The Spiritual Issue
Finding Your Spiritual Path
One Writer’s Spiritual Journey
In This Issue The Spiritual Issue December 2020 Letter from the Executive Director
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Word of the Month
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New Mexico Resources
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Finding Your Spiritual Path
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One Writer’s Spiritual Journey
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Letter from the Executive Director We don’t normally tag team this letter, but spirituality is such a personal issue, we wanted to give a little extra context on why we decided to do a spirituality issue. By the time that this issue reaches you, we will be deep into the holiday season. It is hard to miss well wishes of Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, or even happy Hanukkah. This is the time of year where we can reflect on what we value, and give thanks for those things. If you grew up going to a place of worship on a regular basis, you know that what often happens is the moment you aren’t obligated is when you really have a chance to figure out what you believe on your own. And, it’s complicated.
This issue isn’t about telling you what to believe. It is about telling you that you are a lot farther along than you may think you are. It is about reminding you that it is a journey where you get to learn, grow, make mistakes, and change your mind. Most of all, we want this issue to inspire you to look within yourself to find the ways to be the very best version of who you can be. We hope you enjoy this issue
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Masthead and Contributors Editor-in-Chief, Porche Proffit Editor, Ericka Foster
Contributors Contributing Editor, Lakia Goodman Writer, Maggie Allen Cover image credit: Editorial credit: Sahroe / Shutterstock.com Positive Transitioning Inc. is a non–profit organization that provides information and resources for individuals reentering the community after incarceration. In addition to this magazine, Positive Transitioning Inc. offers a 24-hour Resource/Listening Line that services all 50 states. The Resource/Listening line is staffed by life coaches, and provides individuals with the immediate support and resources they may be needed during reentry. Positive Transitioning Inc. also provides individuals life coaches that will assist them in every step of the reentry process: housing, education, employment, vocational training, obtaining government benefits, veteran assistance, medical management, sponsorship, financial stability, family reintegration, and legal assisting. Currently Positive Transitioning Inc. is entirely web–based as we are hoping that this makes it easily accessible for anyone to access from anywhere.
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Word of the Month per·e·gri·na·tion journey, especially a long or meandering one
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step – Lao Tzu
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New Mexico Resources Amity Foundation www.amityfdn.org/amity-anti-recidivism/ With an office located in Tucson, Amity Foundation is “is dedicated to the inclusion and habilitation of people marginalized by addiction, trauma, criminality, incarceration, poverty, racism, sexism, homelessness and violence.” Capacity Builders capacitybuilders.info/programs/ Capacity Builders offers support for nonprofits, schools and tribes. As part of its reentry program, they offer the Navajo Nation Second Chance Young Fathers Initiative for young men between the ages of 14 and 24 who are involved with the criminal justice system. Delancey Street Foundation http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/facnm.php Located in the San Juan Pueblo reservation, the Delancey Street Foundation includes vocation training, residential programs. The site also has resources to learn Native American arts and dance. PB&J Family Services pbjfamilyservices.org/ PB&J focuses on families that involved with the criminal justice system – waiting at the Metropolitan Detention Center. The program engages with children who have parents in the system.
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National Resources American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) aclu.org/issues/prisoners-rights Prisoners’ rights to read, write, speak, practice their religion, and communicate with the outside world are often curtailed far beyond what is necessary for institutional security. Not only are these activities central to the ability of prisoners to retain their humanity, but they also contribute to the flow of information between prisons and the outside world and thus provide a vital form of oversight of these closed institutions. CareerOneStop careeronestop.org/Site/american-job-center.aspx Located across the country, American Job Centers can help you look for work and offer job search workshops, free computer access, and more. National Alliance on Mental Illness nami.org/ The purpose of NAMI Alabama is to provide support, education, and advocacy for persons with mental illnesses, their families, and others whose lives are affected mental health disorders. National HIRE Network hirenetwork.org The goal of the National H.I.R.E. Network is to increase the number and quality of job opportunities available to people with criminal records by changing public policies, employment practices and public opinion. National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC) nrrc.csgjusticecenter.org Funded and administered by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the National Reentry Resource Center (NRRC) is the nation’s primary source of information and guidance in reentry. U.S. Veterans Administration va.gov/ABOUT_VA/index.asp Most veterans who are in jail or prison will eventually reenter the community. VA’s HCRV program is designed to promote success and prevent homelessness among Veterans returning home after incarceration. COVID-19 FAQs for the Public Housing, Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) (including the Project-based Voucher Program (PBV)) and Native American Programs hud.gov/sites/dfiles/PIH/documents/COVID19_FAQ_PIH_Final.pdf This is a FAQ that lists resources for individuals in public housing.
