Sacred Living and Daily Practice

It happens to all of us sometimes – waking up on the wrong side of the bed, a transient case of the blues, or a sudden flare of impatience that grips you with a blinding insistence.

With the pace of life moving faster and faster, many of us find it overwhelming to try to give adequate attention to all aspects of our busy lives. Our days are filled with email, telephone calls, doctors appointments, tennis lessons, meetings with clients, paying bills, grocery shopping, parent-teacher conferences, board meetings, cocktail parties whew – amid all of that it’s no wonder our souls resort to such drastic measures to get our attention. 

Take a moment

It is my practice to remember when feelings of frustration or fear arise to use these seemingly out-of-nowhere moments of suffering as a cue to stop and look squarely at what I’m feeling. It is as simple as that – stop and look squarely at the feeling of being too busy, too sad, too guilty or whatever the noise is at the time.

From there things calm down within a few seconds because I am finally giving attention to what needs it most. I can stop typing, not pick up the phone, even pull over to the side of the road and give myself a few seconds and I remember my practices.

Change your life

A commitment to intentional living and spiritual study will change your life, literally one moment at a time. It is not easy but it is exciting and joyful. Being able to move beyond a sticking point of stress, frustration or pain becomes second nature when you incorporate daily practice that reminds you to stop and hear your soul.

Tools and resources

In addition to tonglen and other meditation techniques, I use mantra recitation, exercise, raw and living vegan foods, time in nature, poetry, art and other touchstones of the sacred to nurture this lifestyle.