Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography

The spiritual autobiography is a practice in itself.

It provides an opportunity for you to document and to  reflect on your spiritual journey.

It increases your self-knowledge considerably.

The spiritual autobiography includes a life review, with a focus on the spiritual components in your life.  You may remember some members of your family who taught you some specific ways to praise and worship. You may also have learned from others members what are the kind of spiritual beliefs and practices you did not want in your life.  You may recall some experiences that brought you awe and wonder, that you could never share with anybody. You may want to look more precisely at your struggles, and moments of despair. It can be also a hymn of praise for nature, ancestors, family members and companions on our path. You don’t know until you write where this quest for self-knowledge can lead you.

The basis of a fulfilling life is a vibrant spiritual life. The spiritual autobiography can a wonderful tool for healing old wounds, for going through a transition period, and for fostering individuation and transformation.

— You can choose to write your spiritual biography individually with individual guidance.

You will receive the necessary guidance, with the steps carefully described, so the writing can be fluid and meaningful. At each step, you will receive personalized guidance. News directions to deepen or increase the scope of your self-reflection may be discussed.

Meetings in person, through Skype or phone will be arranged.  In order to help with the flow of writing you will be given the opportunity to choose between writing freely about what comes to mind or respond to a Rumi poem, as if Rumi was writing this poem for you. At the end you may want to organize a meeting with close friends and read some passages of your autobiography. It may also be an opportunity for you to hear from your friends’ spiritual experiences.

Please contact me so we can arrange a preliminary meeting or phone conversation Annick Safken, Ph.D. AIWP guide: ecospiritcenter@gmail.com

— Or you can participate in a group.

The group has three advantages:

1. It is easier to write when everyone around you is writing.
2. Other participants will ask questions and offer ideas. It will help you to clarify how what you can address in your biography and how to address it.
3. You will receive feedback from your spiritual companions, if you wish. The way we give feedback is designed to be kind and respectful.

About our feedback

We take to heart this line from Rumi: “Out beyond the ideas of right-doing and wrongdoing, there is a field I will meet you there.”

When we give feedback, we remember that each person is the ultimate authority on her or his experience. Each person will offer comments that are only her or his own experience of the other person’s writing. 

My experience as a guide for writing your spiritual autobiography

I have taught a class called Spiritual Perspectives, at the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology from 1993 to 2012. The main required paper was a spiritual autobiography. I wrote mine several times, to stay in touch with the process.  I also taught workshops in the US, Canada and France

Here is what I know from the experience of reading spiritual biographies from spiritual teachers, writing mine and guiding hundred of students and workshop participants:

The spiritual autobiography you are writing:

• Is a demonstration of your willingness to appreciate yourself as a unique individual
• Provokes and shows an expansion of consciousness
• Reflects your unique vision of the world and your philosophy of life