The Seven Practices approach is ideal for members of faith communities who can draw on such practices reflected in their own tradition, as well as those who are spiritual but not religious who recognise the abiding value of humanity’s spiritual heritage. By focusing on the practices we thus seek to promote both deeper interfaith dialogue and mutual interspiritual support for one another’s transpersonal development.

Based on over twenty years of research and spiritual practice, Dr Roger Walsh who is both a spiritual practitioner and scientist, discovered that each of the great spiritual traditions has both a common goal and seven common practices to reach that goal: recognising the sacred and divine that exist both within and around us.

The book Essential Spirituality integrates the spiritual principles of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism and engages readers in spiritual exercises leading to a way of life in which kindness, love, joy, peace, vision, wisdom, and generosity become an ever-growing part of everything you do.

Practice 1: Redirecting Motivation

Practice 2: Transforming Emotions

Practice 3: Living Ethically

Practice 4: Training Attention

Practice 5: Refining Awareness

Practice 6: Cultivating Wisdom

Practice 7: Serving Others

 

Contents of the core book we use for group and self-study

Foreword by His Holiness the Dalai Lama Introduction 1.    Unveiling the Sacred 2.    Discovering the Seven Practices 3.    Using This Book 4.    Spiritual Practices: What Do They Do and How Do They Do It?

The Seven Practices Practice One: Transform Motivation: Reduce Craving and Find Your Soul’s Desire 5.    The Secret of Happiness 6.    Exercises to Reduce Craving 7.    Find Your Soul’s Desire: Redirect Motivation 8.    Exercises to Redirect Desires 9.    The Higher Reaches of Desire

Practice Two: Cultivate Emotional Wisdom: Heal the Heart and Learn to Love 10.    The Gift of Love 11.    The Challenge of Difficult Emotions 12.    Reducing Fear and Anger 13.    Cultivate Love and Gratitude 14.    The Higher Reaches of Love

Practice Three: Live Ethically: Feel Good by Doing Good 15.    The Value of Virtue 16.    What is an Ethical Life? 17.    Exercises in Ethical Living 18.    The Higher Reaches of Ethical Life

Practice Four: Rest in Peace: Concentrate and Calm the Mind 19.    Your Meandering Mind 20.    Develop a Peaceful Mind 21.     The Higher Reaches of Concentration and Calm

Practice Five: Awaken Spiritual Vision: See Clearly and Recognize the Sacred In All Things 22.    The Healing Power of Awareness 23.    Exercises in Awareness 24.    Seeing the Sacred in All Things 25.    Exercises in Sacred Seeing 26.    The Higher Reaches of Vision

Practice Six: Cultivate Spiritual Intelligence:  Awakening Wisdom and Understanding Life 27.    What is Wisdom? 28.    Awakening Wisdom 29.    Exercises in Wisdom 30.    The Higher Reaches of Wisdom

Practice Seven: Express Spirit in Action: Generosity and the Joy of Service 31.    The Spirit of Service 32.    Developing a Generous Heart 33.    Exercises in Generosity and Service 34.    The Higher Reaches of Generosity 35.    Enjoy Your Self: Awakened Heart, Awakened Mind

© Roger Walsh 1999.

Recommended Reading

Roger Walsh : Essential Spirituality. The 7 Central Practices to Awaken Heart and Mind