Why "contemplative"?
Is this a church or not? one might wonder. After all, the word "church" has come to mean certain things. But the early communities who gathered to learn about forgiveness, connecting with God, mindfulness, and transformation knew nothing of church buildings or fiduciary duties.
We've decided to focus on contemplative practices because of their myriad benefits supported by science and religion alike. And because prayer as a contemplative practice has sustained people through the greatest of trials -- surely it can help us in this time and place.
We've even named our church community, at least for now, as a community of practice because we see ourselves on a perpetual journey toward wholeness; delving into the spiritual practices is necessary to embark on this journey.
What are spiritual -- or contemplative -- practices?
Any activity that allows us to slow down, focus the mind (or clear the mind), reintegrate our brains, and listen to the still small voice we might know as God could be considered a spiritual practice.
Our YouTube channel, Spiritual Practices with Eliana and Greg, attempts to demonstrate how easily a simple thing like going for a walk in bare feet or building a fire can become a spiritual practice.
In case you're looking for ideas, here's a short list of undertakings that lend themselves easily to becoming spiritual practices.
singing
walking
hiking
running
meditating
playing an instrument
making art
yoga
martial arts
beach combing
wave watching
snow sculpting
guided meditations (like what we offer at our podcast, Wander)
journaling
praying
listening to music
swimming
reading
getting angry (curious? watch here. Hint: it's about reconnecting afterward.)
retreat (or car camping, like we show here)
labyrinth-walking
finger labyrinth-tracing
knitting
weight training
rock climbing
parenting
Want to add something to the list? Drop us a line.