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Spiritual Disciplines / Spiritual Practices by The Rev. Hartshorn Murphy "Thou hast made us for thyself and our heart is restless until it rest in thee." St. Augustine of Hippo. Spirituality is, in essence, an experience of the transcendent. Those attitudes and activities which characterize our attempts to make a connection with the Divine are called spiritual disciplines or spiritual practices. Throughout the history of all great world religions there has been a mystical component in which practitioners of the discipline claim to have a direct experience of the Other, of the Holy. Some have erroneously assumed that such experiences are granted only to certain people; individuals who are themselves especially deserving or who have made demanding and arduous ascetic commitments (Hildegard of Bingen's companion's discipline was so severe that she was known as the "savage aesthetic - isn't that delicious!?). That such renunciations were considered paradoxically a prerequisite and yet exceptional, reinforces the image of men and women mystics as somehow uniquely blessed. The role of the average lay person was to financially support men and women religious and clergy, who served as exemplars who possessed rich spiritual lives for the mundane peasantry to experience vicariously. Today, there is a hunger for direct experiences of the holy. A recovery of the spiritual disciplines and a democratization of spiritual practice for all of God's people and not just the elite, have brought about a revival of spirituality in all communities of faith. But just as we are all vastly different in our natures, a practice that is effective for one person may well be meaningless for another and in the same way, a discipline that was life giving at one stage in life's journey may grow stale later on. We need flexibility here. The only true test of any discipline is whether or not it gives life and enables an encounter with God. But there is a caution: for any discipline to be meaningful, we need to use it with fidelity for 4-6 weeks until it becomes "ours" - a habit. Over the next several weeks, we will offer a "survey" of spiritual practices during the educational hour (10-11 a.m.) in the Mother Jones room in Pierson Hall. Some will speak to you; some will not. Our intention is to provide a rich menu for you to sample. Here is a brief summary of the practices we will experience. Lectio Divina (April18) - Lectio Divina (Divine Word) is a form of imaginative bible study in which one reads the story not for information but for inspiration. Popularized by the Benedictines, Lectio asks us to pay attention to the story by placing ourselves within the narrative so that it might speak to us more deeply; that we become "formed" by the Word of God. Labyrinth (April 25) - A walking meditation, Labyrinths have been found in many world cultures dating back over 4,000 years. The circuitous path is a metaphor for the spiritual journey itself of letting go, receiving and integration of that which is received. Some find questions, answers, or at least greater clarity from walking the "sacred path." Journaling (May 2) - To "write our lives" allows us to step back from the hectic production of life and to gain perspective through disciplined reflection. Those who use journaling as a spiritual discipline often discover hidden connections in life for it is often only in looking back that we can see God's providence in our journeys. Rosary (May 9) - Praying the beads is a mantra prayer with tactile components. The opposite of meditative techniques which seek to still the mind, rosary seeks to overwhelm the mind with word, touch and often sight (when used with an icon of the Virgin Mary). This 12th century Dominican practice imparts a feminine face to God and emphasizes the "receptivity" of awaiting God's presence. Centering Prayer (May 16) - A form of meditation which has been rediscovered in this last century, Centering Prayer uses stillness, breath prayer and a mantra (centering word or phrase) to enter into profound openness to God's presence. There has been a Centering Prayer group meeting at St. A's for a number of years and those who participate report that there is a profound holiness found in group stillness. Praying with Icons (May 23) - Icons are "windows" in which one seeks to see the reality beyond the image. Popular in the Eastern Churches, practitioners do not "worship" images but rather seek communion with the reality beyond and behind the picture. Those who produce icons speak thus of writing rather than painting icons. Chant (May 30) - The Taize community in France has done much to reinvigorate the practice of ecstatic chant, common in many world religions. The repetitive melody and phrase produces great stillness and profound peace. On this day, we will see a video produced at Taize, a place of popular pilgrimage, and practice a chant. The Daily Office (June 6) - The Book of Common Prayer contains a number of prayer services adopted from the monastic offices. A form of individual or family worship, the daily offices speak to those with a more rational faith orientation and can provide an anchor in a too busy world. Those who keep the daily offices will be exposed to a disciplined reading of the bible over a fixed three year cycle of reading the lectionaries. The daily office also offers opportunity for disciplined intercessory prayer for others as well. Christian Movement (June 12) - Body Prayer or the use of our whole selves to praise and worship God is better known in eastern religions (e.g. Yoga) and have become popular as a form of exercise divorced from its spiritual foundation in this country. Christian Yoga - or Body Prayer - seeks to connect the wholeness of body and spirit as a form of praise and adoration. "It matters what we believe. It matters how we believe. It matters what values we hold. It matters what vision has captured our imaginations. It matters why we live and for what we live…We share a common human longing for meaning and purpose; we know we do not live by bread alone. We search for truth and knowledge. We have been given the gift of faith and we seek to share our faith with others. We are never an island unto ourselves. We need one another. There is a worldwide hunger, almost frightening in its intensity, for it suggest something akin to starvation. It is a hunger for what in an old phase was called "newness of life." From Christian Believing, The Church's Teaching Series. Spiritual practice and discipline are rich banquets offered in the desert journey toward wholeness and holiness.
Copyright © 2004 St. Augustine by-the-Sea
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