Spirituality & Practice

Benjamin Franklin was very interested in monitoring his daily movements and activities. His goal was to progress in the development of 13 virtues including frugality, silence, and moderation. In an article for Vanity Fair, James Wolcott dubs him "the founding father of self-help" and the pioneer of "self-tracking." Today, many young men and women are keeping tabs on their activities through a variety of digital devices.

There is Fitbit Ultra activity tracker . . .

One definition of spirituality is the art of making connections. Separation is best avoided as a stumbling block to human flourishing. In an article in The New York Times, Barbara L. Frederickson points out the excessive use of digital screens as the post-modern habit of social connection. She reports on recent studies which have shown that the more attuned you are to others through face-to-face interpersonal conversation with them, the healthier you will be:

"When you share a smile . . .

We have always seen the reading of books — fiction and nonfiction — as a spiritual activity. We like to have imaginary conversations with the authors. We usually put check marks by the passages which impress or challenge us; a book with many check marks is one we have taken to heart. And we mine our books for the database of spiritual quotations on our computer server. We are especially appreciative of quotes that stir the imagination, rev up our soul, and open our hearts and minds to the great mysteries of life.

In an article in The New York Times . . .

We certainly can use more empathy in a world where national polls have shown an increase in narcissism (self-interest) and a decline in concern about the well-being of others. In an article in Yes Magazine, Roman Krznaric says that empathy is not kindness or the Golden Rule but "the ability to step into the shoes of another person, aiming to understand their feelings and perspectives, and to use that understanding to guide our actions." He points out that science has added value to empathy through research proving that human beings are wired for social cooperation and mutual aid.

To make the most of . . .

"Have a conversation with the author as you read. Underline passages that catch your fancy. Or, if you are reading a borrowed book or a library copy, copy favorite phrases into a notebook. Consider your underlines and notes as the equivalents of standing ovations at a musical performance. Know that a heavily notated book is one that you have taken to heart." These are recommendations from "Making Reading Sacred," an essay we wrote for S&P's books section.

In an article for The Chronicle of Higher Education . . .

Boredom is like a fog that periodically moves in and drenches everything with a mist; it becomes hard to see clearly. Sam Keen calls boredom "the common cold of the psyche" whereas many psychologists take it much more seriously, seeing it as a prelude to depression. This spiritual malaise has been charted by Georges Bernanos in Diary of a Country Priest, in the poetry of T. S. Eliot, in the contemplative writings of Evagrius of Pontus, and in the philosophical musings of Blaise Pascal.

Several articles we found . . .

The bonds between companion animals and their humans is a spiritual matter than involves love and deep connections. We thought of this again when we read the incredible account of a four-year-old tortoiseshell cat named Holly who was traveling with her humans as they attended an R.V. rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, She got out one day and, perhaps frightened by fireworks, disappeared. Despite several days of searching she wasn't found. But two months later, Holly showed up just a mile away from her West Palm Beach home. This strong-willed previously indoor cat had traveled 200 miles to get there. She had lost a lot of weight and was dehydrated. Judging from the condition of her paws and claws, she made this journey walking; she didn't catch a lift.

In this article about Holly's amazing feat, Pam Belluck quotes Marc Bekoff, a behavioral psychologist at the University of Colorado: "I really believe these stories, but they're just hard to explain. Maybe being smart, maybe reading animal clues, maybe being able to read cars, maybe being a good hunter. I have no data for this."

Rupert Sheldrake, an English biologist . . .

In an article in The New York Times, Michael Kimmelman pays tribute to the long and commendable career of Ada Louise Huxtable who started writing on architecture for The New York Times in 1963 becoming the first full-time critic writing on architecture for an American newspaper. She was critical of "trophy" buildings by "signature" architects which are the result of a money-driven culture where status is all-important. Huxtable saw buildings as something more than giant monuments sticking up in the sky. She was interested in the roles that buildings play in the lives of those on the curbs and the corners of the city.

This versatile writer . . .

A week after the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, the National Rifle Association announced its solution to stemming the tide of school shootings. "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," said Wayne LaPierre, the vice-president of N.R.A. at a news conference reported in an article for the New York Times. The organization wants to arm security guards at every school in the country and blamed violent video games, the news media, and law enforcement for all the mass murders that have happened in the U.S. Since 23,000 schools already have armed guards, the N.R.A. said it would help develop a plan to carry out a national program involving the rest of the nation's 99,000 schools.

