Know that wisdom is found in many places … SOFTEN THE GROUND OF YOUR BEING

It has been an interesting morning. Giving birth is organic if the mother is delivering without drugs, and I gotta tell you, except for my cup of tea and coconut milk, this new blog is coming through with nothing added. In fact, Makua O`o the blog has told me more than once, "This is a brand new bag! Start fresh. " You see, I have shared the teachings of 'elder in training' Makua O`o in other forms ... a column I wrote for five years was entitled "Makua O`o" and I also have a draft of a book based on Makua O`o. For the past couple of hours I have been trying unsuccessfully, to cut and paste parts of this draft onto this post. It will not happen. So, I am taking it as a message to SOFTEN THE GROUND OF MY BEING, and see the wisdom in my experience today. There is always room for a lesson to be learned, and it doesn't always take the heavy o`o to clear a small growing patch. What it does take though is attending ... being present.

The spiritual connection I have grown to depend upon is a lot like my morning experience: thinking I could incorporate old and new without first considering the condition of my being at the time. Hmm, this morning I was so excited about the end of 'ole days, and was charged up to start my work day on the blogs. I couldn't wait to get to the laptop. Never mind the fact Pete was having his time at the keys. Sharing still takes practice. Okay, I can share. I climbed back into bed, and chilled out ... softening the chomp on my bit. Sorta. I forgot something though. It has a lot to do with recognizing the need for a transition...setting the place of ritual, giving my subconcious mind a message to prepare and focus. The excitment of a new project had me rigid with the prospect. My edges made me lose sight of the value of being with someone I love, who shares this very tiny space most hours of every day. To evolve spiritually I need to remember my humanity. Single-mindedness isn't a bad thing. It does need softening sometimes. And then the lesson comes.

What is Spiritual practice? from Wikipedia I found this.

"Spiritual practices, like meditation, yoga and vegetarianism, have often been thought to characterize Eastern religion more than Western. Perhaps this comes from the perception that Eastern religion is more marked than Western religion by mysticism. This perception might be true to some degree, but even Western religious traditions that eschew mystical practices often have many practices and rituals which could count as a 'spiritual practice.' In any case, Western religions, speaking generally, tend to focus on professed theological ideas more than in the east. The Islamic salat, for example, confesses the shahada, and Christian prayer in its many forms often focuses on God, God's character, Christ, or the surroundings of the person praying. By contrast, Buddhist meditation on koans focuses on absurd paradoxes as the key to the emptying of the (no-)self (anatman). It may be useful to the reader to compare and contrast the notion of spiritual practice with that of worship, as well as the notions adoration, veneration, and prayer."

How do you create a place for spiritual practice?

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