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Finding Your Spiritual Path: How to Pinpoint Your Values Maggie Allen In a crazy, chaotic, ever-changing world, sometimes it’s difficult to make time for the things that matter most to you. These are what we call our values; “the principles that give our lives meaning and allow us to persevere through adversity,” according to psychologist and author Barb Markway. Our behavior is dictated by our values, so we all have them. While a lot of values tend to be cultivated in childhood, they can change as we learn, broaden our social sphere, or when unique circumstances arise. As an example, let’s say you are supporting your partner and two children. You may value having time to yourself, to unwind and reflect on the events of the day, but you also have to worry about bills, household chores, and the needs of the family -- both as individuals and as a whole. Even if you are not particularly money-driven, a low-paying job or poor insurance coverage may demand that you focus on financial stability. This might force you to buckle down and work harder, longer hours, leaving everything else to the wayside. As a result, your family begins to feel neglected. Chores, schoolwork, or overall relationships start to suffer. So, in this example, even if it is just in the short term, we are valuing the financial stability that results from more money, over our relationships. That’s not a judgement statement because no one has it all balanced. And your values can shift based on the situation. But, these values underly a belief system. And that belief system is the foundation for your spiritual journey and practice.
Make a list. Every person has to determine what they desire most. Do you need some space to be creative? Quality time with loved ones? Good health? Work
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satisfaction? If it’s hard coming up with more values, there are several handy websites and books that will help. Either organize them from least to most important, or pick your top 5. You can also make several lists, such as a short-term list, a long-term list, or a unique circumstance list. It’s perfectly okay to reassess and make changes from time to time. You want to stay true to yourself while also not being so rigid that you can’t adapt and shift your focus to where it is most needed. As you consider your desires, don’t necessarily think in terms of “stuff”. Consider want autonomy, love, security, etc. As you make that list, you’ll start to notice some themes. Is your body a temple? Do you think things will work out in the end? Do you think that only you are the master of your own fate? Look for Role Models. These can be both positive and negative influences. Who do you admire in your life right now, and who would you rather not be like? Write down the qualities you like and dislike about each person. After that, tie them back to your streamlined list of personal values. These qualities can be applied to you and your own behavior. For example, do you know someone who is always lying? Then the truth has become part of your belief system. Do you admire someone who puts their needs above others? Then that is part of your belief system. Find a Guidance Figure. Depending on what you have discovered thus far, you may need advice on how to live out your beliefs. This person can be a religious authority, career expert, or even just a personal therapist; anyone can be a teacher. No person is an island, and some of the best growth over the course of our lives comes from those we allow to enrich it. That person can be living or dead, you can know them or not. Many people follow the teachings of Jesus, and he is long gone. Some of those same people are members of the church of Oprah, learning what they can, how they can. Act and Learn. Apply the advice you are given. Old habits tend to die hard, and sometimes a shift in priorities will be exhausting at first. Track and observe your behavior, which is easier with journaling. Additionally, your belief system will evolve as you grow. We all have a belief system, and that belief system can be a foundation for a spiritual life. This self-reflection is about taking the time to identify what is important to you and use it as a guide as you move about your own life.
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A Spiritual Journey By Ericka Foster You can't really talk about anybody's religious journey without starting with where they're from. Most likely, where you're from is directly related to where your parents are from. Did they decide to do the same thing that their parents did, or the opposite? With that said, I grew up in Richmond, VA, just a generation away from rural –farming—Virginia, so my parents’ families were steeped in the traditional southern Baptist traditions. Visiting my grandmother in the summer meant small hot churches with stained glass windows and choirs that brought the roof down every Sunday. I grew up with one foot in and one foot out of those traditions. My mother took us to Sunday school every Sunday. She stayed in the car and waited for us to get our “Bible learning” and then we would get in the car and go home. So, my younger days, were kind of Bible stories and the basics on Christian religion. I remember going into class one Sunday with a list of questions to help me understand my place in religion. I was always flummoxed at the idea that I would only get it into heaven if I believed in God and Jesus. If we have this loving benevolent God why would he give you parents who don't know what God is, in a community that doesn’t know what my god is, and then condemn you for that. I remember being totally unsatisfied at the answer I was given, but at 11 years old, I figured I had a lifetime to get the answer to that question.
