Your Spiritual Practice Is Your Life

Make Your Life Your Practice

"If 'doing the work' means going to church on Sunday or meditating once a day, then 'doing the work' becomes completely useless, because the whole point of the spiritual teachings of Jesus and the Buddha is to make your entire life your practice."

This is good advice.

The Path and the Goal

He strives with might and main along the Path, searches it out, accustoms himself to it; to that end does he make firm his self-possession, to that end does he hold fast in effort, to that end does he remain steadfast in love towards all beings in all worlds; and still to that does he direct his mind again and again, until gone far beyond the transitory, he gains the Real, the highest fruit. And when he has gained that, the man who has ordered his life aright has realized nirvana [oneness].

Milindapanha IV 8, 84

The Good Man

The good man, O King, perfect in uprightness, is like a medicine to men and gods, an antidote to the poison of evil. He is like water to men in laying the dust and impurities of evil dispositions. He is like a treasure of jewels to men in bestowing upon them all attainments in righteousness. He is like a boat to men in conveying them to the fur her shore of the four swollen streams of lust, egotism, delusion and ignorance. He is like a caravan owner to men in that he guides them beyond the sandy desert of rebirths. He is like a mighty rain cloud in that he fills their hearts with satisfaction. He is like a teacher to men in that he trains them in every good. He is like a skilled guide to men in that he points out the path of peace to them.

Milindapanha IV 4, 14

Come to me for 
my yoke is light, 
my rule is mild and you shall
 find repose.
-Gospel of Thomas v.90

Adoration and Serenity

"For it is only in relationships that we humans adore, and it is only in adoration that we learn the lessons of the gods: to live in friendship with ourselves and others, to attain a sense of justice in our actions, and to surrender to serenity."

-Vamsee Juluri @ huffpost

Mr. Juluri was speaking of the Hindu gods, but the same may be said of God. We have little chance of serenity without a relationship with God. Adoration of God leads us to that serenity.

The Jesus Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

The Lord's Prayer

"Our Father who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us,

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

and the power, and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen."