Introduction

THE BASICS

Balance  Susan Manker-Seale

Listening to Our Lives  Kathleen McTigue

The Middle Way  Michael A. Schuler

Eclectic Spirituality  Barbara Wells

A Spiritual Maintenance Schedule  Arvid Straube

ENGAGING THE MIND: Contemplation

Silent Retreats  Andrew C. Kennedy

Creating an Altar  Johanna Nichols

Adversity  Barbara Merritt

The Sacred Moment  Edwin C. Lynn

Living by Heart  Laurel Hallman

Mindfulness  James Austin

Sitting Zen  James Ishmael Ford

Monastic Practice  Wayne B. Arnason

Sacred Reading  Susan J. Ritchie

Prayer  Erik Walker Wikstrom

ENGAGING THE BODY: Activity and Nourishment

Movement  Robert T. Hughes

Martial Arts  Sarah Lammert

Yoga  Eva S. Hochgraf

Exercise  Scott W. Alexander

Fasting  Marta Morris Flanagan

Mealtime  Aaron R. Payson

ENGAGING THE HEART: Relationship

Everyday Relationships  Jane Ellen Mauldin

Partnership as Spiritual Practice  Brian J. Kiely

Marriage  M. Maureen Killoran

Parenting  Pat Westwater-Jong

Loss and Grief  Jennie Knoop

ENGAGING THE WILL: Right Action

Spiritual Practice for Our Time  Rebecca Parker

Social Justice  Art McDonald, Deborah Holder and Stephen H. Furrer

Anti-Racism  Dorothy May Emerson

Simple Living  Ken Brown

Recycling  Audrey W. Vincent

Vegetarianism  Helena P. Chapin

Giving  Tony Larsen

ENGAGING THE SOUL: Creativity

Quilting  Laurie Bushbaum

Meditation by Hand  L. Annie Foerster

Gardening  Barbara Davenport

Cooking  Lynn M. Brodie

Art  Julie-Ann Silberman

Deep in our innermost core we yearn to be connected with the mystery we call god, or nature, or the spirit. We yearn for that sense of oneness with each other and all creation, to know our place and our value. And, often, we yearn for someone to show us how to get there, to direct us to the right path that will lead us on the way to a deeper spirituality. The problem is, finding the right path is like standing in front of a candy counter and trying to decide which piece is the right piece, the best piece. You know that it all depends on your tastes, and you need to know what you like in order to choose the best piece for you. That means that you have to have tried at least some of them to know which ones you like. Even then, it’s important to acknowledge that others may find different pieces more to their liking.

There is no one right path to a deeper spirituality. There are many right paths, and the one you choose may serve for a while, and then need to be changed over time. Like the Buddha who left everything to go off in search of enlightenment, you may find yourself coming back to yourself in the end, as did he, to your own home and people, to a greater understanding of the value of the mundane alongside the spiritual, and the importance of learning to balance your life. My daily spiritual practice is to balance. A major part of that practice involves balancing the busy, taking-for-granted moments of the day with moments to pause and appreciate what is before me in my life. I probably wouldn’t even have considered this a spiritual practice, except that I’ve been learning to redefine the meaning of what is spiritual, and to ponder for myself what is important in my faith.