Inner Work

For the week of October 23, 2006

Group Power

The spiritual power of a group seems to grow exponentially with the number of participants. Even with the smallest group, when two people practice together they multiply their possibilities and deepen their experience. When we meditate, chant, or pray with others, we enter a sacred space, a vessel created by our shared intention. The choice to participate fully in the event merges our individual will into the joint spiritual action of the group, forming a far greater will. This group will temporarily and mysteriously becomes our own will, empowering our practice in those moments. In addition, the act of opening to participate in the group will trains us toward opening to participate in the Divine Will.

Of course, many things can go wrong and impair the effectiveness of the group action: any ego-driven orientation, inappropriate attempts to dominate, doubts or fears about the group or the practice, inadequate understanding of the practice, or less than wholehearted willingness to engage in the shared effort. The limiting factors are the intention of each person involved and the inherent qualities of the chosen practice.

The surface experience of well-conducted group practice appears as our taking the practice more seriously than when alone and having an enhanced ability to enter it. This is priceless, matched on an individual basis only by certain exceptional practices, like fasting.

For this week, if you have a group with which you meditate or pray, notice and embrace the difference between that and your lone spiritual work. If you do not have a group, consider joining or creating one, even a group of two.

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