1a-g Attention Shift - ECKANKAR, The Path Of

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Attention Shift Activity PageHere isa Spiritual Exerciseyou can try:You can glue cutouts in the dotted lines of the rectangles and circles, ordraw in your own ideas. You can shift attention to something spiritual suchas the ECK or Divine Spirit. You could also shift attention to the Mahanta, orHU. What else could you shift attention to?Difficulty1from The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, p. 191Everyoneran ahead of me.Shift attentionto the ECK, the Holy Spirit.2by Sri Harold KlempIf something is getting you down, here’s a techniquethat never fails to work. It’s simply a matter of raising theconsciousness, of shifting the attention to the ECK andaway from what is bothering you.All you have to do is this: Stop thinking about thedifficulty, whatever it is, and think about the ECK, Divine Spirit, instead. This is the complete rule.It is really just shifting the attention from one pointto another.1Everythingis tangled up.It’s hopeless.Copyright 2006 ECKANKARATTENTIONSHIFTI didn’t getanything.122DivineSpiritSpiritual Exercises 1aSpiritual Exercises 1b

This little person wants a better view. What path can she taketo the top of the mountain? What will she see up there?isWhen doing the Spiritual Exercises of ECK, spendtime contemplating upon something that is sacred andbeautiful to you, and you shall hear the Sound of God.Draw a picture or write something of your own.Spiritual Exercises 1c—Sri Harold Klemp,The Book of ECK Parables, Volume 1, p. 67Spiritual Exercises 1d

outsSpiritual Exercises 1e

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hantaCutoutsSpiritual Exercises 1g

Can I Come Along?Use your imagination to draw your own picture here:An ECK parablefrom The Book of ECK Parables,Volume 3, pp. 181–82by Sri Harold KlempAn ECKist did a spiritual exercise one evening; she beganby reading a chapter in Stranger by the River called “Practice ofthe Zikar.” Zikar means “repetition of the holy word of God,”such as HU. Singing the word HU is the practice of the zikar.The ECKist began to imagine herself in the book, beingwith the seeker, Peddar Zaskq, and his Master Rebazar Tarzs.She imagined herself asking permission to walk with them andlisten to their conversation. Inwardly, she said, “Can I comealong?” They said, “Sure.”Suddenly she found herself not in this area of her imagination but in a hallway on the inner planes. She walked down thehallway and saw a man coming toward her. He was about medium height, had a gray-and-white beard, and wore a turtleneckand sport coat. Later she identified him as another ECK Master,Fubbi Quantz.Fubbi had a set of keys in his pocket. He led the ECKistdown the hallway, motioning her to hurry. They approached adoor at the end of the hall, which the ECKist imagined wouldbe opened by one of Fubbi’s keys. But he walked right throughthe wall; they were both in Soul body, and this was possible.She followed him into a bedroom where pearls were lying on abed. These were pearls of wisdom.A loud noise brought her back from the experience. Shefound herself in the room where she had begun her exercise.This exercise is designed to help you into the higher statesof consciousness so that you may become a greater spiritualbeing and one day a Co-worker with God.Copyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 2aSpiritual Exercises 2b

Through the Spiritual Exercises of ECK—as youcreate an open door for yourself into a greater world—you’ll get into the habit of looking for a brighter, morecreative world out here.Coloring Page—Sri Harold Klemp,The Book of ECK Parables,Volume 3, p. 183Which key will fit in the lock?What is behind the door? Draw your picture onanother piece of paper.Spiritual Exercises 3aSpiritual Exercises 3b

Do It for LoveExcerpt from How to Survive Spiritually in Our Times,Mahanta Transcripts, Book 16, pp. 118–19by Sri Harold KlempA seven-year-old boy lives in ourneighborhood. He shoots baskets withunfailing discipline. There are twobaskets: the low one his dad put up forthe little kids, and the high basket forthe dad and for the kids who want to try to outreach theirreach. What’s a heaven for?The boy is about two-and-a-halftimes taller than the basketball, maybethree times.I couldn’t understandhow he could throwthe ball that far, evento the post, much lessthrough the basket tenfeet off the ground.But he was doing itbecause he loved to.This is how weneed to learn to goabout living: todo it for loveor don’t doit at all.One day he was out withhis basketball. He’dmake a shot and thenback up. He was hitting50 percent. He keptbacking up until he wasabout fifteen feet fromthe hoop, which is along, long ways.Copyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 4aSpiritual Exercises 4b

