Toward a Deeper Daily Spiritual Practice: Contemplative Silence

Daily Spiritual Practice

"Within the stillness and silence of contemplation, we discover that the boundaries of self-identity that usually appear so firm and solid are actually far more porous, flexible and fluid than we realized. From a centered place of calm, we lose our strict sense of separation and isolation from the rest of the natural world. We enter into a liminal space in which we can experience the myriad connections that weave us together with poignancy and clarity." ~Allison Leigh Lilly

These are the moments in our daily spiritual practice when we are open to connection, to guidance, to change. And it's an important step in the process.

If you are used to ending your spiritual practice each day without ever getting to this step, I encourage you to give it a try. Even five minutes of silent contemplation can be very powerful.

If you try it this week, or try any of these steps we've been looking at this month, let me know how it goes.

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

What if you could finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you?
Coming March 17th: the The Magical Moon Healing eCourse:
6-weeks of moon magic for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toward a Deeper Daily Spiritual Practice: Prayer

Daily Spiritual Practice

"Besides praying to the gods, there are other ways you can adapt this stage of Lectio Divina to a spirituality grounded in nature. If prayer is simply a form of reverent conversation, then you might feel moved by your observation and meditation on nature to converse with the many beings around you — even beings with whom you might not normally strike up a conversation. If you’re feeling inspired by your spiritual work, you can speak with the robins about the coming spring, or converse with the tree that stands tall and patient in your backyard to learn what lessons it has to teach you. You might even feel moved to speak out loud, to tell your own story to the waterfall or the evening breeze." ~Allison Leigh Lilly

In this step, we consider prayer and what that might mean for those of us with a less traditional  spirituality or spiritual practice.  Your own conversations might be with the trees, or the moon, or your spirit animal guides.

What might that look like for you? How would you incorporate this step into your own daily spiritual practice?

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 
What if you could finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you?
Coming March 17th: the The Magical Moon Healing eCourse:
6-weeks of moon magic for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toward a Deeper Daily Spiritual Practice: Meditation

Daily Spiritual Practice

"Now is the time to ponder, to daydream, to explore the personal meaning that the natural world holds for you as a denizen of the land." ~Allison Leigh Lilly

Today, we come to step two in the daily spiritual practice. We meditate and reflect on whatever we chose for "reading", whether that was spending a few moments in nature, or actual reading of a book or oracle card.

This reflection can be simple and brief, for a few minutes as you consider the message you read or experienced and apply it to your life, or it can be part of an elaborate ritual that includes lighting a candle and taking the time for a longer pathworking.

If you did step out into nature, you could even do your reflecting there.

Next Tuesday, we consider step three, but this week give some thought to how you would want to include this step in your daily spiritual practice.

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

What if you could finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you?
Coming March 17th: the The Magical Moon Healing eCourse:
6-weeks of moon magic for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toward a Deeper Daily Spiritual Practice: Reading

Daily Spiritual Practice

This month, we're taking a look at the typical practice of Lectio Divina and applying it to those of us with a nature-based or earth-based spirituality.

Does "reading" inspirational material as a first step in our daily spiritual practice have to occur between the pages of the book? In the following quote, we're encouraged to read nature.

"Go outside and spend some time quietly observing the natural world around you. It doesn’t matter if you live in a secluded hermitage out in the woods, or in a busy urban center full of bustling people, or even in a carefully landscaped suburban neighborhood. Nature is not something 'out there' beyond human reach — we are deeply embedded in the natural world all the time." ~Allison Leigh Lilly

So we can be creative about this first step.

(1) We can "read" nature.

(2) We can read from an oracle card deck for guidance, like my favorite one: Wild Wisdom of the Faery Oracle (Book & Cards)

(3) We can read a book that's meant to be a daily devotional, like 365 Goddess: A Daily Guide to the Magic and Inspiration of the Goddess.

(4) We can read anything we want that we think will encourage spiritual growth. What might you read?

Next Tuesday, we'll look at the next step in the process.

