“The life force that made me is right here. It is closer to me than anything else because it is me. I couldn’t get any closer to the Infinite than I already am. Becoming more aware of this, however, is something I can do.”

– “Everyday Joy, 365 days of ohmygod life,” by Z Egloff and Melissa Phillippe, March 4

Yes, Spirit is within me, as close as my breath. But how easily I can forget It, but I do! My daily spiritual practices help me to stay close to Spirit—well, of course, we’re close, we’re One! Close in my awareness, that is.

My morning practice includes: chanting leading into silent meditation; Naam yoga; prayer at my breakfast meal and sending, love, light, and healing out to individuals and the world at large; contemplating several readings from various authors (like the quote above); and, journaling, closing with “Gratefully, Joyce.”

During the course of the day, I strive to be kind, patient; compassionate; and, helpful to my work colleagues and anyone else I cross paths with, as those qualities are, of course, of God. Living/being those attributes strengthens my awareness of Spirit. Knowing I’ll be writing my spiritual blog, I keep an eye out for synchronicities and other “sightings” of God at play that may serve as the topic of the day’s blog post.

In closing my day, I write in my gratitude journal at least ten people, situations, feelings, whatever, for which I am grateful. I often get a little bit of spiritual reading in, and then perhaps fall asleep to Native American flute music or the like.

It may sound like a lot, but I know that without the aforementioned as a bare minimum spiritual practice, I can get totally lost in the matters of the world, feel like I am on my own, and land up getting closer to my ego (“easing God out”) rather than God. But with my practices, I feel more connected to people and the awareness that we are all One, that we each are an expression of the Divine.

Music is dear to me, and inspirational New Thought songs and prayerful melodies touch my heart, where Spirit resides. In reading the aforementioned quote, the song “Nearer, My God, to Thee” came to mind. I’m not really familiar with most of the lyrics, except the chorus that repeats “Nearer, my God, to Thee.” I found a recording of it that is simply heavenly,  sung by the BYU Vocal Point Chorus.

Such music goes straight to my heart, increasing my awareness of, and connection to, the Infinite, which I can never really have enough of. I am grateful.