In contemplating what creates a soulful home, it seems fitting to start with a prayer that deals with a nation's independence for, in the largest sense, the nation in which you live in is your home.

How your nation (or state or township or city) governs itself, and the rights and opportunities it grants or withholds from you affects the quality of your life.

Because personal preferences are always being discovered, the place in which one was born can lose its attraction.

This is why there has always been a lot of migration.

Millions have left the homes of their birth in search of places that resonate more with their needs for personal expansion and growth.

Yet not everyone has the same preferences.

This is why we seek to live independently and have freedom of movement.

We do not want others, with values and preferences different from ours, imposing their preferences upon us through laws or custom.

For instance, on July 1, 1867, Canada East, Canada West, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick joined together under the terms of the British North America Act to become the Dominion of Canada and, thereby, fend off annexation by the United States.

Canadians wanted to retain their independence so they could make decisions in keeping with their own values and preferences.

So, too, do most of us want to do the same.

And this is a good thing. When we "follow our own lights" we get to create something different, something unique.

Today, with eleven provinces and three territories, Canada is the second largest nation in the world.

Canadians are admired for their tolerance, fairness, and peacekeeping. Canada is respected as a nation dedicated to democracy and rule of law.

In short, a unique nation with a unique and valuable perspective came into being that would not exist if Canada had not asserted her independence.

So this first prayer for July affirms her right - and your right - to independence.

It celebrates your ability to be the only thinker in your mind and to decide what is right for you in any given moment.

By insisting on following your authentic and soulful path, you merge ever closer with the Loving Awareness that is the Divine Spark within you.

That is what true spirituality is really all about.

And it is the only real obligation we have to God.