What is your spiritual practice?

Sometimes I am asked this question by people who are interested in what develops me spiritually.
And many people talk about having a spiritual practice.
Meditation? Yoga? Self-inquiry? Chanting?

If you were to ask spiritual teachers, Gangaji or Eli Jaxon-Bear, they might explain that a practice is like trying to practice something to get somewhere. Like, repeating and repeating something to get better at something or to get to a particular end. Whereas they would point to what is here in the stillness, right now.
https://youtu.be/D7a15IYdotQ?si=c7AIS7d_sDCp8qZc

I don’t have a meditation practice though I often sit quietly. And I had thought that I don’t have a practice.

However, I have recently realized that I do have a practice.
It is noticing.

That might sound simple and it is, though I don’t always remember. But is it to get me somewhere? I am not sure that I have this intention. I am being vague because maybe I do, unconsciously. Maybe it is a technique or a strategy. I don’t know whether these words explain it and I don’t feel the need to explain it.

Here are some examples:

1. I notice a body sensation which might lead to a thought about what that means or even a fear about the future. But then in noticing the thoughts, I come back to just noticing the sensation. I stop the thoughts. So just noticing the sensation keeps me in the moment.

2. I notice a judgement of someone else. I might think that what they are doing is not right. And when I notice the judgemental thought, I stop. Just stop. And then I notice whatever is in the next moment.

3. I might notice that anger is here in me, actually, in my body. A few thoughts might pop up trying to figure out why I feel angry and I notice and I stop. Then I just notice the anger.

In these examples, you can see that there is a sensation or a thought or an emotion, which one could call a trigger. The trigger immediately leads to a thought. And it is the thoughts that cause havoc in us.

Can I notice without thinking? Yes, no words, no thoughts.

Can you?

As I write this I look outside at the garden and notice the trees – I am not thinking about them, just noticing, while inside me is silence.

Noticing also means that I notice when I leave the silence that is deep inside.

If you would like to listen to me talk about this topic, here is a link to a video on my YouTube channel.
https://youtu.be/gSLzbHS_XUQ

If you wish to explore your spirituality with me as a support, please be in touch.