The best way to understand “practical spirituality” is to first understand what spirituality is. Spirituality is a way of life that is rooted in an understanding of reality at the deepest core of yourself and the community that comprises you. The word, “Spirit” comes from the Greek word, pneuma, which means breath. So, spirituality is the embodied consciousness of your human experience – literally, beginning at the moment of your breath; in fact, the sign that a child is alive is when it cries because the sound of cries indicate that the baby can breathe.
This example of a baby’s first cry is what a practitioner of practical spirituality would consider a “prayer” or “expression” of our innate connection to the Divine. In fact, practical spirituality has at its core that every moment, encounter, experience, is an opportunity to grow in awareness of the sacred world (and it’s creator). So, prayer and ritual become less focused on designated times/places/special rubrics and more focused on intentionally looking/engaging the world as it is with the understanding that “leaning into” or “living into” the world will allow for more sacred wisdom to be made evident.
Practical spirituality is a postmodern expression of the ancient teaching of the incarnation. The world and you, are already sacred/holy. Practical spirituality seeks to help you live into your sacredness but helping aid in finding deep meaningfulness in everyday experiences – like drinking coffee, reading, hiking, having sex, writing a book, or talking/texting someone on the phone.
These musings are based upon this form of spirituality and as you read them, may they give you the sacred power you need to live your true nature – belovedness.
Blessings to each of you. Keep on keeping on!
For weekly, short teachings on practical spirituality, subscribe to The People’s Priest Podcast (found everywhere you get podcasts!) or if you want a handy book on practical spirituality – order Monday Musings: Short Teachings in Practical Spirituality for Our Emerging World.
