Meditating on Scripture

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. Colossians 3:16 King James Version (KJV)

When we read a scriptural passage from the Bible, the Koran, the Torah, the Bhagavad Gita, the Dhammapada or even from a spiritual poet like Rumi or Hafez, spending some time before and after our reading to purposefully prepare our hearts and allow the words and their vibrations to settle into us is a powerful practice. 

Meditating on scripture is not an intellectual or analytical practice. Instead, it is a devotional practice, aimed at getting our hearts and minds in closer alignment with the Divine. When we prepare ourselves for an indwelling of scripture, we are inviting the indwelling of what Christians call the Holy Spirit. 

I love to read scriptures considered sacred in every tradition, because I feel spiritually blessed and enriched witnessing the perfect alignment of the words with the very same One Spirit. This greatly fortifies my faith and gives me confidence in the human ability to connect to our Universal God. 

In my interfaith seminary training, my second yoga teacher training and on the retreats I have attended, I found a like-minded group of people who love to follow this practice of meditating on scripture, and as the verse above describes, "admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in [our] hearts to the Lord." 

Though this verse addresses meditating and singing in community, the practice of meditating on scripture is often part of a personal spiritual practice. Many people believe that they need to be in a church or temple under the guidance of an ordained clergy member to receive spiritual instruction and blessing. This is not true. We all carry Divine power within us, and it waits there for us to connect with it. 

Try this practice at home:

1. Go to a place that is quiet.

2. Find a spiritual book of your choice.

3. Invite God/Goddess to commune with you, and light incense or a candle.

4. Choose a brief passage and read it (no more than one to three verses).

5. Repeat the passage aloud and then internally. 

6. Sit for some time in silence.

7. Thank God/Goddess for illuminating the words for you, either presently or at a future time.

8. For the rest of your day, notice any moments in which the words come back to you and take note of experiences or conversations which may carry the refrain of the scriptural passage. 

Don't think so much about perfect interpretation of the scripture or about whether you understand it. Try to feel it, instead. 

For today, I found this brief passage in the Koran from book 61, verses 12-14:

He will forgive your sins, admit you into Gardens graced with flowing streams, into pleasant dwellings in the Gardens of Eternity. That is the supreme triumph. And He will give you other things that will please you: His help and imminent breakthrough. [Prophet] give the faithful the good news. You who believe, be God's helpers. As Jesus, son of Mary, said to the disciples, 'Who will be my helpers in God's cause?' The disciples said, 'We shall be God's helpers.' 

Today, I will keep the vision of gardens with flowing streams in my mind and connect to the feeling this image evokes. I will ask today for a greater understanding of how to be God's helper. I will feel a connection with all of God's helpers in every part of the world, in every belief system. I believe that God has many helpers.  

Surrendering Ego: Escaping the Trance

"They are forever free who renounce all selfish desires and break away from the egocage of “I,” “me,” and “mine” to be united with the Lord. This is the supreme state. Attain to this, and pass from death to immortality." -Bhagavad Gita translation by Eknath Easwaran

Relinquishing attachments to the fruits of actions is a central teaching in Yoga philosophy, yet few people integrate this concept into daily life, even if they may understand it intellectually (and even the latter is challenging). The admonition to surrender our ego to God is found in, you guessed it, all of the world's faith traditions. Spiritual masters can do it, but not many of the rest of us can achieve this enlightened state and the peace and bliss it is said to bring. 

Although Christian scriptures are also clear on this point, many Christian teachers will not steer people to the practice of true ego surrender. When I did clinical pastoral education to do volunteer chaplain work at a hospital, the Episcopal priest training us said she does not espouse any teaching that tells us we should get past our egos. She said our egos motivate us to do good work and we have the right to be proud of our accomplishments and to cultivate healthy self-esteem. She talked a lot about her doctoral dissertation and her life accomplishments, to help motivate us. What she said fits very well with modern psychology, capitalist theory and the values of academia. However, taken from a strictly spiritual perspective of wanting to unite with God and achieve enlightenment, what she said is not applicable. Achieving enlightenment isn't one more accomplishment at the apex of our achievement pyramid: not a Ph.D., not an executive promotion, not a Nobel prize, not a six sigma certification. We can't successfully meld the values of our culture with the precious wisdom teachings of ancient masters.