If you’re doing something that is not for love, findout what’s the matter—either within yourself or withwhat you’re doing—and change it. But do it gradually;make smooth transitions, like shifting gears in a car. Ifyou’re driving along in first gear, you can put it into thirdgear and the engine will strain, but it will move. But ifyou’re moving slowly in first gear and you jam that thinginto reverse, you’re going to find all kinds of shiny littlebits of metal lying underneath your car, and the car won’trun.Singing or sayingHU out loud, orinside to ourselves,is like saying,“Hello, SUGMAD,I am Soul; I loveyou!”—The ECK Tweenie 2Discourses, p. 5.What path shall each child take to do what they love to do?Spiritual Exercises 4cSpiritual Exercises 4d

Find out what each child or animal lovesby following their hearts.Put a colored crayon in your hand.And dream. Draw the dream that youwant.—Sri Harold Klemp,How to Survive Spiritually in Our Times,Mahanta Transcripts, Book 16, p. 255You can draw your dream on the next page.Spiritual Exercises 5aSpiritual Exercises 5b

Draw your own picture here.ECK is the path of doing, of personal experience.—Sri Harold Klemp,The Book of ECK Parables,Volume 1, p. 147Spiritual Exercises 5cSing HU to fill yourself with love.Then give love back by coloring the stained-glass heart.Therefore, if you desire love, try to realize that theonly way to get love is by giving love. That the moreyou give, the more you get; and the only way in whichyou can give is to fill yourself with it, until you becomea magnet of love.—Paul Twitchell,Stranger by the River, p. 38Spiritual Exercises 5d

Draw your goal here first.Draw your goal here first.Sing HU and start your journey here.Sing HU and start your journey here.Spiritual Exercises 6aSpiritual Exercises 6b

A Gift for the MasterAn ECK parablefrom Stories to Help You See God in Your Life,ECK Parables, Book 4, p. 243by Sri Harold KlempThis shouldn’t be an apple. Ishould’ve brought a peach. A peachis a more perfect gift.Copyright 2006 ECKANKARAdreamerbrought anapple to theMahanta,the DreamMaster. But asshe broughtthe gift, shethought toherself, Thisshouldn’t bean apple. Ishould’vebrought apeach. Apeach, shethought, is amore perfectgift.Spiritual Exercises 7aAs she was holding out the apple to the Master andthinking about the peach she should’ve brought, shehappened to look down. In the Dream Master’s hand wasa heart.The woman realized that the form of her gift didn’tmatter. It didn’t matter if she brought an apple or a peachas long as she brought it with her heart.You can use this as a spiritual exercise. Imagineyourself in school, and bring a gift of some kind to yourteacher. If you are an ECKist, you can bring a gift to theMahanta. If you are of another faith, bring a gift to theteacher of that faith.Be sure that you are giving with your whole heart.Then your gift will be one of love.Spiritual Exercises 7b

What will you bring to the Mahanta? You candraw a picture of your gift.Spiritual Exercises 7cWhich gift came from whichbox? Follow the ribbons tofind the gift in each box.You can drawgifts in thecircles:Spiritual Exercises 7d

Secret MessageThe secret to getting rid of fear is to From The Book of ECK Parables, Volume 2, p. 145, by Sri Harold KlempCODEKEYA F K P B G L Q C H M R D I N S E J O T U V W Z X Y Spiritual Exercises 8aAs a gift of love is given, itmust be returned.—Sri Harold Klemp,The Book of ECK Parables,Volume 2, p. 179Spiritual Exercises 8b

