1 Spiritual Practice

Spiritual practice is as complex and varied as it is simple and singular in purpose. It can take place in solitary or group settings. It is what nurtures our spiritual development and brings us closer to the Divine. This article explores the plethora of spiritual practices available to us. Some will seem rather mundane, like taking a walk in the forest. Others may seem almost extreme in their nature, like the ascetic practices of the Lakota Sioux and Buddhist monks. This article does not claim to be an authoritative source for all spiritual practices in existence today. Perhaps you know of other spiritual practices that are not mentioned in this article. If so, please contact Robert to share your practices and/or experiences. When I set out to write this article, I thought it would be the typical intellectual and literary process: conceive an idea to write about; do some research; and then put your thoughts down on paper, making reference to other peoples ’ thoughts and ideas where appropriate and beneficial. As I conducted my research, it became clear that given what had already been written on the subject, this article would be better served as a documentation of the various spiritual practices available for us to explore as part of our spiritual journey and healing. One source of literature that is referenced frequently in the first part of this article is Rev. Dr. Johathan H. Ellerby’s Return to the Sacred: Ancient Pathways to Spiritual Awakening. His sweeping review of ancient spiritual ritual and practice documents 12 paths to spiritual awakening. Rev. Dr. Ellerby’s work was not only comprehensive and ambitious, but his book accounted for his first-hand experiences of the practices which is why I have chosen to use his research and experiences liberally throughout the first part of this article