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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780819229892 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Church Publishing, Incorporated |
| Publication date: | 08/10/2015 |
| Pages: | 168 |
| Product dimensions: | 5.90(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.50(d) |
About the Author
Norvene Vest has been involved in Christian formation for 30 years through one-to-one spiritual direction, leading retreats and workshops, and writing books. She is the author of Preferring Christ, Still Listening, and Tending the Holy. She lives in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Read an Excerpt
What is Your Practice?
Lifelong Growth in the Spirit
By Liz Forney, Norvene Vest
Church Publishing Incorporated
Copyright © 2015 Liz Forney and Norvene VestAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-8192-2989-2
CHAPTER 1
The Practice of Life long Growth in the Spirit
We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. Yet it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability — and it may take a very long time. ... Give our Lord the benefit of believing that his hand is leading you and accept the anxiety of feeling yourself in suspense and incomplete.
— Teilhard de Chardin
Encountering the Mystery
One of my favorite stories tells of a long-ago meeting between some Christian missionaries and a king. After the missionaries speak of their faith and encourage the king to become a Christian, the king asks for advice. His wise one responds, "Your Majesty, when we compare the present life of humans with that time of which we have no knowledge, it seems to me like the swift flight of a lone sparrow through the banqueting-hall where you now sit. ... Inside there is a comforting fire to warm the room; outside, the wintry storms of snow and rain are raging. This sparrow flies swiftly in through one door of the hall, and out through another. While he is inside, he is safe from the winter storms; but after a few moments of comfort, he vanishes from sight into the darkness whence he came. Similarly, humans appear on earth for a little while, but we know nothing of what went before this life, nor what follows. Therefore if this new teaching can reveal any more certain knowledge, it seems only right that we should follow it."
So eloquently yet simply, the story reveals the human condition: we are creatures bounded by birth and death, conscious that there is something "outside" our finite existence, but uncertain about its nature. Our minds wonder about the world beyond the one we know, while mystics and saints of all ages and faiths have testified to the existence of More Than is apparent.
Even in the decades after the "scientific revolution," Christians affirm the reality of that which is beyond immediate comprehension. Evelyn Underhill, that great student of the mystic life, quite straightforwardly speaks of "the hopelessly irrational character of all great religions: which rest, one and all, on a primary assumption that can never be intellectually demonstrated, much less proved — the assumption that the supra-sensible is somehow important and real, and is intimately connected with human life." Underhill adds that there is "a deep instinct of the human mind that there must be a unity, an orderly plan in the universe," an underlying Vitality, an eternal Becoming. Human union with this reality creates a sense of intense aliveness.
Today the experience of unity with the underlying Vitality of the universe is generally referred to as "spiritual formation." That phrase is a shortcut to experience for which there are really no words. I saw this very clearly some years ago in a conversation with my mother. I was raised as a Christian, attending Sunday school routinely and learning the stories of the Bible. My parents always joined my brother and me in Sunday worship, but later I realized that their primary reason for attending church was a social one — almost everyone in our small town did so and it was a way of establishing social acceptance. There is nothing wrong with such an approach to religion, but it seldom touches the deep Aliveness reaching out to us always. So my mother was puzzled when in later years I became actively involved in spiritual formation work. One day she demanded of me, "So what is this spiritual formation anyway?" I opened my mouth and then closed it, realizing there was no way I could explain to her something she had never experienced (or never acknowledged). She wanted an answer in terms she already understood, and I wanted to invite her into a new way of experiencing the world.
As the two of us authors discussed the possible content of this book, this ambiguity became obvious to us. If pressed, we both might say something like, spiritual formation is a way of life. It is a commitment to find and follow God in every moment of every day. But how can that be put into words, given that God's very self is Mystery? Perhaps the best answer is that spiritual formation is surrendering oneself to wonder.
