Spirituality & Practice

The usual pitch, when it comes to volunteering, is that it's appropriate to give something back. We're called upon to serve as a fundamental responsibility. What this pitch obscures is that service is actually a privilege. Whether in a soup kitchen, battered-women's shelter, community garden, or Little League, service opens our hearts, connects us to the world, and fills the present moment with meaning. While service provides assistance to those in need and/or to the community, its foremost beneficiary is almost always the one who serves.

Self-observation and conscious awareness are classic spiritual practices that are very helpful for those who want to “practice democracy.” You need to be aware of where you are coming from in order to determine where you might be more open and where you need to stand your ground.

This practice is from Zen teacher Jan Chozen Bays in How to Train a Wild Elephant and Other Adventures:

Simply put, there is nothing, nothing in the world, that can take the place of one person intentionally listening or speaking to another. —Jacob Needleman

If we don't listen, how will we understand?

Maintaining our well-being requires finding our center, our sense of balance, our breath, again and again.

Practice democracy with this inspiration from The Sufi Book of Life by Neil Douglas-Klotz. Many people observe their breath during meditation. This is a different way of doing breath meditation, using it to reinforce your sense of freedom, compassion, positivity, and hope. These feelings in turn enhance your resilience.