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Spirituality & Practice
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The Spirituality & Practice E-Newsletter is a regular update from Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat with teaching stories and best links.

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Light a Candle
at our sister site
Gratefulness.org
 
Daily Practices

• Spiritual Practice
of the Day
• Spiritual Reading of the Day: Kevin Nelson on spiritual experiences
• More Spiritual Readings

Current E-Courses
Upcoming E-courses:
• Practicing Spirituality with Animals
• The Spiritual Practice of Re-union with People, Places, Things, and Self
• Practicing the Presence of God

In Progress E-Courses:
• The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers with Christine Valters Paintner

Updates

05/16/12
Opening Today: Elena

05/15/12
New DVDs: Albert Nobbs, The Grey, Chronicle, My Perestroika

05/14/12
S&P's Weekly E-Newsletter
Spiritual Literacy Blog: Boomers Calling It Quits by 65

05/12/12
For (U.S.) Mother's Day: 10 Spiritual Practices to honor all our mothers

05/11/12
R.I.P. Walter Wink
Now in Theaters: Bonsai; I Wish; Small, Beautifully Moving Parts; Where Do We Go Now?

05/09/12
Naming the Days: Happy Birthday to Dan Berrigan

05/08/12
New DVDs: The Vow, Amador

05/07/12
S&P Weekly E-Newsletter: What's happened, what's coming
Praying the News: In Response to the Screams

05/06/12
Naming the Days: Be Kind to Animals Week

05/04/12
New Film Reviews: Last Call at the Oasis, The Most Exotic Marigold Hotel

05/02/12
New Book Reviews: India, mysticism, Desert Fathers, practicing mind, mindful writer, happiness, pain, mindful communications, courage, unflappable

05/01/12
Naming the Days: May Day
Praying the News: To Honor American Nuns

04/30/12
S&P Weekly E-Newsletter: What's happened on the site and what's coming.
Spiritual Literacy Blog: Pete Fornatale, R.I.P.

04/27/12
Now in Theaters: Inventing Our Life, Bernie, The Five-Year Engagement, Elles

04/25/12
Email and texting: Flight from Conversation or Talking with Your Fingers?

04/24/12
New DVDs: Pariah; Young Goethe in Love

04/23/12
S&P's Weekly E-Newsletter: What's happening and what's to come
New Book Reviews: meditation, serenity, karma, creativity, prayer, crochet, time, beadwork, peace, food writing

04/21/12
For Earth Day Weekend: 12 Spiritual Practices to Honor the Earth

04/20/12
Now in Theaters: Darling Companion; Marley; Chimpanzee; Goodbye First Love

04/18/12
New Children's Picture Book Reviews: earth, siblings, freedom, daily life, sculpture, New York City, sharing, gardens, reading, party, secret

04/17/12
New DVDs: Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol, Shame, IMAX Born to Be Wild 3D, Paul Goodman Changed My Life
New Book Reviews: self-healing, courage, happiness, success, animal teachers, Sufism, Judaism, everyday spirituality, interspirituality

04/16/12
Spiritual Literacy Blog: Lama Surya Das on pith instructions

04/13/12
Now in Theaters: Late Bloomers; Monsieur Lazhar

04/11/12
Films Opening Today: The Lady, Post Mortem

04/10/12
New DVDs: The Iron Lady, Into the Abyss, The Conquest, Charlotte Rampling: The Look, A Bird of the Air, Littlerock
Naming the Days: Teilhard de Chardin Day

04/09/12
Spiritual Literacy Blog: How Sad Movies Can Increase Happiness
Naming the Days: Birthday of Paul Robeson

04/08/12
Easter: Resurrection as a spiritual practice

04/06/12
Naming the Days: Good Friday
Now in theaters: We Have a Pope, Surviving Progress, Bully, The Hunter, Damsels in Distress

04/04/12
Spiritual Literacy Blog: Cell phone use to be allowed in movies?

04/03/12
New DVDs: War Horse, We Bought a Zoo, Tyrannosaur, The Double Hour

04/02/12
This Week's E-Newsletter
Spiritual Literacy Blog: When a Parking Lot Is So Much More

04/01/12
Naming the Days: April Fools Day
Poetry Month: A new poem every day in April
03/31/12
New Book Reviews: Progressive Christianity, attention, practices, immigrant justice, Mary Magdalene, conscious aging, love, spiritual direction, spiritual ecology, purses, wisdom

03/29/12
Praying the News: For the Safety and Well-Being of Rhinos
Spiritual Literacy Blog: Is Silence Going Extinct?

