The past couple of times I have meditated with Peter in the room. He hasn't joined me with my meditation, but respectfully done his own thing and held a quiet space for me. There is something very powerful about having someone else present, supporting your spiritual practice. It is something that I feel when I pray at church on Sunday mornings, as if I am praying for people.
I think it is important for us to recognize that our practices are not just for ourselves. Or at least I don't think they should be. A spiritual practice helps us to be more centered people, and to engage our worlds more constructively. And for some people prayer and meditation is a very important way of influencing their world, not only for themselves but for the people they care about, strangers even.
This isn't self important or woo-woo. Having a spiritual practice and taking it seriously affects our world. In that I feel both a sense of pride, and a sense of responsibility to keep it up.
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ReplyDeleteWow- do I agree with this. When I keep a regular centering spiritual practice I'm able to direct my energy toward was is best for me and for others. When I don't, even when I'm "doing good things"...those things and everything else, don't quite work out as well. That's why for me, practice is exactly the right name for this.
ReplyDeleteMeditated in a walking meditation on the last two movements of Dvorak's Symphony No.9, For the New World. Heard it performed last month. Not as moved by the recording as by the live performance. I was hoping it would put in the mind set for beautiful Sunday. Guess I will do some breath work to clear the residue from the week.
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