What is your daily spiritual practice?

[Shine]

I am called to honor the many aspects of the Divine Feminine, the goddess. I am particularly drawn to Kwan Yin, Goddess of Compassion, She Who Hears the Cries of the World. I have a beautiful solid rose quartz statue of Her on our family altar. Every day I light a candle in front of Her and offer up a prayer. I also make a point of saying, aloud, every morning, "Blessed be this day."....just as a way of giving thanks for the simple gift of being alive.

How do YOU honor the sacred in your life??

:hi:
Shine

[DemExpat]

1. To turn my attention to the sacred in my life

each and every day I take a long, solitary walk with my young dog in a park, woods, or along the beach.
I have tried other practices in my life, including religious study and prayer in my youth, later some years of Zazen meditation and retreats, but this one works the best for me at this time in my life.

:hi:

DemEx

[Shine]

2. Nice.

Yeah, being out in Nature is a wonderful way to commune with what is sacred.



:hi: DemEx!!

[DemExpat]

6. Easy too when you have a dog pulling you outdoors every day....

:D

:hi:

DemEx

[NJCher]

3. Nature here, too

I garden. Even now, in the middle of winter, I'm gardening. It's wonderful. There's nothing like nature to put a person in touch.


Cher

[Shine]

7. Gardening is the best

although, I must say, I am a bit bulb-planting challenged...need more experience.
:eyes:

heheh.
:hi:

[I Have A Dream]

4. I regret to say that I really don't have a pattern that I follow.

However, I think that I'd probably see more results if I did. Unfortunately, when I make myself do something on a regular basis, I tend to view it more as yet another chore that I need to do before I can get to the fun stuff (whatever that might be). For some reason, when I compel myself to do something, I no longer enjoy it to the same degree that I did when I went to it by choice.

One thing that I can say is that since I've been coming to this group, I've been thinking about spiritual things on a much more regular basis, so I guess that I could say that coming to this group is probably the closest that I come to having a daily spiritual practice, per se.

One thing that I do do on a regular basis is to express gratitude to the Universe. Doing this really feeds my soul because it makes me realize how blessed I am and how much the Universe protects me.

[DemExpat]

5. Oh, yes, I feel exactly the same way, IHAD.....

For some reason, when I compel myself to do something, I no longer enjoy it to the same degree that I did when I went to it by choice.

Which is probably why walks in nature with my dog are my practice now.

It is impossible for me to ignore a young dog's (Jack Russell Terrier - very active dogs) desire to get out of the house and run free/play with balls, sticks, other dogs for an hour or 2 each day! :D

So I get some help from my precious friend with this as well!
(I so love/need living with animals.....)

DemEx

[Shine]

9. Yeah, I can relate, too.

It's all about CHOICES. I wonder if that could work with the laundry?? I always feel so resistant to doing it. Talk about compelled! If I could only change my perspective to feel more at choice about it, maybe it wouldn't be such a pain in the ass to do.

We're talking about 8-10 loads a week. Ugh. Yes, I have kids.
:eyes:

[DemExpat]

10. I actually read a book in the 80s about seeing or doing chores

as daily spiritual practice, and it really appealed to me. After all, practice, like meditation, is "simply" doing something "mindfully", so, in principle, anything can be spiritual practice.

I believe this as well.

:hi:

DemEx

[Shine]

13. So do I.

:hi:

[Shine]

8. Expressing gratitude daily IS a spiritual practice, imo.

how wonderful that you take the time to do that.

:hi:

[DemExpat]

11. Maybe incorporate this into your 10 loads of laundry a week, Shine...

:evilgrin:

Being grateful that you have the kids to produce the laundry....:silly:.....grateful that you don't have to do it by hand in a washtub or at the river....that sort of idea!

:bounce:

DemEx

[I Have A Dream]

12. I totally agree with you, DemEx. Every few weeks...

when I'm taking a shower, for some reason, I feel an intense gratitude for the fact that I have the water, that I have the heat to make it warm, etc. I also think of it in reference to the laundry, just as you said. Even the conveniences associated with using an indoor toilet. Things like this are still unavailable to many, many people in the world.

Everytime I lose my water, lose my electricity, my washer or dryer breaks, etc., I try to use it as an opportunity to renew my appreciation of the things that we have in our lives that are just so absolutely wonderful and to renew my realization that this is how so many people live every day of their lives.

We are so blessed -- I don't want to take these blessings for granted!

:)

[DemExpat]

16. Camping out rather primitively for a couple of weeks

is great practice for seeing blessings in the material circumstances in our lives. We used to camp out every summer with the kids and very much enjoyed it - also to return home to all of the comforts and conveniences.

:-)

DemEx

[Shine]

18. Good for you. Wise words.

we have soooooo much to be grateful for and whenever I'm feeling down, simply taking a few moments to think of what I'm grateful for changes my perspective completely.

Gratitude is the antidote to Despair.

:hi:

[Shine]

14. Yeah, yeah, I know.

you're absolutely right, DemEx.

I'm just complainin'.....happens to the best of us, right?

:)

[DemExpat]

15. Hon, my 2 kids are now out of the house....

but during their upbringing years there were plenty of times for me to not feel enthusiastic about all of the daily chores....people who always act like everything is hunky-dory aren't being "real" either, don't you agree?

I like a good balance of being grateful and being able to gripe!

:D

DemEx

[Shine]

17. You're talkin' my language, girlfriend! Testify.

sounds like you've paid your dues...Congrats to you!

Mine are just 9 and 12..a boy and a girl..Yeah, I'm in the thick of it and the teenage years are looming.....ugh.

B R E A T H E..................
:eyes:

[DemExpat]

19. My daughter is 23, my son 21.....

and the most enjoyable years for me were their baby-toddler-elementary school years.

My son was miserable at school (had lots of friends but was allergic to having to go everyday and be "bossed around") but is now very happy co-managing a kitchen at a nice restaurant downtown, while my daughter, who was "easier" about enthusiastically doing all of the socially expected things, had her rough years after highschool graduation. She has come through her test well and is graduating from University next year.
Except for my son's short education :-(, I am very happy and grateful for my children's positions in life and for what lovely adults they are growing into....



Yeah, keep on your toes at all times - discretely vigilant - is all I can say, and stay very close to them for this sees you all through the rough spots down the road.
Oh, yeah, and have fun! :bounce:

DemEx

[Shine]

20. It must be great to watch them become adults.

Your kids sound great. I'm sure you did a fantastic job with them.

Parenthod ain't easy, but it's definitely worth the effort, right?

Namaste, DemEx, another mother on the path...

:hi:

[DemExpat]

21. Just got me thinking that when I look at them now

it really is like seeing a pretty moth or butterfly while when raising them they were more like the caterpillar and cocoon......then you did not know for certain what they were to become, and now it is all pretty clear.

Hardest thing I've ever done this life, (the only thing I didn't quit on too!) yet the most fantastic experience.

Namaste, Shine, the effort is most worthy IMO.

DemEx

[DemExpat]

22. ...which brings me back full circle to your OP above....

raising my kids has been my most rewarding spiritual practice this life, Shine, now I have a loving dog to help me further....

:loveya:

DemEx

[Shine]

23. I must've missed this post, DemExpat.

I just now saw it.

Yes, parenting is truly a spiritual path. I agree completely.
:loveya: