I was listening to a podcast by Abiola Abrams called “How to develop your intuition”. She has a spiritpreneur podcast and I highly recommend it if you’re interested in doing spiritual-things as an entrepreneur. It’s pretty awesome.
I was delighted to see that many of the things she spoke about were things that I have already incorporated into my life.
Things such as meditation, learning how to listen to your gut, becoming really still when you need a flash of insight, asking a question at night before falling asleep and then expecting the answer in the morning. That sort of thing.
However Abiola began to talk about something that I had never heard about before.
She mentioned that this idea originally came from Napoleon Hill’s book, “Think and Grow Rich.”
In fact, rumor has it that this was something that was heavily edited out of his book when it came out in 1937.
Basically, you imagine the people – living or deceased – that you admire the most and invite them to be on your council to help you get answers to any question you may have.
Abiola talked about having a council that consisted of Oprah, Maya Angelou, and Wayne Dyer, among others.
I decided to do more research on this and see how I could assemble my own spiritual council. After all, there are times when we just want to ask and have someone tell us the answers, do we not?
I will say, the first time I tried this, the council members seemed almost “flat.” It takes 2-3 sessions for them to start taking on a life of their own, but the insights I’ve gained as a result of these sessions have been pretty profound.
Forming a Spiritual Council
The first step in forming a spiritual council is to make a list of all the people throughout history, famous celebrities, spiritual leaders, other movers and shakers, friends, relatives or family members that you greatly respect.
I began with a list that kept growing and growing and growing.
Most of the sites I consulted on creating your own spiritual counsel said to select anywhere from 5 to 10 people whose characteristics most closely emulated what you would like to see more of in your own life.
For example, a person could consult Warren Buffett in matters of money. The Dalai Lama could be part of one’s counsel (counsel = advisor) for spiritual matters.
If you’re a woman, notable women might have a seat at your table. Well honestly, this could apply for the guys, too. Having a balance of male and female energy is always a good thing.
Whomever you decide to have as part of your council, you want to make sure that it’s a good mix of people, all known for certain characteristics that you want to develop in your own life.
After nearly a day of research, I’m afraid I couldn’t come up with a list of 5-10 people.
My list is nearly 20 people!
However, I learned that while Napoleon Hill originally had just a small number of people in his council, he eventually expanded it to somewhere between 50 and 60 people!
I figured starting out with my big list – all people I admire for various reasons – would just have to do.
There are so many I admire.
Below is my own list of folks that I think could make a powerful council along with the characteristics that called to me about each person. Some of them are living and some are historical figures:
- Harriet Tubman = courage + freedom + tenacity
- Gandhi = equality + discipline + enlightenment
- Mother Teresa = champion of the downtrodden + prayer + meditation
- Maya Angelou = poetry + female power + triumph + writing
- Abraham Lincoln = equality + unity + leadership + courage
- Frida Kahlo = art + power to the people + girl power + courage
- Deganawida = peacemaking + love + spirituality
- Minerva Mirabal Reyes = standing up for what is right + courage
- Obama = triumph + diplomacy + courage
- Oprah = triumph + success + girl power
- Paulo Coehlo = writing + spirituality
- Dalai Lama = wisdom + enlightenment
- Thich Nhat Hanh = spirituality + enlightenment
- Rigoberta Menchu = perseverance + peace + speaking out for what is right
- Richard Branson = business + money
- J.K. Rowling = creativity + writing
- Napoleon Hill = writing + business + wealth consciousness
- Harry Belafonte = music + persistence + champion of the downtrodden
- Sacajawea = women’s worth + independence + adventurer
- Sitting Bull = premonition + poise
Preparing for your spiritual council meeting
Since I have so many people I revere, I usually choose 5-6 people who will be part of my council meetings beforehand. These folks will have expertise on the question that I have.
Occasionally, I will include someone on the council who doesn’t have the exact expertise called for. These people can have a left-field perspective that can really help in the solution-making process.
