No Elevator to EverestSample

The Emotional Trailhead Spiritual Practice

I’d like to close with a spiritual practice that can help you on your journey of Spirit-led self-awareness. The emotional-trailhead practice is one I’d recommend you try out in the morning right after you wake up. Focus on the “largest” emotion you are feeling and start your hike of curiosity inward. (The example below assumes that your primary morning feeling is fear, which is a very common morning emotion for many of us. But yours might be something else.)

Go to a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed for ten minutes or so. Take a deep breath, and simply notice what you are feeling. Then progress through these steps:

1. Use your fear to connect with your heart. Why are you afraid? How long has this fear been there? Does it feel massive and overpowering or small yet persistent? What causes it to show up? Get curious.
2. Breathe. Contemplating our fear can tighten us up, increase our heart rate, and kick us into fight, flight, or freeze mode. Slowly count to four as you inhale. Then exhale while slowly counting to four again.
3. As you come to more awareness, stay honest. Don’t minimize or hide. Write down what this awareness is bringing you. Do this in a curious and playful way. Don’t worry about it making sense. Just write out three to four sentences.
4. Ask the Spirit to lead you. Imagine the Spirit gently taking your hand and walking with you deeper into His life-giving presence and deeper into the inner sanctum in your heart where He has promised to dwell with you forever.
5. Use physical release. Grab hold of a pebble or some other small, solid object. Imagine it as your fear. Name it out loud, if that helps. Squeeze it as tightly as you can. Be conscious of the way you have to intentionally tell your fingers to stay tight in order to not drop it. Now, hold it at arm’s length and simply drop it. It is not yours. Feel the way your hand opens back up.
6. Savor the feeling of lightness as the fear leaves. “Be still,” God tells us, “and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Savor the love of God and the guiding of the Spirit. Notice how your heart feels. Welcome this new awareness and this physical sensation of joy and gratitude in the Lord.

This plan is presented to you by No Elevator to Everest by Will Acuff. To learn more about this book, please click here.