My spiritual practice has taken many forms over the years. One thing I’ve learned is that the line between “spiritual” practice and other practices is purely imaginary. Here are the things I’m doing now which I consider parts of my spiritual journey:
- Sitting and enjoying a cup of green tea while reading inspiring works. My tea is part of my new cancer-prevention regimen, so is also part of my physical practice or self-care.
- Reading inspirational literature (while enjoying my green tea.) I spend about 20-30 minutes reading from a variety of daily readers in several different traditions. Five of them are Buddhist. Seven of them are not. This practice also helps to keep me mentally sharp.
- Giving myself an all-over Reiki treatment. Reiki is a Japanese energy technique used for relaxation and healing. I spend about 15 minutes on this. Reiki, like my tea, also falls under the category of physical health.
- Meditating. Yes, I do a traditional sit-and-still-the-mind practice. I’m currently doing 40-45 minutes per day. I’m participating in the Winter Feast for the Soul, which I highly recommend, even starting “late.” Of all the meditations offered, I’m doing the Tibetan one, which includes some chanting.
It all adds up to 90 minutes per day. I could never do it if I saw these things as tasks or chores. Luckily, I enjoy each part of my routine, even mindfully brewing my tea. And it sure beats watching television. At the end of my life, I may wish that I had meditated more, but I doubt I’ll wish that I had watched more television.
Living in the Dash 