Wednesday, August 31, 2016

SPIRITUAL EXPLORATIONS – 270

WE ARE EXPLORING THE PRACTICE OF HEAVENLINESS

+ This is a post on the style of The Way of Prayer as we continue to explore Heavenliness through the lens of the 12 styles of the Mandala process created by Edward Bastian.  There are 3 more Mandala styles to explore after this: Reason, Relationships and Wisdom. After that, we move on to the 9 Attributes of Heaven.

+ Spirituality without a prayer life is no spirituality at all, and it will not last beyond the first defeats. Prayer is an opening of the self so that the Word of God can break in and make us new. Prayer unmasks. Prayer converts. Prayer impels. Prayer sustains us on the way. Pray for the grace it will take to continue what you would like to quit.
-- Joan D. Chittister in In a High Spiritual Season

+ Yes, there are always things we need to quit doing or thinking, aren’t there?  We need to regularly ask ourselves: What is it that we need to quit doing or thinking so that “the Word of God can break in and make us new”?  There are always changes we need to make in our lives in order to become more holy, more effective. Prayer gives us the power, the courage, the wisdom, the hope get on with it.

Exploring the way of prayer could keep us going for a while, couldn’t it?  As I have said, I believe it is the spiritual category which is inclusive of all spiritual categories.  It looks like Sister Joan Chittister agrees with me.  She isn’t the only one. There are some great teachers of prayer including many we have met already on this amazing journey.  Let us seek more wisdom and guidance before we leave this essential style. 

+ Sister Joan Chittister is one of the Spirituality & Practice featured living spiritual teachers.  She is indeed  one of the great teachers of prayer in our midst. She has written a lot and it is all worth reading.


+ The 7 steps of InterSpiritual Meditation by Edward Bastian are listed in SE21 and SE213. They are described fully in his book, InterSpiritual Meditation

+ To get inspired and illuminated by Ed Bastian, I invite you to set aside some time for these videos:  Seven Steps of InterSpiritual Meditation (11 minutes) | 15 minute introduction to InterSpiritual Meditation and the Mandala Process | 2 hour lecture & conversation

+ I would love it if you offered a guest post on this practice or any practice.  And, I have work to do on my Heavenliness page.  Maybe you can help.  Send an email with the subject “Heavenliness” or “Love” or “Guest Post” to John@abundancetrek.com.

+ You can always find a link to any of the Spiritual Explorations posts by going to http://abundancetrek.com/sepostsaccess.html

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