Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat are a New York couple who have devoted their careers to enabling people to develop their spiritual lives. They came up with what they called the ‘Alphabet of Spiritual Literacy’, little nuggets of suggestions as to how we might infuse our daily lives with spiritual meaning. Here is the first few letters of their alphabet.
A
Attention
Pay attention. Stay awake and totally alert. See with receptive eyes and discover a world of ceaseless wonders.
B
Beauty
Walk the path of beauty. Relish and encourage its inward and outward expressions. Acknowledge the radiance of the creation.
Being Present
Live in the present moment. Don’t obsess about the past or worry about the future. All you need is right here now.
C
Compassion
Open your heart, mind, and soul to the pain and suffering in the world. Reach out to others and discover the rewards and obligations of deep feeling.
Connections
Cultivate the art of making connections. See how your life is intimately related to all life on the planet.
D
Devotion
Express your feelings of praise and adoration through devotional practices. Pray with words and pray through your actions.
E
Enthusiasm
Celebrate life with this intoxication passion. It adds zest to everything and helps build community. Hold nothing back.
F
Faith
Recognize and accept that there is another dimension to life than what is obvious to us. Live with obstacles, doubt, and paradox, knowing that God is always present in the world.