Most people are truly not looking for enlightenment. Most people are not looking for spiritual bliss. Most people are not interested in ancient wisdom teachings, from Krishna, Jesus or anyone else. Most people simply want to survive and get ahead. All of the great masters throughout history were acutely aware of the human condition. Yet, they persisted in teaching their elusive truths which form the basis of spiritual law. 

Following are two of my favorite Bible passages about Jesus' teaching on humility and surrender: 

Matthew 18:1-4New International Version (NIV)

The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

18 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”

2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

Luke 18:18-23New American Standard Bible (NASB)

The Rich Young Ruler

18 A ruler questioned Him, saying, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments, ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these things I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, He said to him, “One thing you still lack; sell all that you possess and distribute it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” 23 But when he had heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich."

Jesus makes no suggestion here that spiritual freedom is easily achieved. However it seems clear from these teachings that ego does not have a place in the Kingdom of God. 

In some of the yogic teachings I read, from teachers who are total renunciates, people who have given up family, possessions and high positions in society, I am comforted to see that almost no one is capable of the kind of ego-effacing spiritual surrender called for in the scriptures. We are especially warned not to teach these concepts to young people who need to get a good footing as they start out in life. Yogis are very practical in their teachings: people need to be met where they are and to do what's right for their stage of life. We are taught that the highest levels of emancipation are usually achieved in very advanced stages of spiritual practice, and yet, some people seem to come into an enlightened state early in life. Jesus began his ministry near the age of 30, Luke's gospel tells us. Siddhartha Gautama became known as Buddha at age 35. Clearly, these two were highly exceptional! We can attempt to follow them but I think it's very fair not to expect of ourselves the same abilities to renounce ego in the prime of our lives! 

Surrendering ego is obviously difficult, but does this mean we should not try it at all? It seems like following a spiritual path actually requires us to at least attempt humility and ego surrender. How do we get around it? I don't think we can. 

Admittedly, the happiest and most peace-filled moments in my meditation practice, my yoga practice and my Christian walk have been brief flashes of dis-identification with ego. Though I struggle with the trance of ego and not feeling good enough, I have felt whole, loved, completely embraced by the Source Of All That Is during a few fleeting moments. I have expanded those moments into month long or even year long periods of time where my focus was not on ego gratification. In those moments I was not elated from getting a 3.9 GPA, from completing a top-ranked graduate program, from getting into a top 5 law school, from passing the bar exam, from receiving a financial bonus, from finding out I got my dream job, from achieving the goal of becoming a yoga teacher after teaching my first class--this list could go on and on and to many people it's a very underwhelming list for a person of my age. Why am I not at the undisputed top of my field? Why is my income not the same as or higher than my spouse's? Why am I not managing employees or publishing a book with a reputable publishing house? If this little side discussion seems incredulously disgusting to you, it should. That's the point. 

Living a life characterized by progressive steps towards full ego-gratification is part of the trance of our collective culture of competition and individualism. Progress should be evident to everyone, we are taught. Run the marathon and put the sticker on your car. Work up to your hardest yoga pose and post it on Instagram. Buy the new Lexus with your bonus check. Many people will tell you this is self-actualization. Self-actualization in Yogic or Buddhist terms does not mean ego-actualization. Rather, it means ego-eradication by shifting to the transcendental self! Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Mohammed, all of the masters taught the concept of transcending the smaller, ego-based self to reach the state of transcendence, to "pass from death to immortality," from our Bhagavad Gita quote above. That is a hefty goal, an undertaking so enormous that most people never get close to even trying. 

We are currently in the period of Lent. Jesus on the cross was taunted by onlookers asking him to get down from the cross if he was truly so great and powerful, if he was indeed God's son. In his death and resurrection, he transcended, passing from death to eternal life. Many Buddhists and Yogis believe that Jesus rose from the dead and they interpret this story as consistent with their philosophies. What a perfect example of surrender and transcendence. Can we take a little of that experience into our lives, for even a microscopic fraction of the bliss, power and freedom of true enlightenment? Be bold, and try. 