Key of OpportunityWhat is behind the door?An ECK parablefrom Stories to Help You See God in Your Life,ECK Parables, Book 4, p. 363by Sri Harold KlempOPPORTUNITY:A chance todo somethingTwo weeks ago, I was in the post office getting my mail.A father came in with his daughter. She was really small,and in her hand she held a key.The child ran back and forth across the lobby, trying herkey in all the different mailboxes that lined the room. I wentover to my box and put my key in to get the mail out. The littlegirl came over and stood beside me, watching. She thought itwas very interesting: My key worked when hers hadn’t.I shut my mailbox, and the father scooped up his littlegirl and started out the door. He said to me, “When you’rethis age and you’ve got a key, the whole world is a lock.” Weboth laughed at this.Later I was thinking about what he had said, trying tounlock the spiritual meaning. I realized that for a child thewhole world is an opportunity. It’s something to unlock. Thechild is always asking life, “Will my key work here?”It’s this childlike attitude—that the whole world is anopportunity—that makes life a joy to live.You can draw a picture on another piece of paper.Spiritual Exercises 9aSpiritual Exercises 9bCopyright 2006 ECKANKAR

from Stories to Help You See God in Your Life,ECK Parables, Book 4, p. 283by Sri Harold KlempCopyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 10aHUHUHUHUHUUHUHHUUUHUHUHUHHUHUHHUUHUAn African ECKist was going to work in abuilding, and as he came to the door, the security guard stopped him. “Do you work here?”the guard said.“Yes, I do,” said the ECKist.“Let me see your pass,” challenged theguard.The ECKist reached in his wallet andfished around for his pass. Finally he found itand showed it to the guard. The guard wassatisfied. As the ECKist was putting his passback in his wallet, he said to the guard, “Youthought I was lying, didn’t you?”The guard said, “No. You just have such abeautiful light in your face. I wanted to talkwith you.”Before the ECKist had gone to work thatmorning, he had done his contemplation asusual. In contemplation, he sat quietly singingHU, allowing the Voice of God to come intohim. Because he had taken the time to contemplate that morning, the Light of God hadHHUHU UHUHUUHUUHHHUAn ECK parablecome into his heart and was now shining outof his face.Sometimes it’s just a pleasure to be aroundsomeone who’s shining with the Light of God.People who aren’t in ECK don’t always understand what’s going on or why this person isdrawing them toward him. But there’s something special there.UHUHUHUHHUHUHUHHULet Me See Your PassSing HU and then ask the Mahanta to help you draw apicture of yourself in the HU-circle above with the Light ofGod shining in your face.Spiritual Exercises 10b

Meeting Your FearsAn ECK parablefrom The Book of ECK Parables,Volume 3, pp. 111–12by Sri Harold KlempAn ECKist had a habit of flying off the handle no matter whathappened. If something came up, he would get very upset andfearful. He could blow any situation out of proportion.One day as he was finishing his shower, he threw his washcloth on the f loor near the hamper for dirty laundry. One of thefamily kittens came walking by about that time and saw thewadded-up washcloth on the floor.The ECKist watched in amusement as the kitten cautiouslyapproached the washcloth, sniffing and circling. Its fur bristled asit got ready to fight this strange animal on the f loor. When it hadfinally decided there was nothing to fear, it scampered from thebathroom, down the stairs.Two days later the ECKist and his wife were packing to go outof town. As the man put his wife’s luggage by the back door, thefamily’s second kitten came running into the hall. When it saw thebags, the kitten went screeching out the other door. Slipping andsliding over the kitchen floor, it finally made its way to the dishwasher, where it crouched in terror. About this time the first kittencame in, cautiously approached the bags, and looked around as ifto say, I’ve already met fear.The ECKist had to laugh when he realized the message. Oftenour worst fears turn out to be as harmless as a wadded-up washclothon the bathroom floor. Once we sniff it out and satisfy our curiosity,we let go of our fears. This letting go of fear carries over to otherareas of our lives, bringing us new confidence at work and at home.Because the fear is gone, we’re willing to take a chance onourselves and grow. After all, this is what ECK is about: to growspiritually, to be more tomorrow than we are today.What scary thing does the kitten think this washcloth is?Draw a picture in the thought circle above.Spiritual Exercises 11aSpiritual Exercises 11bCopyright 2006 ECKANKAR

