What is Spritual Practice?

To answer the question what constitues a ‘spiritual practice’ we first need some definitions.

According to the Collins English Dictionary:-

Spirit n. vital force; the immortal part of man; the soul; a being without a body; a spectre; a ghost; a frame of mind; disposition; temper; eager desire; mental vigour; energy; courage; liveliness; cheerfulness; essential character or meaning; import; intent; a person of energy and enterprise; the leader of a cause,etc; a liquid got by distillation.

Spiritual a. pert. to spirit or mind; not material; unworldly; intellectual; pert. to the soul; pert. to sacred things; holy; divine; pure; religious.

From the above it can be seen that ‘spiritual practice’ is a vague term that can be interpreted in many many ways.

Not surprisingly in a school of Daoist arts we follow the Daoist philosophical and spiritual path.

In Daoist practice, cultivating the body is integral to spiritual development. Union with the Dao is not possible without physical health. There are also practical considerations for cultivating the body. Strength and flexibility in the muscular and skeletal systems and a healthy internal physiology are required for advancing into the higher levels of Daoist spiritual training.

Daoists believe that spiritual development requires a balance of physical health and mental clarity, and so they developed Yangsheng (Nourishing Life) practices that advocated the cultivation of both body and mind.

The Daoist practices range from using the concepts of Wuji, Taiji, and the Wuxing; the quest for immortality; mental and physical discipline, interior hygiene, internal alchemy, qigong and healing.

The qigong aspect of these practices can be losely grouped into three categories.

1. Passive - Jing Gong: Exercises involve Stillness. In Passive Qigong (ie. Meditation) the primary focus is in training the mind and the secondary consideration is the body.
2. Active - Dong Gong: Exercises involve Movement. In Active Qigong (ie. Martial Arts) the primary focus is in training the body and the secondary consideration is the mind.
3. Combined - Jing Dong Gong: Exercises involve blending Stillness with Movement. In Active-Passive Qigong (ie. Daoyin) the mind and body are trained togther.