The Essence of Spiritual Practices

 What is the essence of Spiritual Practices?

The essence of Spiritual Practices or for that matter any practice is to "breathe consciously" and become aware of the presence of awareness.

While breathing consciously you are focusing on any of the following:

• the breath itself
• the breath moving in and out at entry and exit point of nostrils
• the soft sound of breath hhhssss at entry and exit point of nostrils
• the breath moving in and out and along with that movement of breath, movement within the body from upper portion of lungs to the abdomen and reverse
• the spiritual heart (anāhata chakra)
• the pit of throat
• the sound of breath that it makes at the pit of the throat
• moving consciously along the spine from mulādhāra (coccyx) to kūṭastha (ājna chakra) along with the movement of breath
• focusing just at kūṭastha (ājna chakra)
• chanting some syllables along with the inhalation and exhalation
• the movement of energy from uvula to up into the sahasrāra
• just awareness or nothingness

After any one of the above practices are strengthened and high efficiency is obtained due to effective conscious method of practice, one can go beyond the mind or thoughts and become aware of the presence of awareness. One can just become aware of the stillness and silence that is ever present within.