Do you have a Spiritual Practice?

This is the second part of my review of Return to the Sacred by Jonathan Ellerby. In my last post, April 29, I commented on Dr. Ellerby’s belief that a spiritual practice is necessary for spiritual growth.

Dr. Ellerby presents 12 Master Paths, or different types of spiritual practices. Each has an ancient past, and while most are known to us in some form, his clear presentation and grouping of them is unique.

To assist our choices, Dr. Ellerby groups these twelve possible practices into four dimensions, according to “four spiritual personalities.” All practices are equally viable; the best one depends on the personality of the individual. The four dimensions of personality types are:

Body-Centered Practices: ceremony and ritual, sacred movement, and music and sound
Mind-Centered Practices: prayer, meditation, and sacred study
Heart-Centered Practices: devotion, sacred service, and a guru or teacher
Soul-Centered Practices: aesthetic practice, death practice, and a life path

The challenge is to define which of the four dimensions best describes us, then choose the best practice within that group. Remember, this does not preclude choosing from other groups since most of us experiment with many, if not all, of the practices in our quest. We may finally choose a variety of practices, but I believe that most of us have a dominant group that is our main connection to spirituality.

Which one seems most appropriate as you read through the four groups? Which of the practices seem most comfortable, or which one are you more willing to try? Question your way of reacting to the world. Many of us need some activity when we learn, or we need to read when we learn. That defines the first two groups of Body-Centered and Mind-Centered Practices. Each of these practices is self-explanatory, yet Dr. Ellerby provides excellent commentary on each.

The Heart-centered group includes those who react with emotion as a first response. Devotion, sacred service, and a guru/teacher imply a relationship-based or heart-felt connection.

Again, none of this implies any judgment, just an understanding that we are all different. To be successful, we want to find our greatest strength as our fall-back position before trying others.
The last group may be the hardest to define: aesthetic practice, death practice, and a life path. Most of us don’t decide on extreme fasting or a hermit existence, yet many of our mystics choose this path.

I like the Life Path, or third example of The Soul-Centered Approach. In some ways, this may be a goal of each of us. “Each moment of life is a ceremony in fellowship with all others. Each moment is sacred. That is the greatest path, and you’re always on it” (215). Perhaps this is the path we all aim for.

For our journey, Dr. Ellerby provides 12 possible Master Paths that show us how to reclaim our connection to the Sacred.

I love this book, Return to The Sacred: Ancient Pathways To Spiritual Awakening by Jonathan H. Ellerby. Ph.D. (CA: Hay House, 2009). Sometimes books just seem to fall into our hands as we most need a message. That happened to me with this one. Not accepting traditional religions or any organized group or one set of beliefs/rituals, I pray/meditate/commune with my Creator in any number of unorganized ways. While this book didn’t make me want to change any of that, it provided a framework for me to be more comfortable with my current choices and opened up new possibilities.

First, Dr. Ellerby defines Spirituality, and I love his line, “We are spiritual beings having a human experience – not the other way around” (38). This is one of my favorite new syaings.

He also explains that “Spirituality isn’t a quick fix or a magical escape. But it can teach you how to meet life’s choice and challenges with clarity and intention” (42). A good reminder for us all. Becoming spiritual does not mean the end of problems, but a higher outlook provides a better way to handle and view our dilemmas.

Second, Dr. Ellerby is very clear that we all need a spiritual practice. I agree. “Spiritual practice is essential to spiritual growth” (23), and “The mind can only take us so far into the world of spirit” (17).

In his insistence that we have a spiritual practice, Dr. Ellerby is not dogmatic about how that practice should look. He simply advises that we choose a path that is right for us. Permission to choose is comforting and part of a practical spirituality that deviates from traditional dogma. This flexibility does not justify lack of action, but allows us to define our own way to the Sacred.
Finally, Dr. Ellerby presents 12 Master Paths, or different types of spiritual practices. He doesn’t just tell us we need to have a spiritual practice; he provides all of the possible roads we might choose. Each one has an ancient past, and most are known to us in some form.

Ceremony and ritual, sacred movement, music and sound, prayer, meditation, and sacred study are six possible paths. The next group consists of devotion, sacred service, guru, aesthetic practice, death practice, and a life path.

Fear is our greatest barrier to any spiritual practice. We are often afraid to trust anything beyond the realm of science or reason. Trust becomes the key ingredient in choosing, and then following, a spiritual practice.

Spiritual growth requires spiritual practice, and this book provides direction and answers.

Do Random Events Occur in Our Lives?

There are no coincidences in life; random events do not occur. This needs some clarification, though. Think of the difference between fatalism and determinism. Fatalism claims that we have no effect on any events in our lives; things just happen. A fatalistic view would account for no spontaneity; everything is prearranged.

In determinism, however, every activity is influenced by some deed preceding it. We can and do create our lives; we create with our actions. Every one of our decisions has an effect.

Nothing happens by chance, but everything happens for a reason. We may not always know the reason since a cause may simply be beyond our knowledge, but this is not the same thing as “chance.” There is a reason for every event, and every event is determined by a previous one.

Living Spiritually

Today I'm reminded that we need to live spiritually. To me, that means at least four specific things:
1) We are all connected and should treat each other as we would wish to be treated.
2) Everything happens for a reason, even if we're not always aware of that reason. We need to accept life as it occurs and do the best we can.
3) We must accept change as a part of life.
4) Balance is a necessary element in all aspects of our lives.
5) Living creatively is part of living spiritually.