"Just as we need physical diversity to survive, we also need spiritual diversity — nourishment from a variety of 'soul foods' — to grow spiritually. No one tradition or way of seeing the Divine will fit every human person or feed every human need. And therein lies another secret of prayer: Diversity in prayer is the food of spiritual growth." Theses are the views of Nancy Corcoran, a member of the Sisters of St. Joseph and founder of grass/roots: Women's Spirituality Center. In this excellent multifaith resource, she presents prayer practices from many different traditions:

"To pray is to live fully, and to live fully is to be in prayer — in motion and in stillness, in words and in gestures, in sound and in silence, in asking and listening, in solitude and in community. Through prayer, we align ourselves with the sacred."

Corcoran presents a cross-cut of fascinating stories which lift up multiple ways of experiencing the Holy. A chapter on the senses as a vehicle of prayer is filled with many helpful spiritual practices. She believes that interconnectedness encourages prayer and that we need to make the most of encounters with the Divine in everyday life.

Try a Spiritual Practice on Compassion