5 STEPS OF SPIRITUAL S.T.U.D.Y
The S.T.U.D.Y acronym has been taken from “The Journey” curriculum
Go over the 5 Steps of Spiritual S.T.U.D.Y from “The Journey”
Select: choose a reading
Take It In: read the text and think it through
Underline: underline the words or phrases most meaningful to you
Dialogue: have an inner dialogue or shared discussion
Yours to Keep: capture the message
Practice the steps by using this worksheet: STUDY- Yours to Keep
Go through the quotes and share during the Dialogue section
At the conclusion of each discussion have each person fill in the “Yours to Keep” section on the worksheet
All of the quotes are taken from the World Scriptures book and focus on spiritual growth. If you prefer to make your own worksheet the quotes are here:
Buddhism. Garland Sutra 10
Practicing step by step,
One gradually fulfills all Buddha teachings.
It is like first setting up a foundation
Then building the room:
Generosity and self-control, like this,
Are bases of enlightening beings’ practices.
Confucianism. Analects 2.4
The Master said, “At fifteen I set my heart upon learning. At thirty, I had planted my feet upon firm ground. At forty, I no longer suffered from perplexities. At fifty, I knew what were the biddings of Heaven. At sixty, I heard them with a docile ear. At seventy, I could follow the dictates of my own heart; for what I desired no longer overstepped the boundaries of right.”
Hinduism. Bhagavad Gita 6.45
Through constant effort over many lifetimes, a person becomes purified of all selfish desires and attains the supreme goal of life.
Islam. Qur’an 48.29
Muhammad is the Apostle of God; and those who are with him are strong against unbelievers, but compassionate amongst each other…. And their similitude in the Gospel is: Like a seed which sends forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, filling the sowers with wonder and delight.
Judaism. Talmud, Aboda Zara 20b
Study of Torah leads to precision, precision to zeal, zeal to cleanliness, cleanliness to restraint, restraint to purity, purity to holiness, holiness to meekness, meekness to fear of sin, fear of sin to saintliness, saintliness to the holy spirit, and the holy spirit to life eternal.
Christianity. Romans 5.3-5
We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts.