Creating a Spiritual Practice

Bring yourself home and awaken your soul's potential 'It's one of the paradoxes of spiritual practice: we need a path to travel where we already are.' SAKYONG MIPHAM RINPOCHE For years I thought I was too busy to have a daily spiritual practice. Meditation was just not a part of how I operated and I didn't think I needed it. I believed I was always connected to source and receiving messages from my higher self anyway. So why would I bother to take extra time out of my day for mediation, prayer and being in silence? That was rather arrogant thinking on my part and my ego certainly had the better of me. In the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "It was time to get my bloated nothingness out of the way." About 5 years ago I was challenged to begin meditating 10-20 minutes twice a day in a class I was taking. Since I was committed to the class I started to meditate 10 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes in the afternoon. I was also learning the about the power of affirmative prayer and praying constantly; something I had never done before. Much to my surprise a new path unfolded before me. I experienced something that was powerful, beautiful, and transformative -- GRACE. Grace is a flow of Universal dialogue between all things, the realization that we are living in a loving, supportive universe, and that life can be filled with beautiful moments of love, joy and peace. In experiencing the power and wisdom of grace, my commitment to daily Spiritual Practice deepened. I now take the time to put my prayers, mediation, gratitude, and connection with nature first. By practicing presence, stillness, and openness, I experience the wisdom of grace each day and for this I am truly grateful. I invite you to create and commit to your own Spiritual Practice. Over the centuries, ordinary people have explored and discovered, through different practices, an experience beyond their ability to express in words. Any person may experience the depths of his or her spiritual essence by using these practices to explore his or her own consciousness. Your mind will start to rest peacefully and this has incredible implications. If you're present to each and every moment, you're present for your life, and you can therefore observe what's going on. If you can observe what's going on, you can discern and respond to situations from a place of love and compassion. You are empowered to choose where you want to go. At this point -- known as the present moment -- you can reorient your whole path, because in terms of the future, you're in the driver's seat. You become conscious to your own wisdom and power within. While the practices may vary, there are some factors that remain constant throughout spiritual disciplines. The 3 Elements of a Daily Spiritual Practice are: Connecting to My Spirit - the ability to focus the attention inward in a receptive mode. This is what I call 'going home'. Getting out of the Way - the ability to remove yourself from distractions especially the chattering monkeys in our mind and allow yourself to listen to your own inner wisdom. The commitment to use your practice, despite any diversion, confusion, distraction, or lack of progress and let go of attachment to any outcomes. Aligning yourself with the power and wisdom of the Universe - use the Law of Attraction to clarify your desires, align your thoughts, beliefs, and actions to those desires and allow them to manifest. How your orient your mind is intimately connected with what you experience during your day. How do I create a practice that works for me? You may have to experiment with different practices to find what works for you. Based on your lifestyle, work habits, family situation, and available time you will need to decide. Some choose first thing in the morning, some in the evening, and others weave their practice through out their day. It is best to have a consistent time and day for your practice and to schedule it in your calendar. You may want to create a sacred space where you will be free from distractions, interruptions, noise, etc. Your practice can be anywhere from 10 minutes a day to 60 minutes. It really is up to you. Your practice can also shift and change depending on what is happening in your life. Ideas for a Spiritual Practice:rnmeditationrnguided visualizationsrnprayerrnjournalingrngratituderntaking a walk in naturerntaking time to listen to the bird calls in the morningrninspirational readingsrntaking a few moments to breathe deeply and consciouslyrnyoga "In order to see birds it is necessary to become part of the silence." ~ Robert Lynd May you be inspired to create your own practice, bring yourself home, and experience lovely moments of GRACE.