The best time to “call a council meeting” is either during meditation or before bed at night after everyone else around you has gone to bed and you can sit in the dark, where you’ll be undisturbed.
You need to have an “agenda” – the reason you’re calling the meeting in the first place. Pick only one question or topic. More than that can confuse things.
It’s also a good idea to have a notepad next to you in case you need to write ideas down.
If you’re meditating, however, it might be a good idea to wait until you’re finished with your meditation session and then write everything down that you learned.
Avoid using technology immediately after a meeting: the energy in technology can disrupt that “flow” state in which you’ll find yourself and also the higher energy that you create as a result of looking within.
The question or topic can be about anything that you need an answer to, but just make sure to limit it to one thing.
Examples of questions include: What should I do with my life? What can I do to improve my business? What is the most important thing I need to know right now?
Meeting with your spiritual council
Here, you’ll close your eyes and imagine a meeting room – in any style and size you like. But imagine all the members of your council filing in and finding their seat.
Except you also imagine that you’re the leader of this meeting and you get to sit at the head of the table (or room, etc.).
At the beginning of this meeting, welcome everyone and immediately pose your question.
Now, give all your council members a chance to respond. Some may choose to respond, and others may not, depending on how relevant the question is to each member. Still, others may communicate with you non-verbally by sending messages, symbols or imagery.
Do not let the meeting adjourn until you are satisfied with the solution and the answers. If you don’t have a good answer, ask your council members to keep at it.
It will take a few meetings, but the different personalities of people will begin to come alive in your meetings. In fact, they may begin to argue and discuss in a way that you never knew could be possible – all inside your head!
The one thing that scared Napoleon Hill
As Hill conducted his meetings, the characters really began to develop personalities in tandem with how they are or were in real life.
He reported on how Abraham Lincoln always liked to arrive late to the meetings and would slowly wander around until he found his seat.
These characters seemed so real and took on such vibrance and interest in his questions, that animated discussions and arguments sometimes occurred in these meetings.
This frightened Hill so much that he did not call council meetings for several months after this first happened.
However, one day he decided to just “go with it” and try again.
In one form or another, famous people throughout history have used this technique in various forms.
Another notable person was Walt Disney. He would “close his eyes and daydream” until he came up with a solution that meant he had a powerful, original and creative idea for his next project.
My experiences with this
I learned about this technique only a short time ago. But I have been working with it some during my morning meditations.
I have had 3 or 4 council meetings now.
Before I talk about the meetings themselves, I’ll just share that having these meetings in the mornings is better for me. I’m a “the lights go out and I fall asleep” kind of person, so evening meditation or calling spiritual council meetings at night doesn’t really work for me.
I’ve tried it and I promptly fall asleep and forget my question, or I have trouble visualizing my council members.
During my morning meditations, I’ve asked several questions. I’ll share one with you.
I asked what the next steps should be in my business development with regards to this site.
One day I called Obama, Coelho, Rowling, Oprah, Hilary Clinton, and Branson to my meeting. I figured there would be a great mix of leadership, courage, business expertise, girl power, spirituality and wisdom to forge a balanced response.
And an incredible response I got!
From that meeting I heard the following:
- Stay consistent and persistent
- Keep doing what you’re doing
- Keep pumping out beautiful things
- As I grow in my online business, I will meet and find the people I need to help me
- Stay strong
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help
- Stay open to opportunities
While these responses aren’t groundbreaking and embrace the notion of common sense, each person at my council table took the time to think and respond.
I asked this question probably the second time I held a council meeting. I know that my council members are still “new” and they’re “developing their characteristics,” but I’m already amazed at the insights that these folks share.
Now, I know that this is all going on in my head. But there is scientific evidence, as well as spiritual evidence that this kind of visualization is extraordinarily powerful.
Why not try it?
Update on the Tree of Life journal
Y’all, I’m psyched!
I finally was able to upload the files to CreateSpace yesterday.
While I normally publish on Mondays, when I get the proof and approve the book for publication, I will create a special blog post on that.