One Small Thing for LoveAn ECK parablefrom Stories to Help You See God in Your Life,ECK Parables, Book 4, pp. 253–54by Sri Harold KlempI got a letter from a woman whose life had pretty muchcaught up with her and stomped her down. She was fed up.In her letter she said, “Harold, tell it to me straight. Whatdo I need to know?”I wrote back to her, “Do one thing each day for lovealone. Don’t expect any kind of reward.”When the woman got my letter, she was so excited. Shecalled up her friend, “Hey, Harold actually reads theseletters. He wrote back to me!” She wanted her friend to goto the mall with her so she could tell her all about it overtea or a snack. But her friend said, “I can’t go to the mallwith you; I’ve got a meeting.” So the woman went alone.She was sitting by an outdoor fountain in a courtyardenjoying her tea. The letter had opened up the love insideher, but there was nobody to share it with. She wanted tospill this love across the table. But the ECK wanted toteach her how to give love in the most humble way.The woman noticed a small f lock of birds hoveringaround the fountain. Remembering the message I’d givenher, she said, “How nice it would be if I had some bread tofeed the birds.” And just like that, out of the sky came achunk of bread. Who knows where it came from. It hit heron the shoulder and fell to the ground in front of her.“Heaven does provide,” she laughed, and she fed the birds.Copyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 12aAfter she’d fed them all the bread, her friend walkedup. “The meeting was canceled,” she said. “We can havelunch after all.”Love gives a shortcut to heaven. The birds couldn’treturn the woman’s love as her friend might have been ableto. Her lesson was to do one little thing each day for loveand love alone, without any expectation of reward.If you try this exercise, I think you’ll find that lifegives you more and more.,roldarHadeDneeIoat d w?hW noto kDo onetday for hing eachlove aloDon’t ene.xkind of pect anyreward.With blein ECK ssings in,HaroldThe woman called up her friendHey, Harold actuallyreads these letters.He wrote back to me!* * *Can you meet me at themall?I can’t go to the mall withyou; I’ve got a meeting.Spiritual Exercises 12b

How nice it would beif I had some breadto feed the birds.?Who knowswhere it camefrom. It hit heron the shoulder and fell tothe ground infront of her.toHeaven doesprovide.WhatShe laughed, and she fed the birds.ryisAnd just likethat, out ofthe sky camea chunk ofbread.Spiritual Exercises 12cdothhinktuyoanie mengoef thsSpiritual Exercises 12d

Here is a spiritual exercise you can try.The Open HeartOPEN HEART MAZEIn this spiritual exercise, you practice keeping anopen heart throughout everyday life. It’s very tough; Ihave to work at it all the time too.No one technique will work for everyone, but thereare ways to keep your attention on having an open heart.Start with something you can love, even a pet or a plant,and just love it a lot. As the love comes, let it pourthrough you.The habit of love is catching; it builds, gains momentum, and becomes easier. But like a plant that needswatering and loving care every day, the habit of lovetakes constant attention.Love won’t come through unless the heart is open. Towork with an open heart is to love or care for somethingor someone more than you do for yourself. This is thefirst step to the divine love that we are looking for.—Sri Harold Klemp,The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, p. 183START HEREHow can you open your heart?Copyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 13aSpiritual Exercises 13b

Draw or glue picturesof things you love inside the heartsSing HU as you color this flower.Spiritual Exercises 13cSpiritual Exercises 13d

The Overcrowded HouseAn ECK parablefrom The Book of ECK Parables,Volume 1, pp. 99–101by Sri Harold KlempChester Karrass, author of a book called Give andTake, told an interesting story about a woman in a Russianvillage who sought the assistance of a wise man who livednearby.“I’ve got a problem,” the woman told the wise man, “aserious problem with my family. We live in a little hut, andthere is barely enough room for my husband, myself, andCopyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 14aour two children, but hard times have forced my in-laws tomove in with us.”The sage thought about the woman’s problem for a longtime before answering. “Do you have a cow?” he askedfinally.“Yes,” the woman answered.“If the house is very crowded and you are finding this adifficulty,” he said, slowly and carefully, “I can show youhow this problem can be taken away from you so that youcan find happiness.”“That would be wonderful,” she said, feeling somerelief.“Take the cow into your house to live with you,” thewise man instructed. “And come back to see me in a week.”The woman thought about the sage’s instructions. Itwas a very small house, and to have a cow in it seemed veryuncomfortable as well as strange. However, the womanknew that the wise man had a very good reputation, and soshe went home and brought the cow into the house.The cow was a nuisance. Every time the cow turnedaround, the family had to jump off the chairs, which werealready pushed up against the wall, and climb over the cowto get to the chairs on the other side of the room. It was asmall hut, and the woman realized that this didn’t make anysense at all.The next week she returned to the sage and told him ofthe overcrowded conditions in their hut. “The cow is anuisance. We can’t even eat because the cow is there. Wecan’t sleep. Every time it’s quiet, the cow will moo.”Spiritual Exercises 14b

