“Hush child, can’t you see I’m studying?”
Little did my mother know at the time she admonished me for interrupting her quiet time, that she was practicing a form of meditation. You see, she would frequently pause during her busy day and withdraw from outer world for a while in order to re-group, receiving the energy and focus that equipped her with all she needed to move forward doing what was her’s to do. She called this process “studying” ~ not a bad metaphor for “contemplative meditation,” a term she never heard, yet engaged in the practice with regularity.
The Practice itself is a spiritual one inasmuch as it is the act of aligning one’s self with an Invisible Intelligence and Energy that renews, restores, and rejuvenates. Spiritual practice is an essential aspect of the ever-expanding awareness, or consciousness, of the inherent goodness that is the divine birthright of each and every one of us.
Most of us unequivocally believe in a Universal Presence and Power, the very Source of our existence. While this All-Encompassing Creative Force is called by many names, e.g., Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, Brahman, and God, to name just a few, the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient and nature of this One-And-Only is agreed by all. Yet, time and again, when faced with unexpected challenges, there is a tendency to slip into the erroneous mindset of separation, fear, lack, limitation, sickness, and all sorts of crosscurrents that are in opposition to the divine.
The cultivation of an unwavering faith in the unity between Divine Life and human experience requires a committed, disciplined, intentional practice, to the end that Love, Peace, Wisdom, Beauty, Harmony, and Joy that is inherently ours, sustains us at all times. This does not mean to imply we become exempt from challenges. It does mean that we may arrive at a consciousness that affirms the words of the psalmist: “yea, though walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me.”
“To fall into a habit is to begin to cease to be.” ~ Miguel De Unamuno ~
With all that said, if not careful spiritual practices, like spiritual rituals, may become rote. They may become a habit or a tradition; a routine requiring no effort: a ‘doing’ rather than ‘being.’ True practice is a time to purposefully remember, acknowledge, listen, and align oneself with the Soul’s Beloved. Spiritual practice can be likened to Holy Communion.
Showing up at a designated time, at a designated place, and assuming a certain posture sets the tone for the Practice that follows and establishes a sense of receptivity. However, the Practice itself may vary from time to time depending on the spiritual, mental, emotional, or physical need at the moment. Therefore, a well-supplied tool box, filled with successful tools for daily living, is essential.
Make sure the following practices are included in your daily process: gratitude, lowly listening, centering, movement, silence, journaling, life visioning, affirmations, prayer, inspirational reading, and inspirational music, to name a few.
“I listen for guidance and follow my inner voice.”
StillPoint 