must be and is a constant and conscious companion. When even a little teeny crack of doubt is opened, the force of emotion and confusion is projective, impairing, tremendous and forlorn. This is like the strain Atlas must feel holding up the Earth.]

5. The fifth step is to obey the guidance given to you from within, to act on the stirrings of the soul moment by moment, leap by leap.....It may be terrifying to obey the inner voice.....You need consistency, commitment, and courage to carry it out.

6. The sixth step is to realize what must die or be transformed in your life for the soul to be affirmed. What do you need to say 'No' to in order to live a purposeful life that is in harmony with who you really are? If you are going to embrace a new way of living, then you must let go of parts of your old life that drain your energy, that reinforce negativity, or that no longer serve you.....You can also change your life through attitudinal shifts. You can say 'no' to that part of you that reacts as a victim or is submissive, overly dependent, or concerned with what others think. You can transform your anger into love and forgiveness.

7. The last step is to be fully present in your activity, acknowledging the unseen hands that help you and the opportunities and soul responsibilities that come your way at appropriate times. You can walk with an attitude of gratitude through life and welcome the joys and hardships of each day. You can actively accept what comes your way and meet it head on. As you are fully present, you become more aware of your relationship and interconnectedness to others.....You can develop the ability to express gratitude for all that has been given to you, no matter how difficult.

[The above is definitely not the full text in the steps.]

There are many exercises that follow these steps, but I'm not there yet. There is a lot to think about for the above 7 steps, and to really do.