So Just What Is Spiritual Practice?

[Fred Steeves]

I didn't want to derail S-L's thread "Spiritual Practice: Do We Need One" with this post. Even though it's similar in nature, I thought it should be it's own subject.

I'm going to make an argument, that anyone who begins the process of self observation, has necessarily commenced to what can also be called "spiritual practice". Whether it really is or isn't is up to the observer. As one example, I will put forth the demonstrated life of Johnny Cash. It seems to me that his "practice", was to eventually, through much effort, lay his life into such a state of ruin, that he would be consumed by demons and darkness, and then he could thankfully die.

Well, turns out he didn't die, not yet anyway. Even though he drunkenly wandered into a cave complex one night, with the intention of getting lost and dying, somehow he woke up the next morning, and walked right out. That moment changed his life, because he had to start asking: "Who am I, and why am I still here?"

By the time this man had turned old, and knew he was in his last days, he also knew one other thing. One other thing that few ever come to terms with in the span of a lifetime, or even many. He knew himself. Boy did he know himself, and he wanted to make sure the world knew that before he was gone.

That's when he wrote his epitaph song "Hurt". The final line says it all.

4ahHWROn8M0

Also, look at the difference in his eyes from young to old. I see the eyes of a haunted soul in one, and someone who has arisen out of their own ashes in the other. A man born again, who is now comfortable within this strange world he finds himself.

This may not be many people's preferred "practice", but is it any less effective?

1885418855

[Jenci]

I think, Fred, before even looking at what is spiritual practice you need to define what you are attempting to achieve through that practice otherwise people may end up considering techniques and processes and not realise that the results will compare like comparing apples to oranges.


Jeanette

[Tarka the Duck]

I think, Fred, before even looking at what is spiritual practice you need to define what you are attempting to achieve through that practice otherwise people may end up considering techniques and processes and not realise that the results will compare like comparing apples to oranges.


Jeanette

Agreed, Jenci! In fact, something popped into my head this morning and I forgot to include it in my previous post but you've just reminded me :o

If we are familiar with, and understand the tools (practices) available, then we can make an informed decision as to how, when and why to use them. We control them...they don't control us.

Edit oops...wrong thread!! This was supposed to go on the other "spiritual practice" thread...I'm easily confused these days :crazy: sorry Fred!

[Fred Steeves]

In a Universe of infinite potential, just who determines what the scope of available "tools" and "practices" is?

[S-L]

I like this question a lot, thanks for the thread. I sometimes read things that express something far better than I can ever hope to, so forgive me if I quote:

"Spiritual practice is not to transcend the world or to cavort with angels or to experience unlimited bliss. Spiritual practice is really about becoming re-engaged with Knowledge within yourself, the deeper intelligence within yourself, and to become truly engaged with the world around you and with other people. Here spiritual practice is not a form of escape. It is not a personal obsession. It is the road back to real engagement with yourself and the world. It is the road out of separation. It is the road out of isolation. It is moving your life in a true direction. It is building the necessary awareness and skills. It is developing new habits of thinking and observation. And it is giving you the strength to overcome your past tendencies, many of which you have simply adopted from the culture around you."[source (http://www.newmessage.org/speaks/watchtower.php)]

[Belle]

I like this question a lot, thanks for the thread. I sometimes read things that express something far better than I can ever hope to, so forgive me if I quote:

"Spiritual practice is not to transcend the world or to cavort with angels or to experience unlimited bliss. Spiritual practice is really about becoming re-engaged with Knowledge within yourself, the deeper intelligence within yourself, and to become truly engaged with the world around you and with other people. Here spiritual practice is not a form of escape. It is not a personal obsession. It is the road back to real engagement with yourself and the world. It is the road out of separation. It is the road out of isolation. It is moving your life in a true direction. It is building the necessary awareness and skills. It is developing new habits of thinking and observation. And it is giving you the strength to overcome your past tendencies, many of which you have simply adopted from the culture around you."[source (http://www.newmessage.org/speaks/watchtower.php)]

There are those who quit smoking by using the latest patches, gum and pills and weaning off slowly...

