I’ve become more and more appreciative for how different people cultivate their faith. Last weekend I spent time with a group of progressive mainline Christians. Next weekend I’ll be with Brian McLaren in Charlotte learning from fellow Emergent Christians who have begun to explore more ancient and creative forms of spiritual experiences. My wife, Veronica, just returned from a photography and spirituality weekend in a Trappist Monastery. She loved it. I can barely remember a “normal” church experience and I can’t say that I miss it. The truth is that I’ve never been one for rituals, but I’m beginning to come around to the idea that they have their place.

Lately, I’ve really begun to establish a more regular practice of contemplative prayer. We created a prayer room in our house. It helps to have a designated place for prayer. The cushions, candles, and incense are always right there waiting. I didn’t like the smell of incense at first, but now it moves me. My mood changes as soon as I smell it. The first time I heard a Buddhist describe their faith as “practice”, I was amazed. The notion that faith can be a tool for transformation rather than a destination is so much more satisfying than shallow anthems of idolatry and proclamations of certainty. The possibility that my own transformation process could be one small part in a larger universal transformation is even more inspiring. It took a while to catch on, but now I’m beginning to feel comfortable. I’m not as consistent as I’d like. I try to sit twice a day. In the morning I may only have a couple of minutes to take off my shoes, sit, bow a few times, and think about having a more humble attitude during my day. Every little bit helps. I usually feel different afterwards, even though the rigors of the office slowly eat away at the progress I made. At night, I usually practice 20-30 minutes. Those experiences are liberating.

One of the best resources I’ve found is an online site with free instructions for the two main types of meditation that I use called “The Mindfulness of Breathing” and “Loving Kindness (Metta Bhavana)". Give it a try. Download them to your MP3 player, pile up a few cushions, and your all set.