“Do you have any chickens?” the sage asked.She was a little hesitant but she said, “Yes, I have somechickens.”“Take the chickens into the house with you,” the sageinstructed. “And come back and see me in a week.”The woman was about to tell the sage what he could dowith the cow and chickens, but instead she held back,telling herself that she had only given the sage one chance.She would try again. So she went back home and took thechickens into the house. It was just a mess. Every time thecow turned around, the family jumped for the other chairs,which frightened the chickens and they would f ly in the airand the feathers would get into the soup. The in-laws werefighting, the husband was screeching, the cow was turningaround, and the chickens were squawking. It was the worstsituation the woman had ever experienced.At the end of that week, the woman was beside herself.She hurried off to see the sage. “I’ve had it!” she yelled atthe wise man. “The in-laws are difficult enough, but withthe cow and the chickens, it is just too much!”The wise man studied the woman. “All right,” he said,calmly, “if it would make you happier, take out the chickens.”The woman went back home and took the chickens outof the house. A week later she returned to the sage andsaid, “You know, I am much happier. It’s much better without the chickens in the house. They don’t cackle the firstthing in the morning, and the children aren’t fishing feathers out of their soup.”Spiritual Exercises 14c“Well, I am happy to hear that,” the wise man said.“Now you can go home and let the cow out of the housetoo.”The woman was so pleased and relieved. She returnedhome and let the cow out of the house. From that momenton, she, her family, and the in-laws lived happily ever after.You are wondering what kind of a spiritual point thereis to the story. You think about it. I am going to let it hang,like waiting for the other shoe to drop. See what you comeup with.Spiritual Exercises 14d

Discussion QuestionsSpiritual Exercise:1. What is the spiritual point of this story?With your eyes open or closed, take a relaxing breath.To open your heart and feel God’s love, sing HU with theMahanta.Imagine yourself at home. Now imagine practicing theattitude of gratitude for something about your home orfamily.May the blessings be.2. Think of something that is difficult in your life. Nowlook for the blessings within it.* * *Draw a picture of your family or a roomin your home here:3. How can gratitude help when you are having a hardtime?Spiritual Exercises 14eSpiritual Exercises 14f

The Laws of Charityengage Soul’s power to love at every stage.The Law of GratitudeThe attitude of gratitudeallows each Soul to knowthat all Its present blessingsare what Soul needs to grow.The Law of GratitudeThe attitude of gratitudeallows each Soul to knowthat all Its present blessingsare what Soul needs to grow. Draw a picture of something you are grateful for in your life.Spiritual Exercises 14gSpiritual Exercises 14h

