Spiritual Gifts vs. Sacred Gifts

I often get asked what the difference is between Spiritual Gifts and Sacred Gifts.  The short answer is: not much. In 2003 I participated in a church program that introduced me to the idea that I had within me ‘spiritual gifts’. This fascinated me and sent me on a path from which I’ve never actually returned.

I was compelled to study everything I could about ‘spiritual’ gifts only to discover that outside of a religious or church context there wasn’t much information to be found.

Most new thought teachings do elude to  gifts and current popular spiritual authors/ teachers like Wayne Dyer, Caroline Myss and Marianne Williamson stress the importance of aligning with your gifts.  No one however seemed to be providing a map on how to find them outside the church. I was determined to do that and to make the map available to people who will never set foot in a church yet who long to live a life that is congruent and authentic.

The program that I initially took through the Catholic church taught me about 26 of these very specific ‘spiritual’ gifts of which I was showing evidence of a couple. Though initially ticked off that I didn’t show evidence of all 26 of them, I soon came to understand that this was the whole idea of gifts. I’ve got some that can benefit you and you’ve got some that can benefit me and if I had them all I wouldn’t need you in my life or anyone else for that matter. I could exhaust myself by trying to do it all myself. OH! This is what many of us do anyway isn’t it?

I was clear that knowing my gifts had changed the course of my life once I aligned my self with them. It was so so freeing.  Knowing which gifts were not mine was equally if not more freeing. I am not Miss Hospitality.. nor have I ever been, nor will I ever be.  I am not super creative in terms of making beautiful things but my sisters are. I’m not psychic and I’m not a brilliant writer! But I can teach and I can counsel and I can advise even on things I shouldn’t know anything about. This speaks to the awesomeness of gifts. I can do things I have not been trained to do, shouldn’t even be able to do and so can you.

After completing my training in gift discernment  I was CLEAR this was my path. I was not so clear that I was to teach a religious program. Actually I was clear that I was being guided to not teach a religious program. Not because I have anything against religion, but because I was being clearly guided from the inside to take it in a new direction. Thus the birth of the Sacred Gifts program and naming the gifts ‘sacred’ vs. ‘spiritual’.

Not much difference to most people however a big difference for me. I wanted to give the message clearly that these gifts are to be treated with reverence and respect.. thus choosing the word ‘sacred’ and I wanted to depart from the connection to the religious teachings around gifts. Spiritual Gifts are also often referred to as Gifts of the Holy Spirit in Christian language and they are taught to the followers as ways for them to find out how they can best ‘build up the church’.  My passion is to build people. My passion is to help people understand the amazing gifts placed in them by a loving Source.  Applying them only to how they can manifest in churches isn’t as real to me as wanting to help people apply them where they spend most of their lives.. working and in their family and community.

I didn’t want anyone to miss out on the opportunity to completely reinvent their life and to  love their life by not knowing they were gifted. Whether they belong to a church or not is of no significance to me whatsoever.

The program I developed only looks at 24 gifts. I dropped Speaking in Tongues and Interpretation of Tongues. Not that I don’t think these are gifts, they are referenced as such in scripture however it just didn’t seem like a good fit outside the church circle to be talking about Tongues at all.  I have stayed true to the other 24 gifts.

Call them what you want: Spiritual Gifts, Gifts of the Holy Spirit or Sacred Gifts. It matters less what you call them. What really matters is discovering what yours are and then beginning to create your authentic life by aligning with them. This is what will lead you to a life filled with purpose and passion.

www.yoursacredgifts.com