Tzedakah, Zakat, Dana: Spiritual Giving

Alms-giving is another universal spiritual practice, observed in all of the world's religious traditions. Atheists and Humanists have their own particular propensities towards charitable giving related to the care and protection of humanity. Giving is known to be good for the soul, however the soul is understood. Alms-giving is a practice of giving to the needy in society, either directly or through specific charities.

Though the names and details of giving practices differ by belief system, the reasons for it and effects of it are the same. Tithing is a Christian practice distinct from alms-giving which asks church members to donate 10% of their income to the Church. The practice of tithing was observed in Judaism and is described in detail in the Old Testament of the Bible, generally related to offering 10% of one's crop yield, food stuffs and other forms of material wealth. It was also applied for those who happened to have fortunes in currency but this was less common. Modern Christians have adapted these Old Testament scriptures to current tithing practices based on certain New Testament scriptures related to upholding Old Testament law.

In Islam, giving to the poor is one of the Five Pillars of the Muslim tradition and is called, Zakat. Zakat is the compulsory giving of 2.5% of one's wealth to the needy. The amounts are predetermined according to a person's wealth to remove all confusion or discrepancy. After the requirement of the five daily prayers, Zakat is considered the most important practice in Islam. Studies in the United Kingdom have shown that as a group, Muslims give the most in charitable donations as compared to other faiths. For details, read this post.  Even though 2.5% may not seem like a lot, in reality it is indeed more than most people from all other faiths, or no faith, give.

In Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, the word for alms-giving is Dana or Daana, from Pali and Sanskrit. To practice Dana one must give from one's own personal wealth, so the gifts must not be re-gifted from something received from another, or worse, stolen. This rule is very important. Additionally, the gift must be given with pure intention and with no expected reward or recognition. The giving is not to be publicized or in any way associated with ego. If a gift is made begrudgingly, it will not be characterized as Dana. This idea runs all throughout the various Hindu holy texts, the Rig Veda, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita included. A good summation of the idea can also be found in this Christian scripture from the Book of Second Corinthians, chapter 9 verse 7: Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. One more important point about Dana, in particular, is that it is to be given from the surplus one has after taking care of oneself and one's family honorably, leaving enough for a healthy yet modest lifestyle. One is neither to overgive nor to hoard. A judicious balance must be respected. I like these quotes from Chapter 101 of the Tirukkural: "Believing wealth is everything, yet giving away nothing, is a miserable state of mind"; "Vast wealth can be a curse to one who neither enjoys it nor gives to the worthy."

In Judaism the closest word for alms-giving, in Hebrew, is Tzedakah. The word literally means justice, or righteousness, from the Hebrew root Tzadei-Dalet-Qof. Philanthropy and charitable giving are considered fundamental to the Torah way of life. Tzedakah can take many forms and certain acts of tzedakah are considered less meritorious, based on the circumstances and intentions motivating the gift, as we have also seen in the aforementioned Asian traditions and in Christianity. Giving anonymously is highly meritorious, addressing the concern of ego-based giving. Also, giving before being asked is more meritorious. Giving less than one should is less meritorious, yet this concern must be balanced with cheerful giving. Hence, if it truly pains a person to give what they can actually afford, they should reduce the amount of the gift until it can be cheerfully given. 

As you can see, the practices surrounding giving in the different faiths discussed are closely tied to the effects they have on the spiritual condition of the giver. Personally I find the teachings about Dana and Tzedakah to be very helpful in clarifying some of the inconsistencies and confusion my family has experienced around the issue of giving. When we feel pressured by a certain organization we tend to give less because it affects our intentions. We do prefer to give across a broad spectrum of different  humanitarian charities. We like to do in-kind donations and cash donations which are anonymous when we feel an inner prompt. Charitable giving is something which has always been important to us yet we want to avoid the sticky ego aspect of it. It's a tricky balance to strike, and working on this issue is something often overlooked in our culture. 

