Spiritual Formation

Hugh Prather, author of many books of spiritual reflections, considers the steps necessary for forgiveness in Morning Notes: 365 Meditations to Wake You Up. He concludes that "a judgmental feeling about another person is based on the same belief as my fear of making mistakes: I think what someone once did is more important than how the person is now."

Consider ways to extend your love to the living planet we call home, while renewing your relationship with nature, friends, and family. Coordinate rides with others going your way or take public transportation when possible. Eat locally-grown, fresh foods. It's a way to love your body and the environment. Begin or renew your commitment to recycling. Plant a tree. Create a garden of love and forgiveness.

What else can you do to honor yourself, the earth, and the rest of its fellow inhabitants?

In It's a Meaningful Life: It Just Takes Practice, Bo Lozoff shares a slogan used in his community: "You can do hard." Lozoff, the cofounder of the Human Kindness Foundation and its award-winning Prison Ashram Project, explains that in our times saying something is "too hard" allows us to give up without trying.

This hugging practice is recommended by Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh in his Plum Village Chanting and Recitation Book. It is a perfect ritual to do with the ones you love.

In her book Radical Self-Acceptance, Tara Brach, describes a simple spiritual practice for reframing how you see yourself:

Incorpora más amor, perdón y compasión en tu vida a través del pensar, discutir y actuar. Utiliza estas tarjetas cuando estés solo o cuando tengas la compañía de tus amigos, familiares, estudiantes, compañeros de clase o colegas. Selecciona una tarjeta. Lee la cita en voz alta; luego voltea la tarjeta y encuentra las sugerencias sobre qué discutir y cómo actuar. También disponible en Inglés: Conversation Cards.

Descarga, imprime (en ambos lados en papel de 8.5 x 11 pulgadas), y corta.

A compliment is more than something nice you say to someone. It demonstrates what you value and also strengthens that quality in yourself. Here are ways to practice.

In The Art of Forgiveness, Lovingkindness, and Peace, Jack Kornfield describes an African forgiveness ritual: "In the Babemba tribe of South Africa, when a person acts irresponsibly or unjustly, he is placed in the center of the village, alone and unfettered. All work ceases, and every man, woman, and child in the village gathers in a large circle around the accused individual.

Martin Luther King reminded us how interdependent we are when he wrote: “All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.” This web of mutuality King refers to extends even further. As all sentient beings, we're connected. As all living things, we’re connected. As part of the universe or something greater, we're connected. This connection is easily forgotten as we go about our daily lives. 

In The Kabbalah of Envy, Rabbi Nilton Bonder explains a practice that will reinforce love in any situation. "Yiddish has a very special verb, unknown to most other languages: farginen. It means to open space, to share pleasure; it is the exact opposite of the verb to envy. While envy means disliking or resenting the happiness of others, farginen means making a pact with another individual's pleasure or happiness."