03/27/12
Praying the News: For the Fearless Protesters in Tibet
New DVDs: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close, A Dangerous Method, The Hedgehog (Le Herisson)
Naming the Days: Meister Eckhart Day

03/26/12
S&P's Weekly E-Newsletter
Diane Ackerman: The Brain on Love
Naming the Days: Walt Whitman

03/25/12
Today's the Birthday of Flannery O'Connor: Read from her writings on grace

03/24/12
Naming the Days: Oscar Romero Day

03/23/12
Now in theaters: The Hunger Games, The Deep Blue Sea, Musical Chairs, An Encounter with Simone Weil

03/22/12
30 Movies about Dystopias
World Water Day: Pray, study, and act for clean water
New Directors/New Films Festival: Now in New York City

03/21/12
Opening Friday: The Hunger Games

03/20/12
S&P's 6th Birthday: Announcing our capital campaign
New DVDs: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, One Lucky Elephant, Carnage, Mister Rogers & Me
Naming the Days: First Day of Spring
Naming the Days: Feast Day of St. Cuthbert

03/19/12
Weekly E-Newsletter
Naming the Days: Birthday of Sir Richard Burton

03/18/12
Happy Mothering Day (UK): Honoring All Our Mothers

03/17/12
Naming the Days: St. Patrick's Day

03/16/12
Now in Theaters: The Kid with a Bike; Jeff, Who Lives at Home; Detachment; Free Men

03/14/12
New Book Reviews: Names of God, Catholic prayers, Bible, parables, active hope, writings of Nasr and Nouwen, women's spirituality, poverty, journey of the heart
Namng the Days: Birthday of Albert Einstein

03/13/12
New DVDs: The Descendants, Happy Feet Two, Melancholia, Young Adult, The Women on the 6th Floor

03/12/12
S&P Weekly E-Newsletter: what's happened, what's coming, from our wisdom archive, resources to get you through the week

03/09/12
New DVDs: East of Eden, Poldark: The Complete Collection, Sense and Sensibility
Now in Theaters: Salmon Fishing in the Yemen; Footnote

03/07/12
Naming the Days: Purim

 
Search Button

Search Query Hilarity

When we say that you can practice your spirituality through your everyday activities, we really mean it. You never know when a spiritual perspective will be needed. Darren Polito, S&P's Senior Editor and Designer, creates a new 12s gallery every month. Searching for appropriate photos gives him ample opportunities to practice play, openness, and imagination.
Read Darren's experiences with search engine hilarity.


Upcoming E-Courses

Practicing Spirituality with AnimalsPracticing Spirituality with Animals is a 40-day e-course led by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat and designed to lead you to deeper encounters with the animals in your life as spiritual teachers. Each email consists of a brief quote about animals and a related practice suggestion. In the online Practice Circle, participants will share stories of the messages and meanings of the animals in their lives. May 21 - June 29. More details.

The Spiritual Practice of Re-union with People, Places, Things, and SelfThe Spiritual Practice of Re-union with People, Places, Things, and Self is a one-month Online Retreat led by Caren Goldman. Using stories, poetry, prose, exercises, and discussion in an online Practice Circle, participants will explore how to make reunions opportunities for the spiritual practice of re-union — remembering, reuniting, and reintegrating — that leads to healing and wholeness. June 4 - June 29. More details.

Practicing the Presence of GodPracticing the Presence of God is a one-month retreat led by teachers from Contemplative Outreach on the practice of paying attention to what you are doing and doing it for the love of God. Our mentors for this practice will be Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection, St. Therese of Lisieux, and Jean-Pierre De Caussade. The retreat consists of email lessons, audio recordings, a live teleconference, quotations and mini-practices, and community sharing in an online Practice Circle. June 4 - June 29. More details.
 
Tell Me a Story


Our culture puts an amazing array of stories before us. We have chosen 16 of our favorite collections of spiritual teaching stories from the world's religions. And with each review we've included a sample story. Enjoy!
See our recommended collections of stories.
 
When Women Were Birds

Terry Tempest Williams' astonishing second memoir that takes within its embrace a mysterious mother-daughter relationship, the refreshment of birds and the natural world, and the author's quest to find and express her own values and visions.
Read our review of When Women Were Birds.
Read an excerpt on the relationship between a mother and a daughter
 
Handle Your Things with Care

There is a rich emphasis in the world's wisdom traditions on respecting inanimate objects. That's why we advocate "soulful materialism" where the objects in our homes are appreciated and cherished for their beauty, expressiveness, and creativity.
See practice suggestions for handling things with care.
 
The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

When a band of English retirees move to India, the change of milieu opens them up to new possibilities and for a few total transformation. All that is needed is an open heart, an open mind, and patience.
Read our review of The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.
 
