What is Spirituality?

”We are fired into life with a madness that comes from the gods which would have us believe that we can have a great love, perpetuate our own seed, and contemplate the divine.” Plato

It is no easy task to walk this earth and find peace. Inside of us, it would seem that something is at odds with the very rhythm of things and we are forever restless, dissatisfied, frustrated, and aching. We are so overcharged with desire that it is hard to come to simple rest. Desire is always stronger than satisfaction.

There is within us a fundamental dis-ease, an unquenchable fire that renders us incapable, in this life, of ever coming to full peace. This desire lies at the center of our lives, in the marrow of our bones, and in the deep recesses of the soul.

Spirituality is, ultimately, about what we do with that desire. What we do with our longings, both in terms of handling the pain and the hope they bring us – that is our spirituality.

Thus, when Plato says that we are on fire because our souls come from beyond and that beyond is, through the longing and hope that its fire creates in us, trying to draw us back toward itself, he is laying out the broad outlines for spirituality.

We can define spirituality this way: Spirituality is about what we do with the fire inside of us, about how we channel our Eros. And how we lead to a greater integration or disintegration within our bodies, minds, and souls, and to a greater integration or disintegration in the way we are related to God, others, and the cosmic world.

Taken from: The Holy Longing: The Search for Christian Spirituality by Ronald Rolheiser

Personal altars in our homes enable us to affirm the presence of the sacred in the midst of our everyday activities.

These places of prayer, ritual, or meditation can be oases of silence, centering, and creativity.

Here are some books on how to turn a corner of your home into a sacred space.

Altars Made Easy: A Complete Guide to Creating Your Own Sacred Space by Peg Streep

Altars and Icons: Sacred Spaces in Everyday Life by Jean McMann

Altars: Bringing Sacred Shrines into Your everday Life by Denise Linn

Tibetan Buddhist Altars: A Pop-Up Gallery of Traditional Art and Wisdom by Robert Beer

Spiritual Practices have always been at the heart of the world’s religions. Practices help us to be grounded and more fully present in our daily life. One way to view practice is the path we travel on our spiritual journey. It is a way of experiencing being fully present to our spiritual reality. It is a path that has no beginning and no end. All we need to do is to step onto the path.

Many people think of spiritual practice as weekly worship, bedtime prayers or grace before meals. While these are wonderful practices, we must be alert that they do not become just another task on our “to do” list.

There are a variety of practices that match the diversity among us. Some of us connect with God, the Other or the Divine with our mind while others focus on the body or emotions. Spiritual practices may include group worship, private prayer, physical exercise, study of scripture or sacred text, sacred ritual, community building, emotional transformation or motivational change all experienced through intentional living.

Practices may be something as basic as lighting a candle or as complex as a Native American Vision Quest. It may be spontaneous Christian prayer or the structure of a Muslim five-times-a-day prayer. Africans express their spirituality through dance, Jewish people study the Torah, Buddhists practice mindful meditation and Hindus look for divine signs in common objects.

Many people practice compassion, justice, forgiveness, joy, letting go, being present, patience, hospitality, gratitude, listening, generosity, peace, silence, intention, awareness, and connection.

Think about your spiritual practices. Here are some suggestions to enhance or alternate your current practices:

morning prayer, praying with images or beads, intercessory prayers, liturgy of the hours, hospitality, centering prayer, retreats, Taize prayer, spiritual direction, companionship with saints, forgiveness, prayer mantras, tea ceremony, chanting, fasting, journalling, hiking, walking, reiki, dance, spiritual study, quiet time, sacred service, gratitude, yoga, meditation, art, Lectio Divina, family prayer, gardening

We all have reasons for starting a new journey. Some of us have experienced an awakening, a conversion, an encounter, a calling, a longing, a crisis, loss, burn-out or fear. We may be seeking meaning or purpose in our lives or in a particular situation.

Spiritual practices help us to get in touch with the emotions, feelings and thoughts associated with these real-life experiences. They are intentional ways that we grow deeper in our spirituality.

When we intentionally live into our lives, we can experience the sacredness of ordinary life. We can become more deeply connected to all of creation. We can grow in an awareness of ourselves as holy people. We will begin to recognize and identify ourselves as spiritual people and the spiritual dimesnions that are already present in our daily lives.

As we begin this new journey, spiritual practices can be a way to more intentionally live our life. Through these practices, we can move into a deeper and more meaningful relationshp with God, the divine, the Other – our authentic selves, others and the whole of creation.

When we begin a spiritual practice, we must make this pratice a way of life. We must commit to a daily practice. We can’t just step on the path of practice for a few minutes and then jump off to go about the rest of our life. We must integrate our practice into our life.