It is clear to us that the wealthy and powerful National Rifle Association has no intention of working with the President and Congress on any new gun control measures. Their solution is to protect children with more guns! This pro-gun approach will probably appeal to those who support the N.R.A.'s erasure of restrictions on carrying concealed weapons and President Obama's signing into law a bill allowing guns in the national parks.

Violence has become as American as . . .

Marian Wright Edelman, president of the Children's Defense Fund, is saddened and appalled by the worst mass shooting in a public school in American history. It took place on Friday, December 14, in Newtown, Connecticut. In an article on Common Dreams she reminds us that there is no safe harbor for our children. How many more will die before we stop the proliferation of guns and the killing of innocents in the United States?

Here are some shocking statistics: in 2010, 2,694 children and teens were killed by gunfire; 1,773 were victims of homicide, and 67 of those were elementary school-age children. Since 1979 when gun death data was first collected by age, 119, 079 children and teens have been killed by gun violence. Edelman points out that this horrific number exceeds the number of American battle deaths in World War I, in the Vietnam War, the Korean War, or the Iraq War.

The questions she asks are worth thinking about:

The questions she asks are . . .

On his blog Dharma Roundup, Victor M. Parachin (Eastern Wisdom for Western Minds, Swami Vivekananda: Essential Writings) salutes Cesar Chavez as not only a labor activist but also as an outspoken activist for animal rights. He quotes him as saying:

"I became vegetarian after realizing that animals feel afraid, cold, hungry and unhappy like we do. I feel very deeply about vegetarianism and the animal kingdom."

It often amazes us to read a book by a theologian, a scholar, or a spiritual writer where he or she waxes poetically about human superiority above all other creatures in the universe. It is about time to give up and abandon once and for all this entitlement view of humanity. As Chavez puts it: "We need to work twice as hard to make all people understand that animals are fellow creatures, that we must protect them and love them as we love ourselves."

Chavez goes on to make the point . . .

In this eye-opening article in The New York Times, Sonya Lyubomirsky reveals some shocking details and insights into marriage. American and European researchers found that the joys and pleasures of marriage last only two years and then wear off. If couples are lucky the early yearning and passion can then morph into companionate love, "a less impassioned blend of deep affection and connection."

Scientific findings show . . .

According to an article by Stacy Kennelly published on the Yes Magazine website, a new study shows that experiences of awe ("the feeling we get when we come across something so strikingly vast in number, scope, or complexity that it alters the way we understand the world") may help get rid of feelings of being time-starved and impatient; we actually begin to feel there is more time in the day. And it might make us feel more generous.

The researchers on this project found . . .

In a cogent piece for The New York Times, David Kreider writes about the battles taking place in Amtrak's silent cars, usually situated right behind business class on the train, as devotees of silence stand-up for "this last bastion of civility and calm, in a society drenched in noise pollution." As David Foster Wallace put it: "It seems significant that we don't want things to be quiet, ever, anymore." Think about the constant play of music in stores and restaurants or television news reports emanating from the screens of cabs, airports, and doctors' waiting rooms. Even libraries are no longer refuges of silence; there are now designated areas for "quiet study."

It's only natural that silence . . .

Anyone who is a rock person will take delight in this tribute to them. This glorious article by Patricia Adams Farmer, author of Embracing a Beautiful God appears on the inventive and beautifully visual website www.jesusjazzbuddhism.org, run by Jay McDaniel.

And if you aren't into admiring rocks as a spiritual practice, Farmer's beguiling essay will definitely convince you to try it.

The author and her husband . . .

We remember how long it took us to see that scrubbing the bathroom floor, taking out the garbage, and dusting the bookcases were not meaningless housework but spiritual tasks which are no less important than doing a film review, reading a book, or writing a blog.

The goals of these benefits are . . .

Phil Patton writes in an article in The New York Times about the American obsession with lists. They are found in every cultural endeavor and are part and parcel of our everyday lives. At work we make out "to do" lists to organize our days and at home we make shopping lists to keep track of what we need at stores. In our culture, we have the Netflix queue, best of the year lists in films, books, and music. Businesses have checklists to insure the proper way to do things. And, of course bird watchers across the country have their lists which are a source of pride an achievement. Last but not least, Patton classifies menus as lists.

"The bucket list" has become . . .

Ethics is what makes and keeps life human. As the headlines remind us, however, we do not always take the time to consciously consider our choices about how we could and should behave. Living an ethical life is like practicing an instrument; it takes practice.