Email subscribers (not via WordPress as I cannot send files that way) will receive the first couple of pages as a gift on Sept. 1.
Anticipated date of publication: Thursday, August 31.
As long as I can publish this by August 31, I will fulfill the requirements for the LIFE Project intentions for August.
Absolutely love this idea of including not only those living, but those past, as well as those who are or were authorities in their fields. Great advice and going to have to give this a try soon now, my fired. Happy Monday and many hugs to you now!! xoxo <3
Hey friend! It’s an interesting and insightful thing to do. Gosh, they really do sort of take on a mind of their own. But yes, thinking about them as authorities in their field somehow gives you permission to entertain all possibilities in a way that perhaps your “regular brain” wouldn’t. 🙂 I hope you’ve had a wonderful week! Sorry for the delay in responding: it’s been a bit crazy, but in a good way! 🙂 Sending hugs!
ya know… the concept of consulting with ‘fictional beings’, those not touch the hand present offers some remarkable potential. It’s not just that, imo, the people we invite have our imprimatur* but that once we permit the ‘imaginary’ into our immediate reality, access is (in theory) granted to those elements that cannot be directly manifested in the ‘real’ world. So, in effect, we can create condition similar to getting notes passed to us from a friend on the far side of the classroom.
cool
* just wanted to use a cool looking word
Clark – yes! I love all this. Those beings, I think, give you permission to come up with left-field ideas with, as you said, remarkable potential. And it’s so funny, too: the real world can then seemingly mesh with the fictional world and vice versa, giving us more access to those elements we’d like to manifest. Me thinks. 🙂 Thanks for your insights – I get so much out of hearing your perspective. 🙂 Sending hugs!
“Silently from the past come creeping”…my spiritual council is with me daily, whispering to me, making sure I stay on a path I fought for. All is well with me as long as I am willing to listen.
Big Bro – loved that! I feel like I’m evoking your poetic side. 🙂 I’m so psyched that you “get it.” I think I’ve had one with me for most of my life, too. Granted, I never thought to include this in meditation but I admit it’s kinda cool to think about getting advice from historical greats: present and past. 🙂 Then there’s the listening part. And the harder part: acting on their (sound) advice. 🙂 I’ll have to borrow that line: “imaginative approaches produce substantive results.” Sending hugs!
Oops, I got cut off…love this, Lil Sis….love the imaginative approach and the substantive results.
Hugs always
I like the idea of a spiritual council and am glad it’s working for you Cynthia. I tried it years ago, but didn’t really stick with it. It might be time to try again. Thanks!
Brad – Thank you for your comments. I don’t usually take so long in responding; it’s been a busy (but good!) week. But now it’s a sign that should strive to get into more mindful states. 🙂 If you try out the spiritual council, let me know how it goes. But of course, we’re all different and if it works, great and if not, that’s great, too, because it’ll be one more thing that gets you to all the things that do work and fill your cup. 🙂 Hugs and I hope you have a great weekend!
The spiritual council is a great idea! I have not done this. So you take their platforms and apply it to your question as a way to find the answer? I wonder though if our “gut” will guide what they say and in turn provide the same answer (but a subconscious influence)? I would also include Maya and Oprah in my council!
Christy – So fun, no? I don’t consult my own council often enough: I’ve probably had a meeting once a month, but it would be interesting to increase the frequency. And yes, however you perceive their characters is how you’d apply that. But the idea is to take a hands-off approach. Once you ask a question, you get still and let each person answer in his or her own way. Some just make signs, others may talk a lot or a little. Napoleon Hill said that Lincoln would “always arrive late” to his meetings. lol. But yes, it’s really our intuition guiding us, but then again who really knows? It does make me smile thinking about the possibility of really connecting with that energy and having it manifest through us. That could be the “dreamy me” talking, but…it’s fun to think about. Hehe. Speaking of Oprah, if you listen to podcasts, I am LOVING her Souper Soul Conversations. Listened to one with Oprah talking to Tony Robbins today and Alanis Morrisette.
Dear Cynthia,
This is an issue I need to put more thought into – the development of my own / ongoing spiritual council.
