Spirituality & Practice (S&P) is a multi-faith website devoted to resources for spiritual journeys. While respecting differences among traditions, S&P celebrates what they share in common.
Spirituality & Practice (S&P) is a multi-faith website devoted to resources for spiritual journeys. While respecting differences among traditions, S&P celebrates what they share in common.
July read, The Partly-Cloudy Patriot by Sarah Vowell
Join us in contemplating America's past and possibilities through classic and contemporary literary voices. The We the People Book Club is a year-long program designed to give you an opportunity to strengthen your vision of democracy and your connections with others.
August read, Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Join us in contemplating America's past and possibilities through classic and contemporary literary voices. The We the People Book Club is a year-long program designed to give you an opportunity to strengthen your vision of democracy and your connections with others. We affirm two principles. First, reading itself is a spiritual practice.
Meet Julia Davis, Curator of the We the People Book Club
As part of The Practicing Democracy Project (PDP) our partners at Spirituality & Practice just kicked off the "We the People Book Club," a yearlong discussion to explore the themes of democracy. Julia (Julie) Davis, a fellow wit
The Grapes of Wrath Reading Guide
Explore the themes of technological change, the necessity of connection, and resilience and creativity in this guide to John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath. Part of the We the People Book Club, a year-long program contemplating America’s past and possibilities, this guide was created for individual and group use.
Practice: Lifting Someone into God's Presence
This spiritual practice comes from Jane Vennard in Embracing the World: Praying for Justice and Peace.
Practice: Listening Behind
This practice is from Habib Todd Boerger.
Allow your mind to become quiet as you focus your awareness on your energetic heart. Cultivate an inner alignment with the Divine/sacred in the way that works for you. Allow your heart to connect to your conversation partner from the place of sacredness within you to the place of sacredness in your partner. Cultivate a sense of holding yourself and your conversation partner in a container of nonjudgment and peace. Set the intention to listen from your heart. Invite your conversation partner to share what they would like to say.
Practice: Critical Awareness
This spiritual practice is taken from Brené Brown's The Gifts of Imperfection.
Practice: Defusing Anger
This practice comes from peace advocate, author, and Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, in his book, Anger: Wisdom for Cooling the Flames. "There may be times when you are angry with someone, and you try everything you can to transform your anger," he writes, "but nothing seems to work. In this case, the Buddha proposes that you give the other person a present. It sounds childish, but it is very effective. When we're angry with someone we want to hurt them. Giving them a present changes that into wanting to make them happy.
Practice: Savor Sacred Poetry
In celebration of poetry as spiritual practice, we invite you to join us in this practice from our friends at Spirituality & Practice.
In the clatter and clamor of our lives, we need ways to connect deeply with our souls. Whenever we feel depleted, our favorite poets invariably refresh and refuel us.
Practice: Living in Someone Else's Shoes
This practice, focused on empathy, comes from Bernie Siegel, MD, in 101 Exercises for the Soul.