Do you have a spiritual practice?. Lets share the Light!

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   Greenheartposted 13 years ago

   Hi there.
   
   I would love to hear from you if you have a spiritual practice.
   I have been involved with a Guru / teacher for 23 years and would love to share experiences and thoughts.
   
   I dont want this forum to be about one being better or worse or anything like that.
   I would like to hear about how you have been touched or moved by your Guru/  teacher / book / path etc!.
   
   In this dangerous time, this "late time",i feel that it is valuable to share experiences of the sacred, what-ever that may be for anyone,at any time.
   
   Sharing the Light!!
   :-))
   
   Thank-you!.
   
   Love from Gavin

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      paravedaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I would suggest the practices put forth by Swami Ramananda, Prasident of Integral Yoga; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQMOE0-FaqU
      
      Also, I would suggest the Spiritual practices put forward by Sri Aurobindo. Sri Aurobindo emphasises more upon integrating the world we live in with Spirituality. So, here Spiritual practice is not something seperate from the day-to-day life but it should be a part of life and eventually it should become life. Check out the book Savitri written by Sri Aurobindo. Don't try to understand the book verbatim but just read it and its really good. Here is the link to PDF of the book - http://savitrithepoem.com/

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      chesterscottposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah!! I chant the holy names of God which give me strength and satisfaction.
      http://breastenlargementwarning.com/

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   goldenpathposted 13 years ago

   My spiritual practice is service.  I have a religion that stresses service to others.  The best way for me to more fully feel the presence of deity in my life is to serve others.  To me it is the purest form of enlightenment.  To serve others without concern for the self will open the door to personal inspiration, revelation and a greater reverence and gratitude for that Higher Power.

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      Greenheartposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks very much goldenpath.
      I like what you say.
      And i agree. Service is one of the foundations of life.
      And i woud like to add that to be served, oneself.
      I know of some people who find it easier to serve others but
      are unable to look after themselves, in some ways.
      Do you find that by serving others you too are being served?.

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   Dee aka Nonnaposted 13 years ago

   Very interesting question....spiritual practice?  Not sure I have a set "spiritual practice".  I was raised in the Catholic, Methodist and Baptist Churches.. My dad was Catholic, my Mother Methodist so we took turns going to each church.  When my dad died my mother took us and joined the Baptist church where her sister attended.  It was great learning the core values of each.  As an adult I begin to study different religious to "know" more....  as a result my relationship to Christ has been strengthened and I know that God is called by many names.  I have read many books that all or a protion have spoken to me.  I believe that God will answer prayer but we have to be aware because the answer may come in unexpected ways and in expected hours.  The Universe is awesome and have many lessons for us...we just have to be willing students.

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      Beelzedadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      You may want to impart that very important information to the tens of thousands of children who pray for food from their god, but starve to death every single day. This is something that they are only too aware of occurring.

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         Dee aka Nonnaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         You are very right and it is a concern that I have everyday knowing that there are children going to bed hungry or dying of starvation and that I cannot do anything to help them.  I do what I can within my area of knowledge and community but I know that it is far from being enough.
         
         The question was about spritual practices I have or do and since religion and spiritual practices are very personal, I think, I answered from a personal point of view.
         
         I do, however, thank you for for bringing something very real and something that more people should be concerned about to light.

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            Beelzedadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Of course you can do something, pray to your god to feed them. Simple. He will answer your prayers, that's what you said.

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               Home Girlposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               i guess, they just need to pray harder, god does not hear them... On a serious note for kids in the countries where corruption is the ruling power,  the only hope is to get real help from other countries through charities and donations. It's so little but it's better than nothing. Look at Haiti, it's poor, so desperate and their government does nothing, somebody is stealing donations and they do nothing. I never believed in charities before but  now I do.

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                  Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  
                  What country isn't riddled with corruption within the ruling power?

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                     Home Girlposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                     I agree, Ray. But at least some countries are very skillful at pretending that they are

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                        Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                        Agreed.

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                  Beelzedadposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  Evidently. 
                  
                  
                  
                  That is not the case for the vast majority of those who starve to death every day. Of course, if prayers were actually answered, that would not be an issue at all.

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            Greenheartposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Hi Beelzedad.
            I do take your point in this conversation.
            It is heart-breaking and totally appaling that so many innocents die,all the time.
            And humanitarian works and compassionate acts are very necessary.
            The thrust of where i am coming from is that i think more fundamental changes need to happen.We are all connected in a way that we cannot see.And i believe that we need to allow ourselves to get in tune with fundamental reality,or the divine, or consciousness.The trend if the world is not good. This time has been called The Kali Yuga,or "Late Time",or "End time". And that is because we have divorced ourselves from our true nature. We are so cut off from the source and even from what is going on in the world and in ourselves, we become emotionally desensitised, to everything.
            Thats all for now.
            Cheers.
            Gavin

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      Greenheartposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Dee.
      I agree that God is named by many names.
      In many cultures throughout time.
      And i think that we dont always know what is best for us,so
      all we can do is trust and have some faith and what-ever happens
      is...what happens  :-)
      
      Thanks for your reply!
      Gavin

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   Cagsilposted 13 years ago

   Spiritual practice? No.
   
   Spirituality for the human species only needs to come in one form- It's called Love.

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      just_curiousposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      This coming from you is, to be honest, very odd indeed.

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         Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Next time try addressing the OP and not me.

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            just_curiousposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            I'm just saying it's odd.

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               Cagsilposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               

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   paarsurreyposted 13 years ago

   Do you have a spiritual practice?. Lets share the Light!
   
   Yes, I have a spiritual practice of offering Salat/Prayer, five times a day, as per the Sunna of Muhammad; it provides me an oppurtunity to meditate on the attributes of the Creator-God and to tread on the right path that was walked by Moses, Jesus, Buddha, Krishna and Muhammad; the path of peace and rational thinking.

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      Greenheartposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your response,paarsurrey.
      Meditation and the immersion in the sacred is part of true sanity, i think.
      I have a teacher, Adi Da. I meditate on him. By doing that i feel his spriritual presence and intuit his eternally free state. Which is me,and all.
      The tradition of the Guru / teacher / guide, in whatever form it comes,whether a human or a mountain etc is ancient process.Setting apart what is regarded to be holy or sacred. and worshipping that,is a fundamental form of spirituality.
      Thanks again for the share.

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   Dee aka Nonnaposted 13 years ago

   I was asked once by someone in a class I was teaching on religions of the world why I believe in heaven and do I believe in hell.  I thought about it for a moment (I am not one to beat people up with my belief) my answer was "I live to ask what if questions" (and I do) so, what if there is a heaven with all of it's finery. it's promise of peace, love and joy.  I would rather believe that one day I will go there, I would rather live like I can go there to be in a place better than the "hell" we often live here on earth.  It would be a welcome relief.  The, What if there is an eternal hell worst than the one we often live through on earth....would I want to go there...no.  So, I would rather believe in and try to live the the moment bringing as much goodness to this life as possible.  I do believe in prayer because it bring ME peace...it helps ME to release anger, find forgiveness, mend relationships and direct me to the path I need to take.  This is ME.

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      paarsurreyposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      It is nice.
      
      May the Creator-God bless you!

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