Until Today!

Until Today!Discussion Group GuideFor Personal Study:It is suggested that you read the daily message each morning before you begin your day. In this way you will have ample opportunity to incorporate the principle being covered into your own life experience. Make a note of any feelings that come up for you while you are reading. It is best if you give the feeling a name, e.g., fear, resistance, acceptance, understanding, confusion, etc. Once you have named the feeling make a note of what it represents to you. Resist the temptation to agree or disagree with any particular statement. Seek the deeper understanding by exploring your feelings. Should you choose to join a study group, be open to sharing those passages that you found most difficult, or those which evoked the deepest feelings or memories for you.You are encouraged to develop the habit of writing the daily affirmation and carrying it with you. You can post it in your car, home, office, even at your desk at work. When the affirmation is read or recited daily, it reinforces the principle in your own consciousness.For Group Study:Each member of the group is encouraged to follow the daily personal study guide, and to use group meetings to gain further clarity or understanding about the principles. Group study is also a means of support with issues or revelations that may arise as you experience the book. We offer you the following guide for facilitating meetings in which the content of Until Today will be discussed. Of course, you are free to work with any process that is amenable to your group. The following format and process is offered as a guide to a deeper understanding of spiritual principles that foster spiritual growth and peace of mind.Opening Process: Center YourselfTake a 3-5 deep breaths, inhaling slowly, followed by a slow exhale. Rest by breathing normally for several seconds between each breath. Remember The Truth About YourselfI am Divine; or I am blessed; or I am open to a deeper understanding of myself and my life; or, love and light surround me. Feel free to use any statement beginning with "I am" that makes you comfortable. Open Your HeartBefore you inhale, imagine that there is a nose in the middle of your chest. Inhale deeply from the center of your chest. As you exhale, see, fee or imagine that the breath is being released through the top of your head. Call Forth Your Higher Self, Divine Self, Angels, Guardians, Ancestors, or Guides.Mentally affirm that you are surrounded, supported and guided by the presence of good and loving forces. If there is a diving energy with which you feel most comfortable, call the presence forward. (E.g., Christ, Allah, Buddha, Krishna, Holy Spirit, etc.) Set an Intention for Your Experience"It is my intention to receive divine guidance;" or "It is my intention to gain a deeper understanding of?" or "It is my intention to gain clarity about?"or "It is my intention to experience the divine presence of?," etc.Group Check-In (3-5 minutes per person)This is the time for members to share any challenges, upsets, victories, and realizations they have experienced since the last meeting that are directly related to one or more of the daily messages. A simple way to begin is to share what has come up for you since the last meeting; if/how application of the principle being covered supported, assisted, guided your responses and behaviors; and where you are experiencing difficulty.The process works best if each group member shares their own experience without judging, fixing, exploring, and challenging any other member. This means that once a person speaks, the process continues to the next person. You are encouraged to avoid cross talk and examination of personal experiences. In other words, when each group member speaks, there should beVanzant, Iyanla is the author of 'Until Today!', published 2000 under ISBN 9780743216982 and ISBN 0743216989.