Spiritual Practices
Imagine an infinity symbol, a universal symbol which represents movement, dynamism and energy.
As you picture the infinity symbol, see it balanced, with both sides the same size, and imagine movement flowing continuously from one side to another.
The infinity symbol has come to represent many things that are important to me, and the symbol perfectly illustrates the necessary balance between what I learned to call the Inward Journey and the Outward Journey from the teachers at the Church of the Savior in Washington, D.C. early in my spiritual journey.
I like to think of myself as a disciplined learner or a disciplined follower of Christ, but my preference is to refer to the things we do as spiritual practices. That echoes my belief that in life and on the spiritual journey, we are all practicing those tasks that can support our intentions to grow and flourish spiritually.
As I have come to understand the spiritual life, the practices of the Inner Journey feed, nurture, support, inspire and inform the Outward Journey, and what we do in the outer world we take back into our inner hearts, our minds and imaginations, learning from what we have experienced outwardly and from the encounters we have with various persons in our lives.
The spiritual practices of the Inner Journey are these:
- Meditation—listening for God
- Prayer – speaking to God
- Lectio Divina
- Bible study and reading —
- Journaling
- Solitude and Silence
- Reading for personal and spiritual growth
The spiritual practices of the Outer Journey are these:
- Worship
- Missions and Ministries
- Acts of Mercy
- Giving of your time, money or talents
- Fellowship
- Friendship
- Creativity
The spiritual life doesn’t have to occur in a happenstance way. It is possible to be conscious and intentional about these practices, always with an awareness that the goal is to balance the Inward and Outward practices as much as possible.
While all of my are books and my teaching are intended to encourage spiritual growth and practical applications of the Christian life, Joint Venture and Dance Lessons speak specifically to these and other spiritual practices.