Praying the News

The daily news summons us to prayer. The people, situations, and events of our times call out for our compassion and God's healing presence.
Read a prayer in response to the screams
See all "Praying the News" offerings
 
The 12s Galleries

Compassion is at the cornerstone of all religious traditions. Allow the red lotus of compassion to bloom in your heart as you ponder these quotes and images.
See the 12s Gallery on Compassion
See all the 12s Galleries
 
Children's Books

New picture books are about gardening, the wonders of nature, animal adventures, and all the gifts of Mamma Earth. A prominent theme in these titles: humans are in a mutually beneficial relationship with the Earth and all its creatures. This is best expressed in our office favorite, Little Bird, about a lonely man, a bird, and the promise in every day.
Read our reviews of children's books
 
The Lady

On April 23, Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi will take a seat in Burma's lower house of parliament after a winning a decisive victory in the April 1 by-elections. This film The Lady recounts her inspiring rise to worldwide recognition, setting her political activities alongside the exquisite love story of her marriage to an English professor.
Read our review of The Lady
 
Bully

More than 13 million American kids will be bullied this year. A powerful documentary focuses on the effects of bullying on five families. It has catalyzed a anti-bullying movement.
See our review of Bully
See Things to Think and Talk About After Viewing Bully
 
The Gift of Tears

There is strength in tears. This is something Jesus knew; the Desert Fathers and Mothers talked about tears as a gift. Crying, as we've learned at the movies, is a spiritual practice.
Read about the gift of tears and see movies recommended for practice
 
We're 6. Help us make it to 7 and beyond.

Happy Birthday to all of you who make Spirituality & Practice possible! To celebrate how far we've come and to get us even further, we are launching our first ever capital campaign to fund a "rebuild" of the website. We're going to add a whole new wing!
Read about our 6th birthday capital campaign
See more ways you can support Spirituality & Practice.
 
Progressive Christian Spirituality

We are at the end of Christianity as we have known it. Through reading research, our reviewing of books on the changing landscape, and personal experience, we are seeing the emergence of an exciting "Progressive Christian Spirituality." We invite you to explore it with us.
See our map of Progressive Christian Spirituality
Read our review of Christianity After Religion: The End of Church and the Birth of a New Spiritual Awakening by Diana Butler Bass
Read an excerpt from Christianity After Religion
See reviews of 20 Books about Progressive Christian Spirituality
See our Vision of a Progressive Christianity
See an Alphabet of Progressive Christian Spirituality: 100 jottings, lineaments, signs, quotations, probes, prayers, and spiritual practices
 
Bhakti Treasure

Ned & Lynn have created a kirtan masterwork that opens the heart and sends you on your way rejoicing.
Read our review of Bhakti Treasure
Visit Ned & Lynn's website to sample the music.
 
Design Your Own Spiritual Education

Are you fascinated by Celtic spirituality? Want to see books and movies about parenting? Struggling with anger or envy? Want to jumpstart your creativity? Concerned about the effects of globalism? Follow the links on our Advanced Searches pages to find those resources for your spiritual journey.
See Advanced Searches for S&P
 
Spiritual Literacy DVDs

This six-volume DVD series, consisting of 26 meditative and soul-stirring half-hour films, is based on Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat's bestselling book Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life. Award-winning filmmaker David Cherniack has married aha! passages from all spiritual traditions to sense-luscious visuals and emotionally vibrant music.
Read more and get group resources
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View clips from Beauty    Forgiveness    You    More Clips
 
Spiritual Rx
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Personal Transformation and Spiritual Development Resources: Spirituality & Practice

Spiritual growth is a lifelong process that can effect a transformation of your life at home, at work, in your relationships, and in your wider community. Spirituality & Practice is a multifaith organization providing resources for your spiritual journey that encourage and accelerate this process.

Whether you are just beginning to explore how your spirituality influences your personal growth, a seasoned seeker looking to enhance your religious education, or a professional looking for continuing education for clergy opportunities, we encourage you to explore the wide variety of resources at Spirituality & Practice.

If you're interested in spiritual cinema, Spirituality & Practice has several options for you. For everyday inspiration, Spirituality & Practice has created the Spiritual Literacy Project, showcasing clips from a 26-part DVD series featuring spiritual quotes from famous teachers, set to music and beautiful film images by award-winning filmmaker David Cherniack. The Spiritual Literacy Project gives you discussion guides and models for how to use this series with small spiritual growth groups. For more examples of spiritual cinema, click on our Spirituality on DVD link to see reviews of Hollywood, foreign, and documentary films; each has a message pertaining to a key spiritual practice.

If spiritual wisdom and instruction in spiritual practices is your quest, consider one of the many spiritual courses from Spirituality & Practice, many of which are available on demand. They cover different spiritual practices, religious traditions, changing habits, and more. Our Books for Spiritual Journeys section presents reviews of 350 new titles each year, ranging from Wisdom 2.0: Ancient Secrets for the Creative & Constantly Connected by Soren Gordhamer to A People's History of Christianity by Diana Butler Bass.

For additional information, please continue browsing our website. There are ideas for spiritual practices and rituals, background on spiritual teachers from many traditions, spiritual blogs, and much more.

We also encourage you to become a part of the S&P community by participating in our forums and signing up for our free E-Newsletter. We are a very welcoming, interfaith community, who look to the world's religious and spiritual traditions for wisdom and practices to help us live richer and deeper lives as we serve the world around us.