Regardless of your tradition, I hope you can use some of this information to rethink your approach to giving as a spiritual practice, seeing it as a possible way to purify and transform your spiritual heart. 

Divine Cooking: Grateful, Mindful and Sacred Meals

Food shopping and meal preparation are considered chores by many of us. Most people in our society are chronically pressed for time and meals are one more thing to worry about (whether this is objective or subjective reality is a topic for another day). Taking the time to mindfully plan and execute meals which edify both mind and body seems like a luxury American working people cannot afford. Yet, working people in other cultures do this as a way of life.

If cooking is not enjoyable for you and you are an "eat to live" sort of person, exploring cooking as a spiritual practice could change the way you approach it. 

Here are three new elements to bring to meal planning and preparation, if not for every meal, then at least for a special weekend meal to share with family or friends:

1. Gratitude

2. Mindfulness

3. Sanctity 

Being grateful for having food to eat is only the beginning; we can also think of all of the people and actions involved in bringing the food to us, where we are. We can send gratitude to farmers, rice cultivators, migrant workers, drivers of delivery vehicles, market owners and employees and all people who implement and uphold food safety standards. As we select and prepare food, we can cultivate gratitude in those moments for all of the above, and for our own health and energy which allow us to complete the work of cooking. Not everyone can do it. In fact, there will likely come a time in your life when you won't be able to cook anymore, either temporarily or permanently. Carpe diem! 

Being mindful of the experience of cooking is immensely pleasurable; don't knock it till you try it! Take some moments to contemplate your ingredients as you set them out, noticing their unique properties. Notice the feeling of each vegetable or grain in your hands, delight in the colors of each ingredient, be aware of the sound the water makes as it fills measuring cups and pans, smell the aroma of simple ingredients like olive oil and butter and fresh bell peppers...get creative here! Go on a sensory journey with your pantry and refrigerator contents! Then, calm down. No need to wear the mayonnaise. But seriously: anchoring yourself in the moment of cooking is enjoyable and therapeutic, especially when you need to calm your mind and disconnect from the stresses of work and everyday life. 

Being reverent in the presence of food is not a very big part of American culture, is it? "Pass the ketchup, squirt some on my hot dog, will ya?" Am I being judgmental again? I like hot dogs. I may have even prayed over a hot dog during my Midwestern childhood. Some people like to say grace, a short prayer, before their meals to bless the food and the hands which prepared it, and to invite God to partake in the meal. In my mostly profane and secular life, I forget to do this...a lot! It must not have been ingrained enough for my brain to make it a real habit, though I remember all of my family members saying grace as I was growing up. One good thing about forgetfulness is that when we come back to a practice such as praying over food, it can feel very new and vibrant! If you do it for every meal anyway, try saying a new prayer or engaging in a new practice like turning off the lights and blessing your food by candlelight. In a group, this can feel very festive as well as sacred. Try adding ritualistic elements to your table, such as flowers and decorative items imbued with meaning for your family's traditions. With or without prayer, take a moment to pause and contemplate your meal before you consume it, again remembering gratitude and mindfulness, then watch as this moment transforms a profane Tuesday night chow-down into a sacred meal. 

You can also transform something as simple as baking cookies into a meaningful family experience that's also part of your spiritual practice. Either by yourself or with your family/friends, execute a simple baking recipe with the intentions of gratitude, mindfulness and sanctity. Here is a link to a delicious and simple vegan chocolate cookie recipe. When your cookies come out of the oven, bless them, and symbolically offer some to God or Goddess. If you have a home altar, place some near it. Then enjoy the sweetness of the cookies with someone you love. (You're not supposed to give chocolate to dogs. But I have. Use your judgment.)

Here's a blessing you can say for your divine meals! 

Beloved, Divine One, we thank You for all who are present here today and ask your blessing on this gathering.  We offer our gratitude to you for this meal, and we are thankful for all efforts involved in its manifestation.  We celebrate the bounty of your creation and the interconnectedness of all life, partaking in this meal together.  May we hereby be nourished in body, mind and soul.  And together we say, AMEN. 