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
What if you could finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you?
Coming March 17th: the The Magical Moon Healing eCourse:
6-weeks of moon magic for healing what's in the way.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Toward a Deeper Daily Spiritual Practice

Daily Spiritual Practice

"When we see nature itself as a constantly-unfolding story about the deepest, most sacred truths of life and death, we can adapt the practice of Lectio Divina as a creative approach to meditation that can strengthen our relationship with the earth. Here are just a few ideas about how to use the practice of Lectio Divina to engage with the stories of nature..." ~Allison Leigh Lilly

In her post, she takes each part of the traditional Catholic practice of Lectio Divino and demonstrates how it could be used by people practicing a Celtic or earth-based spirituality. During the next few weeks, on Tuesdays, I will explore how to create a deeper daily spiritual practice by adapting those steps...

(1) Reading or Observation

(2) Meditative Reflection

(3) Prayer

(4) Contemplative Silence

On Thursdays, I'll be back with a focus on connecting with the moon and several ways to use the moon to deepen your daily spiritual practice.

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

What if you could finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you?
Coming March 17th: the The Magical Moon Healing eCourse:
6-weeks of moon magic for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Creating a Daily Peace Practice: Part Two

Peace Practice, Part Two

As promised, here are three more great ways to add in peace to your daily spiritual practice or to create a peace practice. And if you missed the first part of this post, you can find it here.

(1) Adding extra “cool down” time and more stretching to the end of your workout just because it soothes, centers and grounds you.

(2) Choosing a peace blend or a comfort blend, or creating your own, when deciding which essential oils to use. I love anything with vanilla! SO soothing.

(3) Creating a peace room, or at least a peace corner, that can house comforting artwork, big-fat-comfy pillows, your favorite cozy throw or blanket, your fuzzy slippers or socks and a window that faces your favorite tree or offers a water view.

And one more (I had to include this one!): spending time just gazing at the moonlight and letting yourself soak up that soothing moon energy.

I encourage you to think about what it would mean to create an entire peace lifestyle.

And I need to tell you that though I know you are busy, especially if you are at all like me (single parent business owner), but answering the call to create a deeper spiritual practice is going to require giving yourself the time you deserve.

Homework

And while you’re thinking about all that, consider what kind of commitment you are ready to make to develop a deeper spiritual practice.

What commitment are you ready to make to yourself?

And what might that look like for you? How will it feel?

“Transformation doesn’t necessarily happen overnight. When we travel down life’s highway, we make small shifts. A slight move today, another shift tomorrow, and in six months’ time, we will find ourselves in a totally new place. We find a new sense of being right with ourselves and a whole new sense of connection with God.” –Mary Morrissey, New Thought Minister

“Contemplative practices cultivate a personal capacity for deep concentration and insight. Examples may include meditation, contemplative prayer, focused experiences in nature, yoga, art-making, and ritual or ceremony designed to create sacred space and/or support insight and awareness.” –contemplativemind.org

Want some additional possibilities for developing and deepening a contemplative spiritual practice?

Look at this page on the Contemplative Mind website:
http://www.contemplativemind.org/practices/tree

Developing a full-blown, workable spiritual practice, after experimenting with this, letting go of that, make take time. But getting started can happen right now. Today.

Start now. You won’t regret it. In fact, I promise you, it will change your life in ways you can’t even imagine.

Let me know how it goes!

Thanks so much for taking this month-long journey with me!! 

Have a great weekend!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So many of us live our lives stuck in neutral.
Do you ever feel that way?
What if you could get yourself unstuck & finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you.
Announcing the Moon Healing eKit:
a 4-week eCourse for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Creating a Daily Spiritual Practice: The Final Guideline...

Creating a Daily Spiritual Practice

We've been taking a look at guidelines for creating a deeper daily spiritual practice, and here is the final one I want to share with you. It just might be the most important one of them all.

It has to be a peace practice, not just a spiritual one. Mystics have a deep longing for peace that is often ignored and rarely satisfied. So crafting a spiritual practice has to include careful, deliberate planning to create peace.

