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Spiritual Practice


   Meditation (Contemplation) is in truth higher than thought. 
   The earth seems to rest in silent meditation; 
   and the waters, mountains, sky and heavens seem all to be in meditation. 
   Whenever a man attains greatness on this earth 
   he has his reward according to his meditation.
 
Upanishads (c. B.C. 800)

  When the mind is possessed of reality, 
  it feels tranquil and joyous even without music or song, 
  and it produces a  pure fragrance even without incense or tea. 

Hung Tzu-ch'eng (1593-1665)


  The ritual prayer is five times daily,
  but God's intimate lovers
  are called to prayer continually.
  The headache of intoxication in those heads
  isn't relieved by five times, nor by five hundred thousand.
  "Visit once a week" is not the ration for lovers;
  the soul of sincere lovers has an intense craving to drink.
  "Visit once a week" is not the ration for those fish,
  since they feel no spiritual joy without the Sea.
 

Jellaludin Rumi: Mathnawi VI:2669-2670


Tom Maxwell
Last modified: Thu Jun 17 10:44:29 EDT 1999