Shoe-Shifting: Empathy for the Other

"Walk a mile in the other person's moccasins," is a saying you may have heard growing up in the United States. Though that quote is usually attributed to various Native American tribes it was written in a poem from 1895 by Mary T. Lathrap (included in this post, below).

Putting ourselves in another person's shoes, learning to empathize with the experiences of people we may otherwise judge, is a spiritual practice. It's not just a trite expression--it's a real exercise in refining perception and bestowing compassion. This practice is based in the Golden Rule, universal and timeless spiritual law.

We often find ourselves in disagreement with others, believing that others have wronged us. Sometimes we hurt others, and they hurt us. Conflict with others is one of our greatest causes of suffering. We waste countless moments of our life entangled in painful emotions and harmful actions resulting from our perceptions of being right when someone else is wrong. When we take some of that time and energy to examine ourselves and consider the position and needs of others, we begin to heal and transform our relationship patterns. 

In meditation, or in something less formal than meditation, simply taking a few minutes to concentrate on a conflict, we can imagine the perspective of our adversary, imagining we are that person or group, with their unique life experience and challenges. We can imagine why they want what they want and do what they do. We can imagine how it might feel to be in their situation. After imagining this, we can switch back to our perspective and bring new awareness into it. We can finally imagine the perspective of a loving parent who considers both parties equal and beloved, essentially imagining that our adversary is in fact our sibling. 

For a detailed meditation practice on seeing the other person as yourself, try the practice offered here.

Below is the original poem, Walk a Mile in His Moccasins. It was originally entitled, Judge Softly. 

Pray, don't find fault with the man that limps, 
Or stumbles along the road.
Unless you have worn the moccasins he wears, 
Or stumbled beneath the same load.

There may be tears in his soles that hurt
Though hidden away from view.
The burden he bears placed on your back
May cause you to stumble and fall, too.

Don't sneer at the man who is down today
Unless you have felt the same blow 
That caused his fall or felt the shame
That only the fallen know.

You may be strong, but still the blows
That were his, unknown to you in the same way,
May cause you to stagger and fall, too.

Don't be too harsh with the man that sins.
Or pelt him with words, or stone, or disdain.
Unless you are sure you have no sins of your own, 
And it's only wisdom and love that your heart contains.

For you know if the tempter's voice
Should whisper as soft to you,
As it did to him when he went astray,
It might cause you to falter, too.

Just walk a mile in his moccasins
Before you abuse, criticize and accuse.
If just for one hour, you could find a way
To see through his eyes, instead of your own muse.

I believe  you'd be surprised to see
That you've been blind and narrow minded, even unkind.
There are people on reservations and in the ghettos
Who have so little hope, and too much worry on their minds.

Brother, there but for the grace of God go you and I.
Just for a moment, slip into his mind and traditions
And see the world through his spirit and eyes
Before you cast a stone or falsely judge his conditions.

Remember to walk a mile in his moccasins
And remember the lessons of humanity taught to you by your elders.
We will be known forever by the tracks we leave
In other people's lives, our kindnesses and generosity.

Take the time to walk a mile in his moccasins.

Practicing Confession

Confession is a practice observed by both Catholics and Protestants. Catholics practice auricular confession to a priest, whereas Protestants are not required to confess to a priest but instead directly to God in prayer or to another person to whom we can be accountable in our spiritual practice. Here is a good summary of confessional practice in Christianity.

Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism also have particular methods for becoming aware of, identifying and purifying the effects of harmful behaviors, and there are many scriptures across the world's traditions for confession and repentance. For abridged information on these, here is a place to start.

In Yoga we are taught to become aware of our samskaras, our ingrained patterns in the mind and body which are leftover from prior actions and experiences in this lifetime as well as former lifetimes (honestly we all have enough baggage by a certain age in just this one lifetime to pay attention to samskaras).