What this could mean… 

(1) adding a cup of chamomile tea to your journaling or inspirational reading time. Or, drinking more tea in general. Or your comfort beverage of choice.

(2) adding a few minutes at the end of your walking meditation to sit and lean into the grounding energy of an oak tree nearby.

(3) holding a comforting crystal in each hand, moonstone or rose quartz or selenite (etc.), during your meditation time.

(4) learning some soothing tai chi chih moves.

(5) creating or asking your yoga teacher for a comforting yoga sequence.

(6) listening to music that soothes

(7) chanting a peace mantra or listening to chant.

In part two of this post, I'll suggest three more ways to create peace and comfort and give you some homework to help you process all of this information.

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So many of us live our lives stuck in neutral.
Do you ever feel that way?
What if you could get yourself unstuck & finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you.
Announcing the Moon Healing eKit:
a 4-week eCourse for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How to Create a Mystical, Magical Daily Spiritual Practice (Part Two)

Creating a Daily Spiritual Practice, Mystic Style

Here are a few more things to keep in mind as you consider how to create a deeper daily spiritual practice...

(1) It needs to provide you with deeper access to intuitive guidance in whatever way works for you…
 
(a) writing in your journal
(b) intuitive readings
(c) spirit animal guidance
(d) meditation with spirit guides

(2) It needs to give you faith to trust the guidance you receive and courage to take the steps that move you along the path to the life you want most.

So you need to regularly place yourself in front of whatever inspires you, deepens your faith, helps you believe in magic or miracles, gives you the courage too believe in yourself and reach for your dreams, and heals the limiting beliefs and unhealed memories that could get in your way.

What would that mean for you?

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So many of us live our lives stuck in neutral.
Do you ever feel that way?
What if you could get yourself unstuck & finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you.
Announcing the Moon Healing eKit:
a 4-week eCourse for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Guidelines for Creating a Daily Mystic Spiritual Practice

Daily Spiritual Practice, 
Mystic Style

Now that you have gotten clear about the story or stories you’ve been living and have begun to rewrite your story to create the life you want, it’s time to choose and create the spiritual practice(s) that will help keep you on the path. And the best thing about it is that it will be uniquely yours.

Your spiritual path doesn’t have to look like anyone else's. So the mission for the rest of this week: creating a deeper spiritual practice that is perfect for you. As a mystic (most of my blog readers are magical, mystical women), “perfect for you” means it will have to meet certain high standards.

Otherwise, it won’t work. So here are some guidelines to keep in mind…

Guidelines for a Mystic’s Deeper Spiritual Practice…

(1) It has to be mystic, which implies several things.

(a) It has to be designed to provide plenty of alone time for contemplation and reflection.

(b) It must be richly imaginative. Reading a page in a devotional or singing the hymn on page whatever is not going to be enough.

(c) It can’t be rushed. Mystics need a slower pace.

(d) It needs to offer connection to nature.

(2) It needs to be designed to create a deeper connection with the divine as you understand the divine, with your inner guide or wisdom, and with yourself (needs, hopes, wants, feelings) through contemplative prayer, meditation or journaling.

Tomorrow, we'll look at a few more guidelines. Meanwhile, what would it mean to apply what you've read already to creating a daily spiritual practice?

Are you getting some ideas already?

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

So many of us live our lives stuck in neutral.
Do you ever feel that way?
What if you could get yourself unstuck & finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you.
Announcing the Moon Healing eKit:
a 4-week eCourse for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Simple Moon Rituals You Can Do Every Day

3 Easy, Simple Daily Rituals

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

So many of us live our lives stuck in neutral.
Do you ever feel that way?
What if you could get yourself unstuck & finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you.
Announcing the Moon Healing eKit:
a 4-week eCourse for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Why Having a Daily Spiritual Practice Really Matters

Creating Daily Ritual

Have a great day!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

So many of us live our lives stuck in neutral.
Do you ever feel that way?
What if you could get yourself unstuck & finally heal
whatever is blocking you from the life that's waiting for you.
Announcing the Moon Healing eKit:
a 4-week eCourse for healing what's in the way.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~