What are spiritual practices?

“Spiritual practices are our ordinary actions and human attempts at being holy through which God transforms us into Christ’s likeness and grants us extraordinary grace and bountiful blessings.” (Soul Tending, 2002)

“Spiritual practices are actions within our power that help us narrow the gap … between the character [we] want to have and the character [we] are actually developing.” (Finding our way again, 2008)

“Spiritual practices are about life, about training ourselves to become the kinds of people who have eyes and actually see, and who have ears and actually hear and so experience … not just survival but life.” (Finding our way again, 2008)

“Spiritual practices are ways of becoming awake and staying awake to God.”  (Finding our way again, 2008)

We encourage you to look at the list of various spiritual practices and to choose a couple that you will make a part of your daily life. ***The material below was adapted from Soul Tending: Life-forming practices…

Practices of Contemplation

• Meditation
• Lectio divina
• Fasting
• Sabbath keeping
• Solitude and silence

Practices of Community

• Christian fellowship
• Loving hospitality
• Spiritual friendship
• Singing from the soul

Practices of Compassion

• Almsgiving
• Stewardship of Creation
• Acts of justice and reconciliation
• Testimony