As you continue to develop your own spiritual practice, do you wonder if you should explore prayers or spiritual practices from other traditions? But then decide against it because you aren’t a part of that religion? I personally have found exploring other traditions to be enriching in my life. If something speaks to you – a verse, a prayer, a sacred text – then I’d encourage you to go further with it. There’s beauty and value in all of the wisdom traditions. Matthew Fox in his book, One River, Many Wells, speaks of no religion being the mother of the ocean, rather the ocean is mother of all things. Even though it may be hard for us to picture, our religions are recent in time, in comparison to the time that human beings have existed. “Spirit is …. full of energy and free to choose its own path.” M. Fox Our current times seem to be calling for a “deep ecumenism” which teaches us that every religious tradition is a path to the Divine. It makes sense that we can best be of service to humanity when we respect other religious paths, but also when we explore and collaborate with our shared work of healing the world. One of my favorites practices from Hinduism is chanting mantras. One I use regularly whenever I’m facing a challenge of some kind in my life is OM GAM GANESHAYA NAMAHA (ohm gung gah-nay-shah-yah nah-mah-hah). Ganesha is the name of the Hindu deity and represents the power that is present in everything, as the power behind all power. This mantra, translated, says, “Lord, God of hosts, I invoke you.”Or “Ganesha, through whose power everything is possible, no obstacle can stand in Your way.”This has been a great comfort and a support to me whenever I’ve faced obstacles in my life. Through exploring the sacred texts and spiritual practices of other traditions, you can experience the many gifts they offer and ……..
What speaks to you from other traditions? What prayers or practices touch you or resonate with you? Thich Nhat Hanh says it beautifully with these words. “When you touch someone who authentically represents a tradition, you not only touch his or her tradition, you also touch your own. Through the practice of deep looking and deep listening, we become free, able to see the beauty and values in our own and others’ tradition.” I encourage you to explore other wisdom traditions and find the nourishment that can be offered to you. A single path doesn’t always contain all of the nutrients we need in life. When we explore other traditions, our own spiritual practice is enriched and we bring healing and peace into the world.
You can listen to an audio of the Ganesha mantra here LINKin my Free Healing Library where you will find many resources available to support you in your spiritual practice.
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About JeannineI was born in London, England, educated in Switzerland, and am fluent in English, German, Spanish, and French. I hold a Doctorate in Ministry Degree and Masters Degrees in Counseling Psychology and Education. Also, I am an accomplished artist and educator. I use all of this and much more when helping others heal their souls. Archives
June 2022
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