At times we all need words of spiritual encouragement upon our lifework path and to know, our guidance is close at hand. What happens when we feel cut off from our guidance – lost in the winter of our soul?

Parker J. Palmer offers comforting words of spiritual encouragement in his book, “A Hidden Wholeness.” Referring to a poem by Leonard Cohen, “The Blizzard of the World,” Parker Palmer writes:

“…it is easy to believe the poet’s claim that “the blizzard of the world” has overturned “the order of the soul,” easy to believe that the soul – that life-giving core of the human self, with its hunger for truth and justice, love and forgiveness – has lost all power to guide our lives.

But my own experience of the blizzard, which includes getting lost in it more often than I like to admit, tells me that it is not so. The soul’s order can never be destroyed. It may be obscured by the whiteout. We may forget, or deny, that its guidance is close at hand. And yet we are still in the soul’s backyard, with chance after chance to regain our bearings.” Parker Palmer

Recently, Anne, one of my readers, wrote about deep losses in her life and her ensuing despair when she felt cut-off from her God and inner guidance. You might want to read this article and also, my words of spiritual encouragement written back to Anne. You may also add your comments at this forum.

At times, we are shaken by life’s experiences but we are so much more than any situation or experience.

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made… My soul knows that very well.”– Psalm 139:13-14

In remembering this we can step back from the situation, become the observer and in this, begin realigning ourselves with our soul, our true self. As Deepak Chopra advises we can affirm: “This situation may be shaking me, but I am more than this situation.”

Who I truly am – who we all are – is embodied within one of my favorite verses hanging above my desk...

“God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of sound mind.” Tim 1:7

Yet it is easy to slip into self doubt and fear… We can use that painful place for our spiritual growth.

Rather than seeing only the dark side we can imagine ourselves as spiritual warriors. We can challenge those old habits of thinking all-the-while honoring our feelings.

As Pema Chodron advises in her book, “The Places That Scare You,” we can ask ourselves, “How can I practice right now, right on this painful spot, and transform this into the path of awakening?”

These powerful words of spiritual encouragement help us shift our energy. Reading spiritual sayings can also help us shift our thinking and our energy.

Read words of spiritual encouragement about remembering your lifework of Returning to God over and over in each moment. The spiritual ABC’s below came to me in an inspired meditation. These simple, spiritual practices can transform our lives regardless of one’s religion or beliefs.

Here you will discover you do not need fixing plus find insights and practices to help you navigate through your life with more peace and acceptance. The spiritual ABC’s begin with:

A = Ask for Help Praying and practicing these spiritual ABC’s has helped me shift from habitual reaction. As Pema Chödrön, the American Buddhist nun writes, “This is not something we do once or twice. Interrupting our destructive habits and awakening our heart is the work of a lifetime.”

B = Breath and Be. We need to breathe to be. Having awareness of our breath grounds us in our body, our being and our God.

C = Cultivate Compassion When we feel compassion we touch others and we touch God. Through cultivating compassion rather than reacting in our same old ways, we not only change ourselves… we change the world.