Spiritual Practice

As we embarked on the journey of self discovery we came to intimately understand that a great deal of who we thought we were, was just plain false. In the wonderful words of Mooji, we awaken to the reality that we've become nothing more then a "conceptual dustbin". This realization is our cue to begin sifting through all of the thoughts and idea's that move through our awareness moment by moment. And I know from experience, there was a lot of stuff to sift through.

This sifting process becomes a daily spiritual practice and can take various forms as we utilize a wide array of spiritual technologies. The typical layout seems to be a combination of journaling, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises, psychotherapy, prayer, and being as still and silent for long durations of time. At least, this is just some of the technologies I have used. We go through the motions of personal development, perhaps at first resenting this new awareness of our lives wishing that we could return to that blissful state of ignorance. Other times we feel blessed, cherishing each moment we spend at higher altitude of consciousness.

It can almost seem like we are sitting on a pendulum, swinging back and forth between the experiences which arise from associating with either the Higher Self or Lower Ego. Our daily spiritual practices are the tools we use to maintain a certain level of consistency in our day, affording us the know how to respond to those moments our body mind drops a bomb in our lap. Its not the bombs that worry me, its the tiny snowballs that seem to build up in our minds over the period of a day or so and explode without warning. Another example of the importance of maintaining a spiritual practice.

Until.... you don't have to.

You read that right. In essence, spirituality is just another idea or concept. We are not, in fact, changing or becoming anything that we aren't already. Let me rephrase. During this process of personal 'unfoldment' it can seem that we are passing through a linear gauntlet of perpetual ups and downs until we reach a state of inner peace we feel is sufficient enough to ignore or withstand the 'lesser' moments of our life. This is what creates the phenomena known as the "Spiritual Bypass". So much time and focus can fall on the PRACTICE of spirit rather then the direct experience of being spirit.

Its important to realize that spiritual practice is a stepping stone. Its not meant to last forever. Once we wake up and come to a full realization of our true nature and being, there will no longer be a reason to practice being a spirit because its what we ARE. In the same breath, however, those of us still practicing are not doing anything "wrong". We are merely going through the motions. Until the time where we choose not to.

Om♥