In a timely article in The New York Times, Howard Gardner, professor of Cognition and Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, takes a hard look at the ethical disarray in America where traditional morality has broken down and professionals of all stripes no longer feel the need to serve the common good.

He points out that . . .

It rattles us that there is too much noise and too little silence in our society. Of course we live in New York City, a wild and raucous place where jack-hammers are tearing up the streets for new projects and garbage trucks work into the night grinding away the refuse. It is almost impossible to read in airports any more because of cell-phone loud mouths and blaring television monitors. The only refuge and sanctuary are pocket parks in the city and quiet cars in trains.

In an article in The New York Times, Tara Parker-Pope reports that changes are on the horizon for hospitals where the noise level is too high. For a long time administrators of these institutions thought that having the latest technology to monitor patients was more important than the peace and quiet that is part of the healing process. Now they are more interested in meeting the needs of patients who have complained about their inability to sleep in the hospital. Anxiety and anger about this problem could send a person's blood pressure up six points.

We are happy to hear about . . .

Why do we spend so much time and energy on worrying? We are reluctant to admit that we can't control everything and make what we want happen. We have trouble accepting the idea that things do go wrong. And, compounding the problem, we have been brainwashed by our culture to believe that nothing good can come out of failure, setbacks, tragedy, or messes.

According to an article in the Wall Street Journal by Shirley S. Wang, researchers are studying how people deal with worry at different stages of life. The findings were quite surprising: "Older people for the most part have far fewer negative feelings, such as worry and stress, than do younger people."

These same older people . . .

We believe that the spiritual practice of generosity pulls out the spaces that separate people from each other. Many of the world's religions see it as the "mother of kindness." Buddha named generosity as the first of 10 qualities of the perfected mind. The art of serving and giving to others is its own reward.

An interdisciplinary team of faculty working with Arizona State University's Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict are exploring what animates Catholics and Muslims in Dublin, Milan, Paris, and Istanbul to be charitable to others. Does it stem from a sense of religious duty, a love of God or Jesus, or their feelings of being blessed and wanting to share with others?

Reporting on the study . . .

In an article for The New York Times, Norimitsu Onishi writes about the challenges facing the legendary Esalen Institute with its glorious views of California's coastline. At one time it was the only game in town as far as spiritual retreat centers were concerned with its mix of courses on mind, body, the emotions, and personal growth. But nowadays critics are concerned that Esalen has not kept up with the times with a predictable mix of programs offered by other retreat centers across the country, not to mention all the yoga studios and street corner ashrams in major cities. Other supporters worry that only the rich will be able to attend when prices range from $405 for sleeping bag accommodations for a weekend workshop to $1,395 for a luxury room.

Gordon Wheeler, a Gestalt psychologist and the center's president, points to the timely programs and workshops which appeal to the spiritual but not religious crowd: "We've always said we're about personal and social transformation. If anything, we've stepped up the social. The world is more demanding now. The call of the world is more urgent. And we looked at each other and said we have to step it up."

We wish Esalen and other retreat centers well . . .

In an article in The New York Times, Diane Ackerman refers to the phenomenon of "nature deficit" in children who spend very little time in the natural world and a lot of time with their technological toys. Adults seem to be following suit with millions of men and women watching a mother bird feeding her young ones in a nest that is being photographed live on two webcams.

Ackerman writes . . .

On July 28, 2012 an 82-year-old nun and two companions breached extensive security set-ups at the Oak Ridge nuclear reservation in Tennessee in order to nonviolently voice their protest against this country's nuclear movement. Sister Megan Rice is profiled by William J. Broad in this article in The New York Times.

Sister Rice is a Roman Catholic nun of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus . . .

Life is a sacred adventure. Every day we encounter signs that point to the active presence of Spirit in the world around us. Spiritual literacy is the ability to read the signs written in the texts of our own experiences. Whether viewed as a gift from God or a skill to be cultivated, this facility enables us to discern and decipher a world full of meaning.

Spiritual literacy is practiced in all the world's wisdom traditions. Medieval Catholic monks called it "reading the book of the world." Muslims suggest that everything that happens outside and inside us is a letter to be read. Native Americans find their way through the wilderness by "reading sign." From ancient times to today, spiritually literate people have been able to locate within their daily life points of connection with the sacred.

The Spiritual Literacy Blog is our attempt to read the book of the world as revealed through articles and images available on the Internet. We hope you find it interesting and inspiring. 

Please note: This blog has been going since we launched Spirituality & Practice in 2006. The archives of all those earlier posts is here.