Spiritual Practices

Practicing the Presence of God

Spiritual Practice: During your meditation period, sing a chant, hymn, or devotional song from your heart for five or ten minutes—longer if you wish. Continue singing mentally throughout the day during those moments when you don't have to concentrate on other things, such as when you're walking, riding on a train, waiting in a doctor's office, and so on.

Spiritual Practice: When your concentration is free to do so, pray to God from your heart—an ongoing talking to God about whatever is on your mind. Pray for others, pray for yourself, ask for help with a difficulty, express love and gratitude, express your frustrations and resentments. Talk to God as your closest friend—and God will become your closest friend.

Spiritual Practice: Mentally repeat a short prayer over and over, such as “I love you, Lord. I love you, Lord." Pray from your heart. If your mind wanders, calmly bring it back to the prayer.

Spiritual Practice: Mentally repeat a short mantra, such as “Om, Om..." or a name of the divine: “God, God..." or “My Lord, my Lord..." or “Divine Mother, Divine Mother..." Or repeat an affirmation, such as “I'm permeated with divine love." Repeat the words from your heart. St. Francis of Assisi once repeated all night long: “My God and my all."

Spiritual Practice: Close your eyelids and lift the eyes to the point between the eyebrows, without straining or crossing them. To get an idea of what that’s like, open your eyes and lift them up until you see the “horizon” of the eyebrows. This is the position of the eyes in meditation also. The point between the eyebrows is a high spiritual center in the body—the seat of the spiritual eye or third eye—and gazing there promotes spiritual perception and a higher state of consciousness. It’s the point where the eyes naturally go when a person is in superconsciousness.

If you’re new to this, it might take some time to get used to this position: The eyes tend to be fidgety at first, so be patient and know that they will settle down with repeated practice.

Many times throughout the day, take several seconds and lift the eyes to the point between the eyebrows. It will help to keep your consciousness spiritualized and God-centered. As you practice, you might feel some warmth there, or pressure, as if someone were touching you there. If you perceive any light, concentrate on the center of the light.

Be sure not to do it so much that it interferes with your work in the world. Being spiritual means being practical too—very much in the world but acting from a spiritual perspective.

Spiritual Practice: As an alternative to the previous practice, keep your attention at the point between the eyebrows. This is a high spiritual center in the body, and concentrating on it will spiritualize your consciousness and cultivate peace, one of the aspects of God. With time you might feel a pressure, warmth, or pulsation at that point, which will help keep your attention there.

Spiritual Practice: Look for God or love in everyone and everything you see. Think “God is there" or “God is in that person" or “Love is in this tree," and so on.

Spiritual Practice: Feel your oneness with God by feeling your oneness with all things—animate and inanimate. Whatever you see or look at, think “I am that" or “We are one." Stated another way, feel the presence of God in all things and beings, and see your oneness with all things in God.

Spiritual Practice: Before performing an action or task, dedicate it to God. “I'm doing this for you." And after you've completed the action, place the results in God's hands.

Spiritual Practice: When you are enjoying yourself in some way, whether it's eating good food, listening to music, or experiencing any other wholesome delights of the senses, enjoy it with God.

Spiritual Practice: For inspiration and motivation, read one of the classic books on practicing the presence of God: The Practice of the Presence of God, by Brother Lawrence, and The Way of a Pilgrim. They both come from Christian traditions, but the practices can apply to any religion or spiritual path.