ON SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
The Centered Cross is more than a symbol—it is a path. Introduced in The Unitive Way as a map of human nature, it invites us to live in radical wholeness by honoring the fullness of our being. At the Center lies presence, the still point from which movement radiates in every direction. From that Center extend four lines—upward toward transcendence, downward into immanence, leftward into communion, and rightward into agency.
To walk the Centered Cross is to engage in a multidimensional spiritual life. It is not enough to cultivate awareness in a single direction—toward God, self, others, or the Earth. Wholeness requires a rhythm of returning and reaching, grounding and rising. This essay explores each of the four directions as a vital movement of soul, offering a simple practice for each. These are not the only practices, nor can a single essay exhaust the richness of this spiritual map—but they serve as entry points for the journey of integration.
The Upward Path: Transcendence
The upward-facing line of the Cross points us toward transcendence—the soul’s innate desire to rise beyond ego, to reach toward Spirit, to attune to something greater than the sum of our parts. It is the path of vision, aspiration, and vertical alignment. We experience it in moments of awe, surrender, or deep stillness—when the veil of separation thins and we glimpse the Infinite.
But like all movements, transcendence has its shadow. It can tempt us into spiritual bypassing, dissociation, or the denial of our embodied and relational lives. The antidote is presence—presence not just with Spirit, but with the moment itself.
Practice: Mindfulness Meditation
Set aside 10–20 minutes daily to sit in silence. Gently bring attention to the breath, allowing thoughts to arise and fall without clinging or resistance. Return to the breath, again and again, as an anchor to the Now. Let the silence be enough. Let the vertical channel open—not by striving upward, but by becoming still enough to receive.
Mindfulness meditation trains the mind to rest in awareness. Over time, the upward movement of transcendence becomes less about escape and more about spaciousness—a clarity that embraces everything from the Center.
The Downward Path: Immanence
The downward-facing line leads us into immanence—the descent into the body, the Earth, and the sacred details of ordinary life. Where transcendence seeks beyond, immanence reveals within. It is the dimension of grounding, incarnation, and embodiment. It teaches us to find holiness not in the heavens but in the soles of our feet.
The shadow of immanence is stagnation or overidentification with form. When we lose contact with the transcendent, we may become spiritually flattened—unable to see beyond what is. But rootedness is not the enemy of vision. It is the foundation of true presence.
Practice: Body-Centered Meditation (e.g., Yoga or Tai Chi)
Choose a gentle, flowing practice that integrates breath with movement. Yoga and Tai Chi are both excellent for this, but even a mindful walk can suffice. As you move, bring full attention to the sensations of the body: the stretch of muscle, the contact with the ground, the rhythm of your breath. Let your body become your altar. Let gravity be your teacher.
This practice invites us to feel the sacred in our flesh. It grounds the soul’s flight in the temple of the body. It teaches that the Divine is not just “up there” but also right here, breathing through muscle, blood, and bone.
The Leftward Path: Communion
The left-facing line reaches toward communion—connection, relationship, mutuality. It is the dimension of spiritual sisterhood and brotherhood, of belonging and collective care. Here we remember that we are not isolated individuals but nodes in a great web of interbeing. Communion is where wounds are held in relationship, where empathy and solidarity flourish.
The shadow of communion is codependency or loss of self in the group. When the Center is forgotten, relationship becomes a place of escape rather than authenticity. But when rooted in presence, communion becomes sacred encounter.
Practice: Justice Work as Spiritual Practice
Engage in a concrete act of justice or compassion in your community. This could mean joining a mutual aid network, attending a protest, volunteering with a service organization, or simply standing in solidarity with someone who is suffering. Before and after the action, pause to reflect: Where did I meet the sacred in this work? Where did I resist it?
By practicing social engagement as a form of spiritual practice, we reclaim activism as communion. We remember that love is not just a feeling but a force. And we walk with others not out of charity, but from the deep knowing that none of us is free until all are free.
The Rightward Path: Agency
The right-facing line affirms agency—will, individuality, self-expression. It is the part of us that creates, risks, and takes responsibility for shaping our lives. Agency is the place of sovereignty, where we act not from compulsion or conformity, but from inner alignment.
Its shadow is control, ego inflation, or detachment from others. But when balanced with communion and grounded in the Center, agency becomes sacred initiative—the courage to say “yes” to one’s calling.
Practice: Journaling from the Center
Set a regular time to journal. Begin with the question: What wants to move through me today? Let the words come without censorship. Reflect on where you feel called to act, create, or speak truth. Use the page as a mirror—not to fix yourself, but to witness the unfolding self with honesty and care. Learn from everything you write—conscious word or unconscious typo (Freudian slips and such).
Journaling can clarify purpose and strengthen the inner voice. It transforms self-reflection from navel-gazing into a sacred conversation with one’s deepest knowing. It reminds us that agency is not about control, but about participation with the unfolding of life.
Returning to the Center
Each of these movements—upward, downward, leftward, rightward—offers a doorway into realization. But none of them is complete in itself. To live the Unitive Way is to walk all four paths, again and again, returning always to the Center.
The Center is not a fixed destination. It is a presence we return to each time we pause, breathe, and listen for what is most true. It is the place where transcendence and immanence kiss, where communion and agency meet—not in tension, but in harmony.
In future posts, I’ll explore deeper practices and patterns that arise from this sacred geometry. For now, let these four simple practices open a gateway:
– Sit in silence and rise into clarity.
– Move with breath and descend into presence.
– Serve in love and reach across the human family.
– Write with honesty and speak your soul.
This is how we walk the Centered Cross.
This is how we come home to wholeness.
