Searching For The Monastery Within

Finding our way through daily life and keeping a spiritual perspective isn’t always easy.

There are those fleeting moments of spiritual bliss that seem to be so out of place with the “real” world that any connection between the two seems unimaginable.

But everyday life should not be seen as something separate from our spiritual life and one should not be seen as a barrier to the other. On one hand, we shouldn’t become so Heavenly minded that we are of no earthly good, on the other hand, we can’t view everyday life as somehow totally devoid of Holiness. Achieving integration between the sacred and the profane, to me, is the Holy Grail of life.

I am trying to see the sacred in everyday moments realizing that family life, interactions with friends and strangers, even putting in an honest day’s work are all sacred expressions of being in the Way. I am trying to develop a daily spiritual practice, knowing that committing to it isn’t the way to salvation but only a way to help me keep a spiritual focus throughout the day. I prefer quiet moments, spending time in nature, prayer, and reading the Psalms as ways to help me focus.

The “Nones” are searching out how to be spiritual but not religious and some are finding their way into New Monasticism while others are exploring becoming "everyday mystics". I am intrigued by the following suggestions for developing daily spiritual living.

The Nine Vows of the New Monastic

From The New Monasticism: An Interspiritual Manifesto for Contemplative Life by Rory McEntee and Adam Bucko 

1. I vow to actualize and live according to my full moral and ethical capacity.

2. I vow to live in solidarity with the cosmos and all living beings.

3. I vow to live in deep nonviolence.

4. I vow to live in humility and to remember the many teachers and guides who assisted me on my spiritual path.

5. I vow to embrace a daily spiritual practice.

6. I vow to cultivate mature self-knowledge.

7. I vow to live a life of simplicity.

8. I vow to live a life of selfless service and compassionate action.

9. I vow to be a prophetic voice as I work for justice, compassion and world transformation.

 

The Five Practices of the Everyday Mystic

By Mark Walter, The Little Creek Monastery

1. Study and Training — formal or informal, reading or seminars, certifications or degrees. The so-called initiate never backs off. Study is a constant thread throughout their lives.
2. Prayer and Meditation — there are many forms of prayer and meditation. For some, it’s as simple as breathing. For others, it’s a ritual or time set aside each day. For anyone, it’s about finding a better or deeper form of connectedness.
3. Application and Integration — application is set at the very center of this list of practices because if you don’t apply it, what’s the point? The everyday mystic is practicing applying and using it in anything and everything they do and encounter.
4. Modesty and Humility — if you meet an ordinary mystic, you might not even notice them. They’re not usually the star attraction. They tend to live small. They’ll tend to give you their last dollar, and are unobtrusive in helping the needy. They also tend to be givers, not takers.
5. Devotion and Tirelessness — the dedicated everyday mystic can’t turn off the switch. It’s not that they are uninterested in other things. It’s more like their ‘devotion’ is something that’s burned in so deep that it’s never quite out of sight and mind.

There might be some value to be found in these practices while I'm searching for the integration of two worlds that are actually far more interconnected than they first appear to be.

“The Kingdom of God does not come in such a way as to be seen. No one will say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There it is!’ because the Kingdom of God is within you.” ~Jesus (Luke 14:20-21)

“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.” (1 Peter 2:9-10)

Peace, Love & Light!

Kevin (Cloud)

(Photo by Warren Fish, St. Kevin's Church / Kitchen, County Wicklow, Glendalough, Ireland)