Every day when we wake up, we realize that we are alive. This is the greatest gift we have. This is the time to express our gratitude. For having a human body is a unique, privileged opportunity, a true blessing. Experiencing life as a human being is the only vehicle to follow the path to liberation, because all other forms of incarnation have limitations. They lack the understanding that enables us to evolve on the path to liberation and the free will that enables us to take that path. Animals and plants have no choice but to carry out the will of the Great Spirit, to follow their instincts – what we call Original Instructions. The only one who has been given free will, the power to choose his own path, is man. He is the only one on earth, of the elemental, mineral, vegetable, animal, or human kingdoms, who can choose between good and evil. Therefore, he is the one who must be most vigilant in his behavior. If we have the privilege of making choices, we also have the responsibility of accepting the consequences. We have the right to choose, but certain choices create increasingly painful suffering. Free will is the ability to experiment, to try, to touch, to discover how things work. And with that freedom comes responsibility. In return, human beings are given the opportunity to follow the narrow path and realize within themselves the eternal, immortal life of the awakened, liberated spirit. That is why human life is so precious.
Spiritual practice is of paramount importance because it gives us the clarity and mastery we need to make enlightened decisions. Because for us humans, everything is really a matter of choice. Animals, plants, and crystals always fulfill the will of the Creator because they always obey the laws of nature. Man alone has the power of choice. Therefore, the need to refine one’s mind to have the clarity and discrimination to distinguish right from wrong, good choices from those that can cause harm, is paramount. As spiritual aspirants, our task is to purify our consciousness to remove the veils that obstruct our clarity of mind. This is done by creating a sacred space-time in our daily lives, which some call spiritual practice. This practice consists of three activities: movement, prayer, and meditation.
It’s much easier to think clearly when the energies flow freely through our bodies. For this reason, physical exercise is essential. In almost every tradition in the world, it is also an important spiritual practice. The Tarahoumaras, an indigenous people of Mexico, meditate by running. In this way, they achieve heightened states of consciousness. They can run for days in the high mountains without getting tired or hungry. There’s an Indian master, Sri Chimnoy, who teaches this way of developing the body through sports to enlighten the mind and develop spirituality. The Taoists of China are among those who share this philosophy. In this path, the aspirant works on martial arts for years before moving on to meditation and sutra recitation. Tai Chi and Chi Kung are two well-known Taoist disciplines that combine beauty and efficiency. The same is true of Hindu yoga. The postures, called asanas, clarify the body and promote mental clarity. These are disciplines that lead to awakening by working with the body first. In the practices I received from my Native American Cherokee elders, we have stretching and breathing exercises, as well as sacred dances that, strangely enough, are very similar to Taoist Tai Chi. So on the spiritual path, the daily practice of exercises for the body is essential. This practice requires discipline and daily effort, in the right balance and without forcing oneself. Regularity is better than haste. As a general rule, when you decide to begin a spiritual discipline, it’s best to turn to the great traditions of the world and find the one that suits you best. That way you can be sure you’re following a path that’s been tried and tested and will produce good results. Beware of new age disciplines that spring up overnight and promise amazing results in a very short time. Mastery of any art doesn’t happen overnight, and none of the great masters we know became masters by taking the easy way. The true spiritual path is one of balance. It’s a very narrow path, but for those who walk it with will, intelligence, and love, the rewards are magnificent.
The second dimension of spiritual practice is prayer. Prayer is an expression of gratitude, a way of expressing our appreciation. It also has the advantage of developing breath control, especially prayers sung to a certain rhythm. There’s a saying, “To sing is to pray twice”. When we recite a prayer mentally, we have a certain effect. When we say it aloud, the same effect is multiplied by two. When we sing it, it increases tenfold.
Prayer, when practiced regularly, enables us to purify our perceptions and create the right circumstances for our spiritual development. In some Native American traditions, during morning prayers, after detailing the things for which we are grateful, we ask for only one thing each day. This practice allows us to determine what we really want and to set priorities. Combining all our requests into one, harmonizes our raison d’être. The simple act of tirelessly repeating the sound formula of prayer leads to energetic purification. Prayer also gives us the opportunity to purify our mistakes, to mitigate, and in some cases even to undo, bad deeds committed in the past. In Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, and Native American spirituality, there are specific practices designed to achieve these goals.
The third dimension of spiritual practice is meditation. True meditation is not practiced, it just happens, usually when we least expect it. True meditation is being here and now, fully invested in the present moment. Our mind then spontaneously achieves a deep concentration that is not static, but completely neutral, all knowing. Of course, without practice or techniques, the chances of achieving such a state are pretty slim. By creating a sacred space-time in our daily lives, we can encourage the birth of meditation and the development of our mind.
Several studies have shown that the practice of meditation lowers blood pressure, boosts the body’s immunity, and leads to a general state of calm. People who meditate regularly live longer. Meditation gives us access to the source of our being, the part of us that can do anything and everything for us. It’s our soul that knows what’s good for us, more than we do, and which we tend to ignore in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Returning to a quiet, regenerative space, to the soul that created us, allows us to be more effective. We waste less time and energy when we act with calm and balance. Thus, the wise person takes time to commune with his or her soul through meditation on a daily basis.
With meditation, the secret of success lies in regular practice. Meditation must become an ingrained habit, as stable and unchanging as the cycle of day and night. If this practice is maintained, after a while we enter a state of permanent meditation where nothing can affect our equanimity. We are in a state of bliss. Of all the spiritual practices, meditation is undoubtedly the one that most enables our mind to shed the shadows that cover it and reveal its inherent wisdom and primordial luminosity. But it requires a strong, healthy body and a mind purified by gratitude. Thus, all three aspects of practice, movement, prayer and meditation, are essential.
Spiritual practice is what defines the human being. Without it, we have little control over our thoughts, words and actions, and our activities tend to harm, destroy and corrupt all life around us. The creative power of the human being is immense: everything that happens to us comes from our thoughts, words and actions. Those who can see this have taken a giant step in the quest for immortality and liberation. The ultimate liberation that puts an end to all limitation, all suffering, the state of being where there is no more old age and no more death. Where there is only life in abundance, in the infinite expression of our love and benevolence for all beings, in all worlds, in all times.