4 Easy Steps to Include Spiritual Practice in Your Busy Life

No matter how busy you are it is always possible to find spiritual practices that fit within the confines of a hectic day. Here are some practices I personally use. They require consistency but not complexity.

1: Morning Connection. Upon waking it is crucial to make some connection to yourself and your highest ideals – do this before picking up the I-phone, clicking on the television, or getting sucked into social media. You can practice something very basic, such as saying The Lord’s Prayer; repeating an affirmation while still in bed (such as Emile Coué’s “Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better”); or the simple traditional Jewish blessing upon rising: “I thank thee, oh living and eternal King, for thou hast graciously restored my soul unto to me. Great is thy faithfulness.”

2: Three PM Prayer. In Christian tradition, Jesus is said to have died on the cross at 3 p.m. Some people reserve this as a special time for prayer – even if just to take a few moments to express thanks, remember a loved one, or ask to be of highest service that day. I set a daily alarm on my phone for 3 p.m. and often use this time to pray for someone’s recovery from illness, or for the needs of friends or people who have written to me. However packed your schedule, you can almost always find a few moments – whether in a meeting or in transit –for a silent devotion.

3: Sacred Literature. Connect each day, however briefly, with a great piece of ethical or religious literature. Even if it’s just one line from the Book of Proverbs,  carry  it in your mind throughout the day. I am registered to receive a daily email from metaphysical writer Vernon Howard’s New Life Foundation, which lands each morning in my inbox. You can also carry a pocket Bible, Bhagavad Gita, or Tao Te Ching. Read it in the elevator, on your commute, or at your desk.

4: Say ‘No’ to Humiliation. So much of our social media, talk radio, and “reality” television shows are dedicated to shout-fests or the cruel glee that arises from seeing someone get embarrassed or humiliated. During the day, whether on your phone, in front of a computer or television, avoid posts and programs that drag people through the mud. Are you tempted to make a snarky remark on Twitter? Take a pause – is it necessary? Think of how powerful it could be – and what it could mean for each of us – if just 10 percent of the population took a “no humiliation” pledge and closed out cruel or gossipy media. Be part of that 10 percent.