This week, Mystic Mag had the opportunity to interview Paul Cuffee, Spiritual Practitioner, who kindly agreed to share some information about his career, Spiritual Practice, and services he offers.
When did you first know that spiritualism was your calling and how did it come about?
I have been an active seeker of Spiritual Experience since my early teens. My father was an Episcopal Priest, and so I was raised in the church and was exposed to religious images, principals, and teachings from the moment I was conceived. I was initiated into a Sufi Order in 1988 and that was the beginning of my “formal” Mystical exploration. My calling to work singularly in Spiritual Practice came to me first as a bodyworker in the late nineties, and more recently in 2015 when I began my studies in Religious Science, The Art of Spiritual Direction (Still Point) and Mindfulness Instructor Certification with MNDFL-3.0.
I have been practicing Mystic and Contemplative for 34 years, and I have been studying various somatic healing arts for as long. For me Spirit has always been my calling; the path it has taken me to get to where I now recognize this truth has been a vast and very exciting adventure, an adventure that continually unfolds.
What services do you offer?
Healing and Transformation: As a Licensed Spiritual Practitioner my work is focused on healing and transformation using Affirmative Prayer. This work is applied to individuals, groups, organizations, and global systems.
Spiritual Direction and Spiritual Companioning:
My work as a Spiritual Director centers around meeting with individuals actively engaged on a journey of personal spiritual awakening. I accompany others on their self illuminated journey through the practices of Deep and Sacred Listening and inviting Spirit to fill the silence. This is a foundational element of the Art of Spiritual Direction.
MNDFL 3.0:
I also teach meditation, facilitate group mediations and mindfulness practices, and I teach Mindfulness and Movement using gentle Qi Qong techniques. The mindfulness practices I teach are also centered on Social Justice, Equanimity, Equity, and Positive, Progressive Social Change. Eco-Spirituality is also a principal focus of my practice..
What is a spirit? And what does Spiritual Practice Mean?
Might the question be, “What is Spirit?” To me there is no “ a spirit” because we are all Spirits. I work from the principle of Oneness, which is to say that all that we experience and all that we are, each of us, is Spirit. We all come from Spirit, so we are of Spirit, so we are Spirit, and all that we are, all that we experience, is Spirit moving in us, as us, and through us, consciously or otherwise. To me, Spiritual Practice is the activity of deepening one’s own awareness of and the activation of the power and grace of God within each of us,; that God which is each of
us, and which when awakened to, becomes the conscious power that creates our life and
Experience.
Spiritual Practice is then the exercise of deepening awareness, focusing attention, and
making manifest the co-creation of life, with God, and as God through the expansion of
our consciousness of Oneness.
What can a person expect from your sessions?
Depending upon why someone has sought me out, when people come to see me they can expect to be made welcome, to be respected and honored. I meet every individual with curiosity, grace, warmth, and care. If one comes to me for healing, they can expect to be healed, full stop.
If one comes to me for spiritual companion and direction, they can expect a trusted friend to walk with them on the path of spiritual discovery; One who is listening intently, questioning gently and nudging silence to reveal the whispers of Spirit. If one comes to me seeking contemplative growth and practice, they will receive from me tools tailored to aid them in deepening their own mind body integration. All of these things are offered in a brave space of nonjudgement and open minded exploration.
What is the most important detail in maintaining a relationship of mutual trust with clients?
I seek to create a space of bravery and strength. Simply by being present, paying deep attention, and showing care and empathy, I have learned that trust grows naturally. I have also learned that by being honest and bringing my authentic self , always, and in all ways to every encounter, my own vulnerability leads another to be less guarded and more open. When people experience being listened to and heard, they naturally open themselves up to being more deeply understood and to having deeper understanding .
What do you love most about your profession?
I am actively working to co-create a world that works for everyone through the practices of mind-body integration (Mindfulness), deep listening and the cultivation of the intuitive voice of Spirit within each of us (Spiritual Direction), and the application of Affirmative Prayer (Licensed Spiritual Practitioner) in order to know, realize and manifest the demonstration of Oneness in everyday life, and to co-create with Spirit a life of health, wealth, freedom and well being, peace and grace for all writ large, and specifically on behalf of anyone who has sought out my service. Especially with the use of Affirmative Prayer I offer a proven pathway to the realization of true transformation in one’s life. I love being in a place in life where Spirit is the central and singular influence on every aspect of my being, be it work, personal relationships, health or wealth related, Spirit is all of it for me, and all of it is good.