In secular medicine and psychology we need to be aware of our history to begin the process of healing. Knowing the causes for injuries and dysfunctions is helpful if not essential. We don't have to dwell on the distant past, but it behooves us to get clarity around what we have done and what we have experienced. We have neuropathways which explain a lot of our current behaviors and reactions to different situations. Simply knowing this helps us tremendously. Some forms of damage are very difficult to undo, yet complacency about the damage usually won't make any of our problems go away.

No matter who we are or where we come from, we will undoubtedly benefit from some form of recurring self-examination and conscious process of releasing negative behaviors and resolving to improve.

Just this week, in accordance with traditional Lenten practices, I began making a list of recent and even more distant actions and patterns I would like to release and replace. A major issue for me is consistent accountability to some form of authority or teacher.

I am a yoga teacher but I truly do not think of myself as superior to the people who attend my classes or come to me one-on-one, and I don't like to hold myself out as an authority. I think of what I do as guiding a process so others can relax into it and enjoy it more than were they to come up with their own practices each time. Even though I may think I am humble and open to correction, I have not been going to other teacher's classes recently, and my church attendance over the past year has been lackluster. I have not been confessing my negative actions and thoughts to anyone other than God, and while that's consistent with a lot of Protestant teaching, I feel best when I tell someone else.

This week I told a Jewish friend, someone who is a religious Jew, about my need to become more accountable to others on a spiritual path and specifically to an authority figure I respect. I have always admired the Catholic practice of confession, not because I believe priests are truly endowed with supernatural power to forgive, but because I find the process to be effective when I confess to someone else. I also confessed to a Christian friend that I have a tendency to stay home and sheltered with my family rather than getting out among other believers, and I know this tendency needs to be balanced. It may be that at this time I need to feel the safety and comfort and unconditional love of home, but if this trend continues my growth will stagnate. I have other issues of course, such as spending too much time reading upsetting news online and frequently checking e-mail, texts and social media. I drink wine more often than would be optimal (abstaining altogether has crossed my mind). I often believe the worst about the intentions of others as a way to protect myself. These are the main issues I am struggling with right now. Confessing them privately to God is a good practice, but being accountable to others is a great help. I am already noticing positive changes after I spoke to my friends this week.

I offer you a simple practice of confession you can try today. Make a list of no more than three issues you are working to address in your patterns and behaviors. If you can't think of any, go back and try again. If you think of a lot more, save those for another day. Speak to someone you respect about these issues, and if that's not possible, write them down and save them to tell the person later. See how you feel after confessing and try to notice if anything changes for you in the coming weeks.

Mindful Walking

Because today is such a beautiful March day in NY, I am offering a practice for you to do outside: mindful walking. You may already engage in this one as it is popular, and was recently popularized by the celebrated Buddhist teacher, Thich Nhat Hanh. He has offered mindful walking practices on his retreats and I have some friends who loved those experiences with him and continue their practice of mindful walking.

I was introduced to mindful walking about eight years ago in an indoor setting with a meditation group. We walked mindfully in a circle together a few times before our sitting meditation practice. We were instructed to walk very slowly, feeling each part of our foot touch down to the floor and keeping our bodies completely relaxed yet alert. We walked in silence. This felt very disciplined and Zen-like.

If you choose to do your mindful walking outside on a gorgeous day, you may not feel quite as disciplined in your movements and you may wish to walk faster than a snail's pace! Go ahead! That is fine.

Mindful walking requires keen awareness of your movements, feeling your feet as they touch the earth, being present in every step, feeling your breath synchronized to your movements and not allowing any carelessness into your walk. Be vividly aware of the way the air feels on your skin, the way the light reflects on the many surfaces around you. Notice the exact color of the sky. Pay close attention to the sounds in your environment and let the sounds fill your consciousness. Be alert for the presence of plants and wildlife. Mostly, allow this practice to connect you to a deep sense of gratitude for your body and for the Earth.

In many indigenous forms of spirituality, including the ancient Celtic traditions, the Earth is a living deity and is infused with Divine presence. Mindful walking upon the Earth is meant to be a sacred practice.

What makes a practice sacred or profane is not so much the practice itself, but the intention behind the practice. Use mindful walking to cultivate the sacred aspect of your physical life!