I’m going to play a perfectgame of Pac-Man.A Perfect Game of Pac-ManAn ECK parablefrom The Book of ECK Parables, Volume 2, p. 265by Sri Harold KlempA child sat down to do her spiritual exercises and,within a few minutes, found herself at a video parlor inthe inner worlds. The Mahanta met her there and put herin front of a game of Pac-Man. The child became engrossed in the game and said, “I’m gonna play a perfectgame of Pac-Man.”After she had been playing awhile, she got very goodat the game. Then all of a sudden, it hit her. “What am Idoing playing Pac-Man? I’ve got to get back to my spiritual exercises.”The child woke up. She didn’t know she had been inthe Soul body on the other planes, so as soon as shethought of getting back to her spiritual exercises, shewoke up. Later she realized that the Mahanta had takenher out of the body and that she hadn’t even known it.The younger we are in consciousness, the less fixedwe are in our expectations of what we think we shouldsee in the other worlds. All too often we expect theMaster to come to us in f lowing robes; we limit ourselvesby these expectations. To the child, the world is an openbook, and the Mahanta has so much more room to work.When we become as a child in consciousness, our success in Soul Traveling is greater.Copyright 2006 ECKANKARSpiritual Exercises 15aSCRAMBLED WORD MESSAGEUnscramble the words and write them in the blanks below them tofigure out what the message says.THGILNOSUDThe of God and the of GodOVELODOF ROF LUSOare . The of God comesGHLTI NAD UNODSthrough in the . Soul cannotlive without these two aspects of God coming into Itsbeing every day. This is why the Spiritual Exercises ofECK are so important.—Sri Harold Klemp,The Book of ECK Parables, Volume 2, p. 282Spiritual Exercises 15b

Soul-Man MazeAvoidTrapsSTARTWINNER!Follow the Light and Sound:CODEA BCD E F GH I J K L M NOPQR S T U VWX Y Z Secret MessageWrite the letters above the coded symbols to discover the message. —The ECK Teenie 3 Discourses, p. 138Spiritual Exercises 15cSpiritual Exercises 15d

SECRET CODE FGHIJ KLMNO PQRST UVWXY Z Each number matches up with a letter. Decode the ECK contemplation by filling in the missing letters.20 2 17 gives a shortcut to 672122821 25 1210 21 18112 2825 22 6Can you decode this secret message?3 18 14 246718145 1814 15 25 1872—Sri Harold Klemp,The Spiritual Exercises of ECK, p. 71Code Key: 10O2X11P3Y12Q4Z13R5Answer:God speaks to youonly when you are ableto listen.ABCDEECK Contemplation Coded MessageColor the golden heart—Sri Harold Klemp,Stories to Help You See God in Your Life,ECK Parables, Book 4, p. 254What kinds of things could you do just for love onthis walk through the park?Just for LoveSpiritual Exercises 16aSpiritual Exercises 16b

GOLDEN HEART MAZEWhat are these youth grateful for?God’s love comes through all beings who have a goldenheart, an open heart. That means people who love othersmore than they love themselves.—Sri Harold Klemp,How to Survive Spiritually in Our Times,Mahanta Transcripts, Book 16, p. 188STARTWhat path can this child take into the Golden Heart?Spiritual Exercises 17aFollow their hearts to the gifts they have.Spiritual Exercises 17b

What are you grateful for?Write or draw or color in the hearts what you are grateful for.If we want to keep the blessings of life coming tous, we must learn to be grateful for whatever is given.—Sri Harold Klemp,The Book of ECK Parables, Volume 3, p. 29Spiritual Exercises 18aSpiritual Exercises 18b

What do you love?MAZEFill the hearts with things you love. You can draw,color, or use stickers.Soul wants to go home. Ask the Mahanta to help you findthe way through the maze to the center.HOMESTARTGod’s love is always working to help Soul find Itsway back home.—Sri Harold Klemp,How to Survive Spiritually in Our Times,Mahanta Transcripts, Book 16, p. 27Spiritual Exercises 19aSpiritual Exercises 19b

Can you find the solution balloon for the problem baskets below?You can write or draw in your own solutions and problems. PROBLEMPROBLEM You can draw or write what your own tools are, oryou can glue cutouts here.Give itto theMahantaLet itgoGiveloveWhat’s in your spiritual toolbox? PROBLEMPROBLEMPROBLEMSpiritual Exercises 20aSpiritual Exercises 20b

Spiritual Exercises atitudegnirShaL NIS T ETheSpiritualExercisesHUImaginationEKColor and cut out these spiritual tools you can use in your life, then paste them into your toolbox.Make some up of your own too.Spiritual Tools

Spiritual Exercises 5c Spiritual Exercises 5d Draw your own picture here. Sing HU to fill yourself with love. Then give love back by coloring the stained-glass heart. ECK is the path of doing, of personal experience. —Sri Harold Klemp, The Book of ECK Parables, Volume 1, p. 1