And there are those who quit smoking by just stopping.

Same result...two different 'roads'.

There are those who seek spirituality/enlightenment through spiritual practice of one sort or another, clearing themselves one thing at a time in a prescribed order...

And there are those who are aware of things in their lives that are not serving them in a positive way, and simply let go of them as they are revealed.

Same result...two different 'roads'.

No one way better than the other...just different.

How perfect that we, each a unique creation, can find a way to reconciliation with ourselves and others that is best suited to our own individual means of functioning...some coming from all mind, some coming from all heart, and some coming from every way imaginable in between.

[Ba-ba-Ra]

In a Universe of infinite potential, just who determines what the scope of available "tools" and "practices" is?

YOU DO! You choose what feels right or what your heart responds to. And if that choice isn't serving you, every moment of every day, you get to choose differently. What a gift!! You are never locked in by the choice you made in the last moment or day or month, etc., but unfortunately some of us think we are because we are looking at the situation from our logical minds rather than our intuition.

My experience has been when I get out of the mind (brain) and into the heart, I choose the right path.

[Fred Steeves]

My experience has been when I get out of the mind (brain) and into the heart, I choose the right path.

Well sure Ba-ba-Ra, that goes for me too, without a doubt. So back to my original question, would you consider what you describe a "spiritual practice"?

Thanks,
Fred

[scarletfire]

If I'm not mistaken this "last epitaph song" referred to in the OP was not written by Cash himself but was covered by him from the original Nine Inch Nails song. This doesn't make it less relevant as it obviously deeply resonated w/ him.

[Nanoo Nanoo]

spirit is a term for earthlings that havent discovered the science behind the unexplainable.

N

[Fred Steeves]

If I'm not mistaken this "last epitaph song" referred to in the OP was not written by Cash himself but was covered by him from the original Nine Inch Nails song. This doesn't make it less relevant as it obviously deeply resonated w/ him.

Well son of a gun scarletfife, thank you for pointing that out! Bad on me for not being more diligent in my homework.(LOL) You are also correct in that it makes the song no less relevent to Cash, when he decided to cover it.

Cheers,
Fred

[Deega]

Thanks Fred, very interesting Tread, using Wikipedia, it stands as:


''A spiritual practice or spiritual discipline (often including spiritual exercises) is the regular or full-time performance of actions and activities undertaken for the purpose of cultivating spiritual development. A common metaphor used in the spiritual traditions of the world's great religions is that of walking a path.[1] Therefore a spiritual practice moves a person along a path towards a goal. The goal is variously referred to as salvation, liberation or union (with God). A person who walks such a path is sometimes referred to as a wayfarer or a pilgrim''.

Read more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spiritual_practice)

Another interesting site: (http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org/articles/id/aboutspiritualresearch/spiritualpracticefordevelopingsixthsense)

And: (http://www.spiritualityandpractice.com/)

Aren't we not progressing toward a very interesting spiritual path, it seems to be?

All the best to everyone.

[Fred Steeves]

Hey Deega, thank you for those definitions. Now I'm even more certain than ever that the generally, and even narrowly accepted path of spiritual practice, is no longer useful for me. Whatever that actually means. http://nexus.2012info.ca/forum/images/smilies/newadditions/smile.gif There apparently just comes a point, where one needs to go out on their own, fly by the seat of their pants, and come what may.

Cheers,
Fred

[Tony]

Mind wanders... mind is brought back (remembering)... that is practice.


If the wandering mind is not noticed,
then the mind will continue to wander, never finding inner peace.
If inner peace is known, then the mind will recognise when this peace has wandered.


So first we must recognise inner peace, and value it, to recognise that it is worthwhile returning to.
Inner peace is our natural state of 'being'. However we have been wandering for a very long time, so it takes practice to remember.




