Spiritual Practices
“Behind most spiritual practices is the belief that you have to get someplace you’re not- a destination called realization or enlightenment. But realization isn’t someplace else; it’s the naturally occurring human state. It doesn’t belong to anybody. It’s who we all are. Spiritual practices also set up many pictures of what this state looks like. For example, when I described how much fear was present, people told me the fear meant that something must be wrong, because fear was an indication that I wasn’t in the proper state. But fear is just what it is, and it’s there too in the vastness of who we are.” ~ Suzanne Segal
When we talk about spiritual practices, one of the first things that come up is what are they?
According to Wikipedia, spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual’s inner life; such practices often lead to an experience of connectedness with a larger reality: a more comprehensive self; other individuals or the human community; nature or the cosmos; or the divine realm.
My loose interpretation of a spiritual practice is a consistent connecting of the divinity that is within you with the divinity that is greater than you. This can be done through prayer, meditation, dance, chanting, walking in nature, staring at butterflies, or just being still and silent. What I love about spiritual practices is that they are your own and only you define your own practice. If it gets you the end results, then it is your practice.
One very important tip is to just do it! It is not about being perfect, but being centered and at peace. This you will never accomplish if you don’t start! Never mind about how it looks or sounds to anyone else, this is your journey and your practice. It looks however you need it to look for it to work for you.
Another tip is to have no expectations. It is said that expectations are future rejections. When I expect someone to do something, and they do not; it is not the person that has let me down, but my expectation of them. Go into everything with an open heart and an open mind. This is critical for spiritual practices because when you have expectations, chances are something will come up that is not in line with what you expected. Then what? You give up because it didn’t go according to your plan. In the realm of the spirit, nothing goes according to your plan. This is an important lesson to keep handy. I can do the same practice two days in a row and each day presents something different. Why? Because I am different. I am feeling something different, I am experiencing something new and different, or I am just in a funky place at the time.
There is no set practice ~ whatever you do to connect you with the divinity that is within you and outside of you is your practice. My four practices: prayer and meditation using binaural beats; spiritual reading; silence and solitude; and journaling. I can definitely feel the effects when one or all of those practices go unchecked. For silence and solitude, I take myself on an Artist Date; just me, my journal and my pen. No friends, family or pets. No distractions, just time to be with yourself, to get to know yourself more.
If you are a newbie to spiritual practices, there are two sites that I have found to very useful: One is Beliefnet – whatever your belief system, this site will accommodate you. It offers prayers, meditations, news and views on all things of a spiritual and religious nature. The other site is Spirituality and Health, named for the magazine. Try one or both sites to jumpstart or spice up your spiritual practice. And remember, it is a spiritual practice which means you must practice. Not just do them once or even twice; but a continuous practice. Only then, will you open up that part of you that longs to be revealed anew.I also include rituals for beginning and ending my day.
Every evening I do a self-inquiry of my day, they comprise my Daily Wins. I answer three questions:
*What have I learned today?
*What have I enjoyed today?
*What have I improved or contributed to today?Then I list five things I am grateful for that day. Instead of going to sleep anxious and worried about the day or the next day, this sets the tone for restful and peaceful sleep.
When you wake up, greet the day with the G/M – 12/12 Lists: 12 things you are grateful for and 12 things you would like to manifest during the day.
What would you like the day to look like? Ex., a day full of peace-filled conversations with no drama!How do you want to feel? I want to feel peaceful and grateful all day, not worried or stressed.
Also, if you have a petty tyrant, that special person whose job it is to constantly annoy you, set an intention that your petty tyrant won’t annoy you today. And if s/he does, it won’t bother you; you will remain in a state of peace and goodwill. It may sound hokey, but when done in the proper spirit, it does work and you will notice the difference.
As a coach, teacher and speaker, I have many petty tyrants. Yet, I see them as my teachers ~ they are in my life to teach me something. Yet, I simply remain open and grateful for the lessons, the blessings and the testings that come. This is what consistently doing spiritual practices has taught me ~ to be more open and look for the light instead of expecting the darkness. Because when I expect the darkness, that is exactly what I see.
© 2009 Carolyn Townes
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