In our early conversations about components of lifelong spiritual growth, we recalled that any lifelong relationship requires attention, nurture, and mutual love. The practices described here are forms of expression of these components. It is generally the case that God is always going out "ahead" of us, calling us, and creating our desire for deepened relationship. We often discover that some parts of us are actually resisting God's call, perhaps due to fears we have about what might be required of us at this depth. When I confess to my longing for deeper relationship with God, I am also acknowledging that I am not yet complete, but that I myself am at this moment a work in progress, and that is humbling.
How do I love God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength? The fundamental gift of spiritual practice is belonging to a wide and long stream of people before us who have asked our questions, faced doubts, and left records of practices to help us live what we say we believe. Practices offer a bridge between desire and the inhabiting of a new reality, from "ought" to "is," and from "I should" to "I am." In faithful spiritual practice, we find ourselves upheld, not so much chastised for our sins as rather enabled to respond fully to the call we hear.
All spiritual formation begins with the effort to live a moral and ethical life. As we move more deeply into formation, we find that certain practices are more beneficial to us than others. In Eastern religion, persons known to take spiritual life seriously are often greeted with the question, "What is your Practice?" The meaning in that culture has a specific reference to one of four "yogas." (Yoga is a rich term, derived from the root word "yoke" and thus refers to a discipline whose goal is union with the Holy.) Each yoga is a path intended to be congruent with personal strengths and preference. Reflective persons may take the way of jnana yoga, or a path to oneness with the Godhead through knowledge. Persons with a more emotional bent may choose bhakti yoga, whose path is toward adoration of God. The third path is karma yoga, the path to God through work or action, acknowledging that each outward directed act also internally reacts upon the doer. Finally, raja yoga experiments with inner realities to observe the effects of various practices upon one's spiritual condition.
Christian practice does not make this distinction between specialized paths, rather offering a variety of possibilities, all of which are aimed at living a life attuned to the Gospel. Each individual is encouraged to explore many practices, gradually discovering those most conducive to deepened relationship with God.
Standing in Relation: God's "Kindom"
The core of Christian spiritual life is the conviction that relationship with Mystery is not only possible but essential for a full human life. Jesus of Nazareth teaches his disciples to call the Mystery Abba, father. We need not literalize his words to envision an old man in the sky, but clearly Jesus believed that his contact with the Mystery was intimate and personal, and that everyone is invited to such a relationship. He modeled the quality of personal intimacy every time he invited someone to "come and see," gathered a group of friends in ministry, and sat at table with all manner of people.
Jesus announces his ministry with the words, "The Kingdom of God is at hand" (Matt. 4:17, Mk. 1:15, Lk. 10:9). The meaning of these words further unfolds the nature of the invitation to relationship. The phrase "at hand" is one that theologians have pondered deeply, but it clearly means that in some sense the kingdom is already present, that a new era has arrived marked by the constant operation of divine power. It has something to do with Jesus, and it is not fully present as yet, but it is available, not just to Jesus but to everyone.
"Kingdom" is a word not used much in contemporary Western secular settings, so it is a little more difficult to understand. Again theologians have studied its meaning, and sometimes it seems to refer to time (the dramatic moment of arrival), and sometimes to space (the "realm" God rules). The Greek term is basileia, which can be interpreted as commonweal. Ada Maria Isasi-Diaz prefers the contemporary term "kindom," suggesting an inclusive community of relationships. Thus Jesus is affirming a present realm or community in which the holy can be experienced every day by every person.
The realm is now at hand, and it calls for "repentance." Fundamentally, repentance means a change of direction, a turning around. Although response to Jesus's announcement is often interpreted as referring to a single moment of radical insight, after which a person repents of "sinfulness" and vows to live a new life, the ideas above suggest a more nuanced response. The overall theme of this book is a human response to Jesus's call to live in God's baseleia is not a one-time thing. There may indeed be a moment (or more than one) when we feel suddenly washed through with blessing and hope, and desire to make a commitment to a different kind of life. But like New Year's resolutions, the initial commitment is only the beginning. Response to God's invitation is in fact a lifelong task, involving various practices over time. Perhaps Jesus's disciples initially understood his call to follow him as a big commitment, but one that only asked of them their initial response. Nevertheless, they passed through many stages of confusion and doubt, found themselves sorely distressed and greatly tried, and were often disappointed in themselves (and sometimes even in Jesus). If we believe that the only thing necessary to live a full spiritual life is an initial commitment, we are likely to find ourselves similarly restless or simply bored.
