We welcome and encourage members to submit articles for Awakening Together Insights, our periodic newsletter, and for the Awakening Together Blog, which is a collection of articles posted on our website. Articles posted on the Awakening Together Blog are also sent to everyone who is subscribed to our Daily Updates and they are posted on the Awakening-Together Facebook page.
Articles published in Awakening Together Insights or on the Awakening Together Blog represent the spirit of Awakening Together. When we select articles to publish, we select articles that meet these guidelines:
1 – Articles are in harmony with the Awakening Together purpose and values.
For example, articles that directly indicate one spiritual path or teacher is better than another spiritual path or teacher would not be accepted because it is not in harmony with our core values.
2 – Articles avoid jargon and attempt to use language that is more commonly understood or includes a definition of terms that are used.
All spiritual paths have jargon that is common to practitioners of that path but not commonly understood by people who are not familiar with that path. For example, Buddhists understand Anapanasati, students of Vendata understand Atman and students of A Course in Miracles understand the Course’s meaning of the word atonement, but people who are unfamiliar with those paths may not understand those terms. Words are symbols and there are no perfect words; however, do your best to use language that is not path-specific.
If it does feel important to use path-specific language, be sure to define the language as you use it. For example, “When I looked at the clock and saw how much time had passed, I realized I must have been in samadhi, a deep meditation beyond the self.” Once a term is defined, it may be used throughout the article, for example, “Since my efforts to return to samadhi have only brought suffering, I realize I need to accept this present state as holy too.”
If an acronym is used in your article, be sure to fully introduce the acronym the first time it is used. For example, “I was reading A Course in Miracles (ACIM) when she walked up to me.” Once the acronym is introduced in the article, it may be used throughout the remaining portion of that article. For example, “I am so happy ACIM came into my life.”
If you have a personal reference for your inner guide, for God, for awakening or for anything else, you may use that reference in your article if you introduce it the first time it is used. For example, the first usage of a personal reference may look like this: “In my heart, I long to pop. Pop, for me, is a symbol of awakening.” Later use in the same article may look like this: “I find myself reading over and over again the story of Guatama Buddha’s pop.”
3 – Articles are written from the author’s own clarity.
It is very easy to read something, accept it intellectually and repeat it without having true inner clarity regarding what those words mean. Typically when we do this, our writing sounds very much like the source we read and accepted. Whenever we write from our own inner clarity, the writing also has our own unique style. Write from your own experience and inner wisdom. Although you may quote other sources in your article, quotes should be less and your own sharing should be more.
All clarity is celebrated and invited to be submitted. We do not see “degrees” of clarity. Simple or profound, it is welcome here.
One may receive a very clear realization, write about it in a perfect way, and then judge the article as “not profound” enough. This judgment is meaningless. Please do not let a judgment like that hold you back from submitting your article. The most simple realization is equal to the most profound. Both are pristine and perfect. In fact, simple is profound and profound is simple. If it is a clear “aha” for you, we would like to see what you have written. Thank you for trusting enough to send it to us for consideration.
4 – Articles do not profess an individual’s beliefs as if they are fact/truth.
It is very easy to adopt spiritual beliefs. Some beliefs are helpful for a time, because they point us in the direction of truth. However, beliefs are not truth. If a belief is shared in an article, the author should clearly state it as a belief. For example, “I believe in reincarnation,” or “I believe Jesus came into this world already enlightened.” This allows you to express your heart and it allows readers to contemplate what you are sharing, but it does not state a belief as truth or come into direct conflict with another person’s belief, which may be just as comforting or helpful for that person as your current belief is for you.
Listen to this audio for help determining the difference between beliefs and truth: listen to this brief audio.
5 – Articles do not proselytize or attempt to convert others to a spiritual path or practice.
We trust that each one is led from within according to his/her own willingness and in the way that is best for him/her. Therefore, we do not try to convince others that “my way is the true way” or “the best way.”
6 – Articles may appear authored or channeled.
Sometimes clarity seems to come through the personality and mind of the author and sometimes it seems to come to the author from another (or inner) source. We realize clarity can come in either way and accept both styles for submission.
Eckhart Tolle and Adyashanti are examples of written clarity that appears to come through the author’s personality and mind. A Course in Miracles (ACIM) and The Holy Spirit’s Interpretation of the New Testament (NTI) are examples of clarity that appears channeled. Whether your clarity comes through you or to you, it is your clarity and may be submitted.
7 – Common copyright laws must be followed in the article.
For example, if you quote a source be sure to give proper credit to that source. Do not represent someone else’s writing as your own.
8 – We reserve the right to make minor edits to your article.
It is never our intention to change the message or tone of your article, but we may make edits for readability, such as grammar, spelling and sentence structure. If you do not give us permission to edit your article, please state that in the submission email. If it is not stated, we will assume the right to make minor edits.
9 – You must be a member to submit an article.
Submitting an article to be published is a member benefit. If you are not a member of Awakening Together and would like to join, click here.
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To submit an article, email it to:
sanctuary@awakening-together.org
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All articles that are submitted will be read. If an article is not accepted, we will let you know why. Sometimes we may write to you recommending changes or additions. If you feel to edit your article based on our recommendations, you may resubmit the article for consideration. We reserve the right to revise our guidelines at any time.
