Tips and Pointers for Building a Spiritual Life from Scratch (Awakening the Buddha Within)

I really liked this section about bringing spirituality to daily life from Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World by Lama Surya Das.

Building a Spiritual Life from Scratch

Recently I've been going through some old notebooks, looking at some of the things that I wrote down at Lama Yeshe's monastery. In one notebook, I found a "To Do" list called "Daily Necessities." If you reflect upon some of these practices and bring a few into your life every day, you will be transformed.

The living Buddha, the Sixteenth Karmapa, said, "If you have one hundred percent dedication and confidence in Dharma teachings, every living situation can be part of spiritual practice. You can be living the practice instead of just doing it."

Daily Necessities

Tips and Pointers for Building a Spiritual Life from Scratch

Pray
Meditate
Be aware / Stay awake
Bow
Practice yoga
Feel
Chant and sing
Breathe and smile
Relax / Enjoy / Laugh / lay
Create / Envision
Let go / Forgive / Accept
Walk / Exercise / Move
Work / Serve / Contribute
Listen / Learn / Inquire
Consider / Reflect
Cultivate oneself / Enhance competencies
Cultivate contentment
Cultivate flexibility
Cultivate friendship and collaboration
Open up / Expand / Include
Lighten up
Dream
Celebrate and appreciate
Give thanks
Evolve
Love
Share / Give / Receive
Walk softly / Live gently
Expand / Radiate / Dissolve
Simplify
Surrender / Trust
Be born anew

Click here to view the table of contents and here to read an excerpt.