I unconsciously used this strategy at a time when I was in grave danger – my council then was a combination of strong women (alive and deceased) that I personally knew. They supported, comforted and helped me feel stronger than I truly was.
Really looking forward to your Journal – your coloring book is wonderful. Love and hugs, Maria
Maria – what an amazing story! Wow! Now THAT is a true council who oversaw your safety. You have angels on your side, friend! And that line, “Made me feel stronger than I truly was” – if I may – is false. You are *already* strong. But I am glad that they supported and comforted you. Thank you so much for your sweet words! Sending you big, warm hugs! xoxo
Thanks for explaining more about the approach, Cyndi. Yes, your description is one I find helpful. I’m going to assemble the troops 😉 I’ve been looking for meaningful podcasts, thank you for the recommendation! Also, I’m including your spiritual council post in my inspiration roundup post that will publish next Friday. Have a lovely weekend!
Christy – aww, friend! This is so awesome! Assemble them troops! haha. I can’t wait to see what good things will happen. 🙂 The SuperSoul conversations is the name of the podcast. And *thank you – I’m honored* that you would include that post in your roundup. Thank you, friend! Sending hugs and I hope you have a wonderful rest-of-your-weekend! <3 xoxoxo
Loved this post – my thanks to Christy for including us in the same Roundup or I might not have seen it. I had a good response from something similar (but quite different) around consulting with Spirit Guides, years ago now. Pinned to my Blogs and Blogger board – and will be giving it a shot. Thanks for sharing.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD/EFD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
Madelyn – thank you! Christy is awesome, isn’t she? So glad she’s introduced us and thank you for coming by! I appreciate the pins and shares! Thank you for sharing that about your post, too. I’d love to read it. Will have to take a look. Have a wonderful weekend! Sending you hugs! xo
For some reason the “respond to comment” function isn’t working. Simply wanted to extend thoughts below:
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Yes, Christy’s a doll. Hugs back atcha’ Cynthia – and you have a wonderful weekend too! Let’s stay in touch.
xx,
mgh
Madelyn – thank you again! I’m sorry about the respond to comment function. These Internet sites, no? I hope you had a great weekend and it’s so nice to meet you. xoxo
Same problem with the “respond” function – it just won’t send. Technology! Wonderful when it works and sooooo frustrating when it doesn’t.
Thanks for responding to my comment, and for your good wishes. The hot weather has returned here in Cincinnati, so my weekends will be MUCH better once the crisp fall weather decides to stick around – lol. (I’m heat defensive, so summer can never leave soon enough for me.) I hope YOUR weekend was lovely and that you had the weather you like best.
xx,
mgh
Madelyn – ah, wait! You are responding from within wordpress reader, yes? THIS. It makes me crazy, but I’m a .org site and I’ve been around and around with moderators trying to see if there’s a workaround to that problem. So far, they said that .org sites can see and read others within reader, anyone with a .com site won’t be able to respond.
Then again, if you’re coming to the site and can’t respond within the comments section, I will look into that – I love the dialogue that often spontaneously happens down here in the comments section. Haha.
In any case, I love Cinci! Drove through there for a wedding a few years back and thought it was a pretty awesome city. I’m always cold and if there was a way to take your summer heat and permanently affix it as a sunny cloud over where I live, I’d pay good money to do so! HAHA.
In other news…I enjoy your site! I’ve gone over a few times but haven’t left more comments: I’m searching the side bar for the most recent posts. If I click on the posts part, I get a box that says something like “do you want to add this to shared links” – I’m guessing that’s your RSS feed? In any case, I’ll comment some more…just learning my way around. I love all the writing you’re doing surrounding ADD. Good for you!! Sending you hugs, -CS
NOT true about .com/.self-hosted sites and responding, despite what they told you. D.G.Kaye’s site is self-hosted and I can use the drop-down notification function to receive and respond to comments on her site (I don’t use the Reader for that). Every once in a while I have to go directly to her site to have a comment conversation, but rarely, and it’s generally working again within a day. Then again, she’s a .com, NOT a .org.
