Judi Price has served in many callings in the Church, currently as the stake JustServe specialist in Arizona. Married for 38 years to Dr. Ronald Price, they have four adult children and one granddaughter. Judi graduated from Brigham Young University and returned to school years later to receive a master’s degree in Spiritual Psychology, with an emphasis in Consciousness, Health, and Healing. In her practice, she supports members and non-members in connecting to their higher selves, resolving issues, forgiveness, and creating new futures to live into.

Enter Judi…

In the gospel of Jesus Christ, we all understand our journey here on earth and have a knowledge of the pre-existence. The way this is spoken about in spiritual psychology is that, “we are spiritual beings having a human experience.” That all makes perfect sense to members of the Church. Or does it?

A Spiritual Being

It wasn’t until I started to take the time to meditate that I realized I was missing out on so many things. That I am a spiritual being having an earthly experience. My earthly life was just that, my earthly life. I have a physical body, I had things to do, and to get done, to achieve. In the church I had goals, callings and things to study. And the goal was to get to the celestial kingdom.

All of those things have served me well. I am grateful for all I have accomplished, knowledge that I have gained, and opportunities to serve in the gospel. I am grounded in the gospel and live by the principles. Several years ago when I started to meditate, I experienced myself just going through the motions of life. Yes, I had a testimony, I had spiritual moments, and definitely knew how to make things happen in the physical world. As I refined my practice of mediation, I experienced a shift in how I communed with my Heavenly Father.

Spiritual vs Clinical Psychology

Almost 15 years ago, I went back to school to study spiritual psychology. This curriculum was distinct from clinical psychology. Clinical psychology is “the science of mind and behavior.” The spiritual dimension was taken out of the study of psychology decades ago.

Spiritual psychology is restoring the spiritual dimension to the heart of psychology. This program was not religious in any form. It was strictly on the premise that we were all spiritual beings having a human experience.

Seeking Knowledge

I was drawn to this program through prayer. The Spirit kept poking at me as I kept coming across others who had graduated from this program. Knowing I wanted to go back to school, a few months later, I was enrolled. I flew over three days a month for three years for intensive study and training.

The classroom was the laboratory and we were the lab rats. This program wasn’t just about gaining knowledge. This program taught you principles and each of us was expected to do a deep dive into the dark crevices of our souls, use the principles being taught and heal any disturbances we had in our internal peace.

Gathering in the classroom, all cell phones were turned off, computers were not on, and the emphasis was on being present. At the beginning of each morning session, we started with prayer and a five minute silent meditation. When we came together after our meal break, we started with prayer and a five minute silent meditation again.

This practice of silent meditation really set the stage for me to train myself to quiet the mind. In the past, a lot of emphasis in my life was in the “doing.” Getting things done, checking it off my list, and feeling satisfaction. Spending three days a month in an intensive spiritual program slowed my spirit and body down so I could internalize the principles that were being taught.

Mind and Heart as One

The more I understood the mind and the heart, and how they worked together, I was able to slow down the mind, so I could hear my heart speak.

Each of us knows when we feel the power of the Spirit. It is in the heart area of our body, sometimes referred to as the “heart chakra.” When someone is bearing their testimony from the heart, you can feel something in your heart. The heart is speaking, the spirit is speaking, and there doesn’t have to be words to articulate the experience. There is a spiritual knowing one experiences.

Meditation helps us to train the mind to quiet so we can be more available for those experiences. When we train our mind to be quiet, there are all sorts of miracles that can happen in our personal life, more personal revelation and promptings of the Spirit.

King Benjamin’s words take on new meaning when we can quiet the mind:

“And these are the words which he spake and caused to be written, saying: My brethren, all ye that have assembled yourselves together, you that can hear my words which I shall speak unto you this day; for I have not commanded you to come up hither to trifle with the words which I shall speak, but that you should hearken unto me, and open your ears that ye may hear, and your hearts that ye may understand, and your minds that the mysteries of God may be unfolded to your view.” Mosiah 2:9

The Importance of a Quiet Mind

Teaching our children to quiet their minds couldn’t be more critical in today’s society, a society full of distractions. The noise in our society does a disservice to our spirits. We are exposed to mountains of information, information that is passed along quickly at the push of the button. It is very enticing to try to keep up with all the knowledge in the world that we are exposed to, political, church, educational, financial, etc.

One has to stop and ask, at what expense?

We are constantly being stimulated and told what to think and who and what to be. We search for information quickly to be able to express how informed we are. If we do not teach the younger generation, a quiet mind will soon be a thing of past generations. Modern society will continue to fight for the time and attention of the mind and the spirit.

“Yea, behold, I will a tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost, which shall come upon you and which shall dwell in your heart.” Doctrine and Covenants 8:2

The Blessings Of A Quiet Mind

Attending the temple will continue to give US an opportunity to partake of the spirit at a deeper level, versus the way of the world. If WE don’t prepare our hearts and our minds before attending the temple, it will continue to be another thing on our ‘to do’ list.

Our minds and our hearts need to be able to receive from the Spirit. Another way to bring meditation into our gospel living is adding five minutes of silent meditation to the beginning of our fast. Another way would to be taking that five minutes before we are preparing ourselves for a difficult conversation.

Worshiping in the temple, partaking of the sacrament, and receiving personal revelation does not come with the flip of a switch. It takes preparation.

The Practice of Silent Meditation

It may seem awkward for a while, but new habits have to start somewhere. Begin by sitting in a chair or on the floor, feel relaxed, turn your phone to silence, set the timer for five minutes. See how long you can sit in silence, letting your thoughts fly away into the clouds. Letting your mind let go of any thoughts. I personally have a meditation bench and I start by putting my hands on my heart as I quiet my mind. There is no right way, just the way that feels comfortable as you learn to quiet your mind.

Quieting Our Minds

Quieting the mind through meditation and opening our hearts through the stillness will deepen our relationships with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

I promise, you will experience little miracles in your life.

Happy Silence.