Spiritual Practice

There are many definitions of spiritual practice, this evening I came up with one that interests me so I thought I'd share it with you.

Spiritual practice is about having the courage to look inside and take that first step on the fool's journey to discover who you really are and stay with it through the bumpy bits holding the vision that the destinaton will be worth it.

Spiritual practice is not about religion, it is not about attending
church, it is not about meditation, it is not about using 'namaste' as
a greeting, it is not about saying 'om', it is not about earth-centred
ritual, it is not about chanting - all these are different forms of spiritual expression chosen by each individual to suit their own direction.

Last July I moved from my home in a comfortable middle-class area on the West side of Vancouver to a brand new cohousing development on Vancouver Island in Courtenay. Our community was built on a set of values that resonated for me. I moved here because I wanted to live in a community where the importance of spirit and spiritual practice was recognized and honoured. I wanted to live in a community where I could align more closely with my own values of reducing my footprint on the earth, feeding myself in part from that which I cultivated by my own hands on this land, live with others in mutual respect and tolerance, and direct my energy towards growing a community and lifestyle that models the change I hope to see in our world.

My spiritual practice is expressed in my day to day experience of learning to live in community, to experience myself in relationship with many others, and to constantly seek the place of compassion and willingness as I journey along this often bumpy road of the reality I have found as I seek to manifest the vision I held in coming here. I'm finding that there are fewer and fewer places to hide and more and more opportunities to look at who I really am.