Practicing Relationship with Mystery
Fundamentally, lifelong spiritual practice, or spiritual formation, refers to the means by which we learn to experience our relationship with Mystery over a long period. It may seem curious or puzzling to consider nurturing a relationship with the One who is and will always be much of a mystery to us. It may help to think about our own spiritual formation in the image of a seed unfolding.
First, there exists the seed itself, with its unique potential. We may imagine this seed is the soul of each one of us, personally called forth from God with the words "I love you." Josef Pieper observes that in the act of creation, God says to each and all: "I will you to be; it is good, 'very good' (Gen. 1:31) that you exist."
Gradually the seed unfolds. Planted and sprouting, it must grow. But it grows better if tended. Certainly this involves help outside ourselves, helpless as we are in the beginning, but it also involves our willingness, even our eagerness to become. Thus we know that what happens in the unfolding is a work of co-creation: God is at work in us, and we are cooperating with God.
Formation is the interaction between potential and nurturance. God is involved in both aspects; we are largely involved in the latter, insuring that nutrients are provided by good soil, water, sun, fertilizer as necessary. In a human life, this includes the classic spiritual practices of prayer and worship, study, work and community. Through worship and study we learn about taking on the mind of Christ and becoming the body of Christ. Through work and community we learn that every moment of the day provides an opportunity to practice our desire and intent. Practices build habits and enlarge our hearts, helping us strengthen our awareness of God as companion in our dailyness, and bringing us a subtle ever-present depth of joy.
It is, of course, much easier to say this than to do it. The constancy of practice can seem a burden. The hiddenness of results can be discouraging. And life provides so many opportunities to "go to seed" — times when it feels our vitality is diminished by involuntary losses of cherished ideas or beloved persons. Yet here too Christ is with us: the cross and resurrection teach us that dying is not the end, but rather the doorway to new life.
All this is vastly different from the cultural notions that surround us. This process of spiritual formation is not primarily managed, analytical-objective, individual, or even what we might call "successful." Yet for those desiring a strong and flexible spiritual life and an ongoing maturity in relationship with God, practice is invaluable. What we desire and need is already near us, supporting and strengthening our faith, hope, and love.
Lifelong spiritual growth involves several key points:
• Conviction that as human beings, God's spirit engages us in an ongoing relationship without which life would be less than full and empty of abundance;
• Willingness to undertake a guided discipline for integration of self, pulling pieces and parts into a harmonizing whole in a way that gives meaning and purpose in life;
• Affirmation that we are (still) formable and can take part in our own formation;
• Finally, for Christians, the central dimension of spirituality is knowing and being known by, loving and being strengthened by, Jesus Christ.
In short, lifelong spirituality is openness to relationship, first with God, then with self and other. This openness results in heightened or expanded consciousness and behavior, and is shaped by one's particular tradition. Lifelong spirituality, or formative spirituality, involves awareness that everything we do and/or that is done to us shapes or forms us in some way. Some habits and influences can be deformative. The focus of spiritual formation is on attending to God's desires for us and in us and allowing our lives to be shaped by those desires. Since God is always somewhat hidden, spiritual formation requires regular habits and practice that help us become more attentive to the divine presence within our daily lives. The practices in this book are intended to help us do so.