I’d be remised if I didn’t share some of the books I’ve read: A Religion of One’s Own by Thomas Moore A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson
Going to Sunday school was never really a chore, Daring Greatly but of course like any child, the moment I did not by Brené Brown have to go was the moment that I stopped going, which would have been my college years. I never wanted to be the person to throw out the baby with the bathwater, so to speak, so I'd go to church when I went home to visit my parents, during Christmas and Easter, and if I was invited by someone I trusted. Even though I stopped going to church regularly at 17, but isn't that when your journey really starts? When you stop doing what you have to, and you start doing what seems like a good idea. Although I probably spent the years between 18 and 30 floating, there were always these little pockets of trying to learn more. Shortly after graduation I purchased the book on
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the five major religions because I really wanted to get a handle on what other people were learning the major religions. I can pinpoint for you exactly when my spiritual journey really began, because it was set in motion by one of life’s pivotal moments. Being incarcerated, losing a loved one, getting a divorce, having a child – those are the types of pivotal moments that make you really think about who God is and what is S/He to you? As I've probably mentioned in this magazine, I was laid off in 2018. I will say it was the best thing that ever happened to me, but when I woke up that morning I thought I was going to have a job and when I went to bed that night I did not have one. I refused to be sad because at the time I believed the job shouldn't have that kind of emotional hold on you. So, in stark contrast to the traditional 9-to-5, as an act of defiance, I committed to watching Oprah every day. She had just started reading a New Earth by Eckhart Tolle. And that's how my spiritual journey – Oprah. It kept me sane to read that book while I was trying to understand my reality, who I thought I was, what I thought my career was going to be, and what I wanted for my life. Fortunately, Oprah had a little study group to go along with it. I finished reading that book with a completely different perception of spirituality and I also realized how valuable it was to have that spiritual anchor on a daily basis to keep me from losing my shit. Over time, I read books by Wayne Dyer, Gabrielle Bernstein, and Brené Brown. I’d read one book, check out the references, which would lead to the next book, which would lead to the next book, and so on. It wasn't until I landed upon A Return to Love by Marianne Williamson that I’d found the starting point for being my best self. I really had an opportunity to put all the pieces together of how I want it to view myself in God's world. One of the things that I have learned in my spiritual journey is that so many people say that they are spiritual and not religious – that is how I describe myself. However, spiritual study cannot stop just because you've decided not to be religious. The spiritual tests don’t stop. My spiritual practice of reading books has taken place over the course of 10 ish years and I'm constantly having to reevaluate and learn and decide where God fits into my life. Contrary to popular opinion, I do think you can pick and choose the parts of religion that make you feel good. As unapologetically spiritual as I am, I understand that it's a belief system. Whatever I need to believe to help me get through the day and be my best, well I'm here for it. That's what I encourage you to do on your spiritual journey.
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Final Words… In case you were wondering… I want you to find your own spiritual path, so I was hesitant to share what where this path has taken me. But, it might help you, so here are a few ideas that have ended up in my personal “bible”: •
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We all have the right to shine as bright as we possibly can. My purpose in the world is to clear out the garbage so that we can all shine a brightly as we can. I want to leave the world a little bit better than I found it – whether in a smile, an encouraging word, sharing my story, making a donation, etc. Spirituality is a practice. I read daily, and volunteer often as part of my spiritual practice.
In my life now, I'm having a moment. It’s not a pandemic moment, not a police brutality moment, but a moment, nonetheless. I'm finding myself re-evaluating my spiritual point of view, reading books that to help me understand pain and growth and resilience. There are passages that resonate with me differently in some of the books that I'd read before based on where I am in my life now. Spirituality is a journey it's not a destination we are constantly growing I find that to be the beauty in life that I can change at anytime
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