Noetic Jediism

Occasionally we realize that it's not enough just to passively belong. Rather, we feel the call to actively engage ... but we are blinded and confused by a torrent of choices. What are the best spiritual practices for individual enlightenment, sustainable civilization and a more beautiful and humane society? According to the scientific literature, meditation, communion with Nature and acts of kindness are top of the list for effective regular spiritual practice.

 

I. Meditate. Meditation is the principal spiritual practice of Buddhism, among other ancient wisdom traditions, primarily because it leads one on a path of self-discovery toward mindfulness, which might be described as mental, emotional and spiritual alignment with the Universe. In the West, many of us are engaged in noisy transmission in the form of prayer. Yet we discount the clinically proven benefits of meditation, including reduced stress hormones, reduced blood pressure, the d evelopment of a more peaceful and mindful disposition, enhanced potential for creative breakthrough and an overall more positive outlook on life. Meditation also has more active variant forms, including mind-body practices such as tai chi, yoga and qigong.

 

 

Check out Integral Enlightenment's free 30 minute guided meditation: http://www.integralenlightenment.com/pages/practices/meditate.php

http://stress.about.com/od/tensiontamers/p/profilemeditati.htm

http://www.aboutmeditation.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meditation

 

II. Garden. It's easy to forget that all of our civilized progress and scientific knowledge ultimately derives from an intimate relationship with, and observation of, Nature. Yet the artifice and arbitrary, mechanized nature of our faster-stronger-cheaper civilization separates us as individuals from the essential wellspring of human experience. A best approach is to re-engage the process that began civilization by planting some heirloom (non-genetically modified) seeds into the ground. This process teaches us and our community all sorts of things about Nature experientially, through direct hands-on experience. As a form of meditation, it will return health benefits such as reduced stress, reduced blood pressure and a more positive outlook. Further, it will allow us to derive some of our own food from our back yard, taking some power away from the mechanized system of chemical warfare monoculture farming, not to mention the fossil fuels still necessary to transport foods. Edible plants can be beautiful, and ornamental plants can be edible!

 

http://organicgardening.about.com/

http://www.backyardgardener.com/veg/

http://www.permaculture.org/nm/index.php/site/index/

 

III. Random Acts of Kindness. Be an anti-criminal, and resolve to commit one premeditated random act of kindness per day. Just one. We are surrounded by lost, lonely and hurting individuals. Foster enlightened community by acting daily to alleviate some of that suffering. Invite an unpopular friend to do something social together. Host a movie night for out-of-town transplants or singles with minimal family ties. Bring some of those seedlings you germinated over to a neighbor: infect your entire neighborhood with organic gardens. Call an elder or a younger who you suspect might be lonely. On the next holiday, make sure you save at least one spot at the table for a friendless or homeless person. If you're running short of ideas, then consider the following resources:

 

http://www.actsofkindness.org/community

http://www.helpothers.org/ideas.php

And if you want to get organized about it: http://www.voa.org/Get-Involved/Volunteer/Get-Involved.aspx