Purify Your Mind: Practical Steps for Spiritual Growth

here are many yoga teachers, books, and places to practice.

This can be confusing.

How do you know what is important for spiritual growth?

This letter is the second in a series of five letters.

This series helps you know what is essential for your spiritual journey. It doesn’t teach one specific path but gives practical suggestions for any spiritual journey.

Last week, we talked about the first step: strengthening the mind.

Today, we will discuss the second step: cleaning your inner world by purifying the subconscious mind.

The subconscious mind shapes our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors.

It’s like software running in the background of your conscious mind. This software makes 90% of your decisions. If you don’t clean it, it runs outdated programs.

Cleaning the subconscious mind helps us live freely and authentically.

Here are the insights you’ll get in this issue:

• Understanding the subconscious mind
• Overcoming the limits of walking your spiritual path
• How to set your practice space
• The essential and universal practices
• The steps I use to clean the subconscious mind
• Higher purpose and business
• How Natalie became a Personal Development Coach

Understanding the Subconscious Mind

The subconscious mind is like an iceberg—big, powerful, and mostly hidden.

It holds all our experiences, emotions, and beliefs.

It controls automatic behaviors that we often can’t control.

Unresolved emotions and negative beliefs in our subconscious can affect our decisions and well-being.

If there’s a bug in the system, it will affect everything.

Avoiding this inner work might seem easier, but unresolved issues will hinder our growth and happiness.

Overcoming the Limits of Walking Your Spiritual Path

Before we discuss daily practice elements, let’s tackle three common mental barriers.

1. Time

Thinking you don’t have enough time is a misconception.

Truth is, a daily practice expands your sense of time and helps you achieve more.

2. Unworthiness

Many resist practice because they feel they don’t deserve its benefits.

Everyone deserves self-care and growth.

Not only others.

Spiritual practice nurtures your inner being and increases your ability to give to others.

Remember, as the sages say, “Can a drowning man save another drowning man? No – he must be on firmer ground.”

3. Inertia

Often mistaken for laziness, inertia is resistance to new habits.

You can overcome this by setting a consistent routine.

Go to bed on time to save time for an early morning practice.

Ask support from household members.

Practice daily at the same time to build momentum.

Your Practice Space

Creating a dedicated practice space is essential.

Ideally, this could be a room set aside for meditation, perhaps with an altar to make the space feel sacred.

An altar should have a focal point, such as a candle or image, along with items that symbolize your goals or higher purpose.

Use a seat or cushion reserved solely for meditation.

If a whole room isn’t possible, a corner of a room can work if it’s respected by others in your environment.

You might screen off the area to enhance its sanctity.

Over time, the vibrations of your practice will build up, making it easier to meditate and feel refreshed and reverent upon entering the space.

Make an effort to keep this space sacred.

Central Practices of Yoga

Here are the main practices of Yoga:

Meditation (dhyāna):

 - śamatha: Calms the mind.

 - vipaśyana: Observes the mind without changing anything.

Mantra:

 - kīrtan: Sacred singing.

 - svādhyāya: Scriptural recitation and study.

 - japa: Repeating mantras.

 - uccāra: Using seed syllables.

Scriptural Study (svādhyāya): Reading and reciting scriptures.

Contemplation (ātma-vichāra): Self-inquiry.

Visualization (dhāraṇā): Using the mind to see positive images.

Breath Control (prāṇāyāma): Techniques for regulating breath.

Postures (āsana, karaṇa, mudrā):

 - āsana: Sitting postures.

 - karaṇa: Standing or moving postures.

 - mudrā: Sacred hand gestures and states of mind.

Spiritual Conversation (satsang): Being with good people and spiritual teachers.

Service (sevā, karma-yoga):

 - sevā: Service to God or a teacher.

 - karma-yoga: Doing actions without attachment to the outcome.

These practices are your toolbox.

They help you create endless possibilities in your life.

Explore different combinations to find a daily practice that suits you.

Take your time and enjoy the process—this is about play and inspiration, not stress.

Steps to Clean the Subconscious Mind

Here are the steps I use in my own practice:

Self-Inquiry

Ask yourself deep questions regularly.

Examples you can practice today:

• In what ways do I resist doing my spiritual practice?
• What are the sources of my resistance?

Journaling can help.

Write down your thoughts, emotions, and patterns.

This helps bring subconscious content into awareness.

Meditation:

Observe your mind without judgment.

Techniques like mindfulness meditation or body scan meditation help you become aware of subconscious thoughts and emotions, allowing them to surface and be released.

Affirmations:

Use positive affirmations to reprogram your subconscious mind.

Say things like “I am worthy,” “I am enough,” or “I am at peace” to replace negative self-talk with positive beliefs.

Higher Purpose and Business

Cleaning the subconscious mind helps you find and align with your higher purpose.

By letting go of old patterns and beliefs, you can connect more deeply with your true self.

This clarity helps you become a more authentic and effective leader in your business.

Real-life Example - Natalie’s Transformation

Natalie came to me with great joy and enthusiasm.

I remember thinking, “Why does she need coaching?”

But despite her happiness, she felt unfulfilled.

As a professional translator and interpreter, she realized she needed more meaning.

She had attended many personal development workshops, with the Enneagram being a major influence.

However, she didn’t know what to do with this knowledge.

Through our sessions, we peeled back the layers of her life to uncover her true self and purpose.

Here’s how Natalie described her transformation:

“Meeting you has been the catalyst for shedding all the layers that caused me suffering. I emerged from that deep ocean with a new perspective and wonder. I’ve learned to embrace and accept what is, shadows and gifts alike. I’ve come to understand that we always deal with what we have and that perfection in our physical world is an illusion. From a higher perspective, everything makes sense. Life is meant to be lived, not over-analyzed, and control is an illusion—so we might as well live it to the fullest.

You’ve taught me to understand and nurture my true self, to let go of the need for recognition, and to live in harmony with what my heart tells me. I’ve learned to care for myself and create my own happiness, to float and be carried by the river of life. I can’t even recall all I’ve learned, it’s so vast. It’s immense. I wouldn’t be who I am today without you. I feel happy, at peace, and incredibly strong.”

Natalie’s journey shows how cleaning the subconscious mind can change your life.

By embracing her true self and letting go of the need for validation, Natalie found peace, strength, and happiness she never thought possible.

Her story shows the power of this inner work and the endless possibilities it can unlock.

Wrap-up

Cleaning your subconscious mind is an essential step on your spiritual and life path.

It’s a self-discovery and healing journey leading to a more authentic and impactful life.

Every small step brings you closer to your higher purpose.

I encourage you to take these insights and start applying them in your daily life.

If you have any questions or thoughts, just get in touch with me.