OmPuurnamadaHpuurnamidampuurnaatpuurnamudachyate

Puurnasyapuurnamaadayapuurnamevaavashisyate

Shaantihshaantihshaantih

That is perfect this is perfect perfect comes from perfect

Take perfect from perfect and the remainder is perfect

May peace and peace and peace be everywhere.





The ancients knew all about the human condition. How do we know this? We only have to look into our own hearts. We are the ancients, we just forgot.

[Ba-ba-Ra]

My experience has been when I get out of the mind (brain) and into the heart, I choose the right path.

Well sure Ba-ba-Ra, that goes for me too, without a doubt. So back to my original question, would you consider what you describe a "spiritual practice"?

Thanks,
Fred

Living life is your spiritual practice. My belief is that the sum total of everything you do all day every day is your spiritual practice - and putting aside and hour here and there and doing something special and calling it "Your spiritual practice" is a part of it - but only a part. That's why we need to honor and respect every moment and every person and thing that enters that moment.. They all count - even if we pretend only when were meditating, praying, etc., is our 'spiritual practice'.

[donk]

You know whats creepy/synchronistic? I discovered and been listening to a lot of Chris Everard lately, and the one I was listening to yesterday was about Trent Reznor (writer of "Hurt"), how he rented the Tate murder house (of Charles Manson infamy) and channeled those spirits in the recording of the "Downward Spiral", which he wrote and did all the music for. I believe it is in this one:

fMXaf-IzuFE

OT: Spiritual practise to me is gaining an understanding (bringing to light) of information beyond the mundane (to me, "spiritual" is that what I cannot experience directly through the 5 "material" senses).

As I personally have never been directly unquestionably communicated with by "spiritual" beings in a way I can with 3D beings, I cannot "practice" (aka copy behaviors taught by) anything, so I am in the precursor, I guess, where I am seeking information about how--how to awaken those senses beyond the mundane, how to listen to communication beyond the 5 senses, how to open myself to the reality I know exists just outside of my ordinary perception.

[Fred Steeves]

So I'm going to derail my own thread, heck it's not much of a thread anyway. Then again maybe that was never the true purpose, maybe the purpose was really a way for my sub-conscience to point out a hypocricy in my life. See until recently I had the younger version of a Johnny Cash in my life, I started this thread about it September a year ago.
http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?29723-Let-Me-Tell-You-The-Story-Of-A-Lost-Soul-And-Betrayal...

We haven't seen Mike since we moved from there a couple of months ago, but odds are he's still the same. Very charismatic, a severe drug addict, a liar, a thief, and a devout Christian.(LOL) The words from the song "Hurt" I posted keep ringing in my head and in my heart, and I couldn't figure out why, until just today. Hypocricy 101. I started this thread attempting to argue that the dark life Johnny Cash lived, and somehow came through the other side a changed man, as viable a spiritual practice as any other. Then it occured to me today that I still despise my old former friend Mike, for about the exact same thing.

While it is still not at all in the cards to be associating with the man, I think I have come to a clearer recognition of the overall situation. I've been just simply writing him off as a psychopath, when in all actuality I now consider that he is one who is immersed in their own self constructed hell of self destruction. Or his own spiritual path as the OP described. As the final line of the song goes:


If I could start again
A million miles away
I would keep myself
I would find a way


Well Mike, I sincerely hope you do "find a way". Maybe some day when we're both old and gray, we'll bump into each other somewhere, and you'll have the look of the older Johnny Cash I posted. With the look in the eye of someone who found a way. That would be a very good day.

4ahHWROn8M0

[Maunagarjana]

I'm going to make an argument, that anyone who begins the process of self observation, has necessarily commenced to what can also be called "spiritual practice".

This I agree with. But just like reality, there are endless levels and layers to it.


That's when he wrote his epitaph song "Hurt". The final line says it all.

While he didn't write the lyrics (just slightly altered them), he certainly did make it his own. And even Trent Reznor, who wrote the original, has said this.