Potential Impediments
At best, a lifelong spiritual practice can be difficult as well as rewarding. It may help to understand why practice is so essential in the present time if we turn to a bit of recent religious history in the United States. Sociologist Robert Wuthnow's book After Heaven traces the changes in American spiritual life and the way we have understood the sacred in the last half of the twentieth century. He describes a movement from a spirituality of dwelling (centered in a stable and sacred place) to a spirituality of seeking (where one must constantly renegotiate the meaning of transient glimpses of the sacred). In-depth interviews of some two hundred people suggest that faith is no longer something people inherit but something for which they strive, seeking connections with various organizations and disciplines while yet feeling marginal to any particular group or place. As the common web of assumptions supporting the older pattern began to fray in the '70s and '80s, religious practice became that of search. Search is something of an eclectic matter, perhaps finding community in Sunday services, but also seeking out such things as a yoga class, a Buddhist meditation retreat, and so forth. The movement away from the older practice of dwelling corresponds to a cultural shift involving commuting or frequent moves connected with employment and the consequent disconnection from family and traditional home places — a radical expansion of the world in terms of information flows, and an increasing emphasis on consumption and entertainment. This movement is also linked to the shift from an orderly, systematic understanding of life to a bewildering variety of worldviews and philosophies of life on offer in our midst. Wuthnow suggests that "the United States is moving into an era of what might be termed a 'thin consensus' in which relatively few values are held in common."
Reflecting on these two approaches to spirituality, Wuthnow finds each one incomplete: dwelling because of its relatively rigid emphasis on a distinction between the sacred and the profane, and seeking because of its inevitable focus on individual gratification. He suggests that to retrieve balance in this new century, "the ancient wisdom that emphasizes the idea of spiritual practices needs to be rediscovered."
(Continues...)
Excerpted from What is Your Practice? by Liz Forney, Norvene Vest. Copyright © 2015 Liz Forney and Norvene Vest. Excerpted by permission of Church Publishing Incorporated.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1 The Practice of Lifelong Growth in the Spirit 1
Encountering the Mystery 1
Standing in Relation: God's "Kindom" 4
Practicing Relationship with Mystery 5
Potential Impediments 8
A Return to Practice 10
Using this Book with a Small Group 12
Chapter 2 Gratitude, Attention, and Awareness: The Practice of Presence 16
Give Thanks in All Things? 17
A Balanced Outlook 19
A Matter of Perspective 19
Detractors to Gratitude 21
Gratitude and Inner Stillness 24
Chapter 3 Sacred Narrative: The Practice of Storytelling 30
The Miracle of Stories 31
Impediments to Narrative 33
Sacred Reading 36
The Stories of Our Lives 39
Reflection on Life 40
Our Own Sacred Stories 43
Chapter 4 Time and Money: The Practice of Trusting God's Sufficiency 47
Abundance 47
Time 48
Keeping Sabbath-Redeeming Time 50
A Portion and a Pause for God 53
God is the Giver of All-Redeeming Money 54
Chapter 5 Praying: The Practice of Companionship with God 63
Companionship with Mystery 63
Beginning to Pray 66
The Rich Resources of Christian Tradition 67
Discursive Player 67
Other Traditional Christian Prayer Practices 72
The Gift of Hope 76
Chapter 6 Imagination, Art, and Play: The Practice of Possibility 80
What If? 80
Imagined Shadows 82
Interior Realities 83
Bringing Our Whole Selves Before God 85
Encountering Resistance 86
Time to Play 89
Chapter 7 Virtue: The Practice of Integrity 96
The Importance of Thoughts 97
Wisdom from Christian Tradition 100
Training Thoughts 100
Why This Practice? 110
Chapter 8 Social Justice: The Practice of Service 114
Mystery Revealed 114
God's Calling Card 115
Grounded in Gratitude 117
A Model to Follow 119
Resisting the Invitation 120
Redefining Holiness 122
Charity and Justice 123
Chapter 9 Uncertainty and Change: The Practice of Resilience 130
Stability and Disorientation 130
Stability and Conversion 131
Chaos in the World 137
A Spiritual Response of Resilience 143
Epilogue The Goal of Practice 147
Theosis 147
Participation and Practice 149
Participation in God and the World 150
Notes 153