FYI: I don’t see a “reply” button on comments on your site, however (Deb has one on hers). I have to use your “Leave an Insight” box. Could that be part of it? It makes it difficult to follow a thread not to be able to *respond* to comments vs. leaving a new one every time, which leaves comments scattered – but I am aware that I am unusual in that I actually read the comments under a post.
ALSO FYI: Your comment box covers your post button after a bit (no way to post it when that happens) – so I’ll have to cut and paste to a Part-2.
xx,
mgh
Madelyn – that’s good to know about that. Tell you what: I promise to look into it. It might take awhile, and maybe instead of WP comments at the bottom, I try something else, but I’ll look into it. You’re not the first person to say this drives them a little nuts and the times I have contacted WP.org people, I get the run-around. So…it’s sounding like I need to take matters into my own hands. lol. And…I wonder if it’s part of the theme I’m using. The comments are with jetpack, but eh…I haven’t been all that impressed. It’s been more of a headache than anything. So, thank you for your feedback with this. It might take awhile only because I’m also working at a school and this is going to be one of those “weekend projects” when I have some time. But Ima schedule this in. Thank you, thank you for letting me know. 🙂
PART-2
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Thanks for your kind words about my site. I don’t know about that “want to add?” nonsense. Another stupid WordPress “improvement” that makes it even less likely that we ill engage with each other. I’ll have to see what you are talking about by loading a different browser where I’m not automatically signed in as the site-owner. 🙁
My guess is that the coders are mostly under 25, don’t write much of anything in “English” and rarely read anything beyond a tweet. CLEARLY they don’t use the platform – at least not for much beyond posting a meme or reblogging (and don’t get me started on THAT function!) They came of age after TESTING before unleashing was an accepted concept, that’s for sure!
It has taken me a few years to see Cincy’s charms, but I doubt I’ll ever fall in love with the weather here. OH how I wish I could send you the beastly heat – and that you could send me your crisp days! (let’s both send the freezing slushy days to the arctic!)
xx,
mgh
Madelyn – ah, and sorry you have to do a part 2! These WP conversations are actually kind of fun! See…I’m learning stuff and I actually find myself liking all these WP mysteries. It gives me something to do. Not that I need MORE to do, but I maintain my school’s website and I learn stuff from that, but also the stuff I learn here helps me with that. If that makes sense. lol.
Reblogging. Never used it. I’m like, hmm…what does Google think about that? lol.
As for Cincy: well, even in November when I passed through there I marveled at how warm it was. Hehe. We live up in the mountains in western North Carolina so it gets cooler here than in lower-lying areas. There’s even a ski area 20 minutes away from where we live. 🙂 I’m in complete agreement about the frozen, slushy days going to the arctic. Yup. With you there. Sending you big hugs. xo
“Ima schedule” – lol – my nephew uses that (20 something). School, huh? How fun! Even your most frustrating day is probably less frustrating than dealing with computer tech stuff I’ll bet.
I wasn’t complaining as much as sharing – just in case there was a “back stage switch” that could be flipped (as in the admin section of dot com sites). I do think it might get you more visits and comment interaction – which your site certainly deserves.
I have been wondering about setting up a self-hosted blog myself so I could go in a few other directions, but our interaction has given me pause. The dot com platform – maddening as it certainly can be with every new and rarely tested-before-release “improvement” – certainly does a lot FOR us that I am loathe to have to code personally. I hope your forays will be fruitful.
xx,
mgh
Madelyn – haha, lol. Sigh…I suppose everyone has frustrating days and want to tear their hair out. Hehe. Self-hosted blogs: you never have to worry about content or “terms of service” – that sort of thing. The drawback is that, yes, you have to pay for and worry about everything else. And fix it when it’s not working. I haven’t dealt with coding, but fixing things…it can be kind of hairy sometimes.
But thank you for your words and your thoughts and it’s been fun interacting and conversing. Sending you hugs!