There is a several hundred-year old spiritual practice called lectio divina or divine reading. It is a way of ritually reading the Bible and reflecting on it. He has modified the practice for UUs and sends out an email every day with a brief reading. So far, none of them have been from the Bible. Here's how he describes it:
The purpose: a daily spiritual practice to help spark our moral imagination and set our moral compass as individuals (Emerson called it “provocative reading”). It can also help establish a common spiritual conversation that will further unite us as a community of faith.
The practice: sit comfortably and take a few deep breaths to remind your body that it’s time to focus—any time of day (as short or long as you like), anywhere you have time to yourself.1. Reading: read the day’s text carefully several times, preferably aloud.
2. Reflection: ask yourself which word or phrase provokes your attention. Why that word or that phrase? You may wish to jot the word or phrase in a journal. Reflect for a short time on the word or phrase and ponder what it evokes in you. Make a note or two.
3. Intention: ask yourself what purpose your reading and reflection suggests for you on this day. Set a specific intention that you can reasonably fulfill. Perhaps jot it down.
4. Contemplation: expand your awareness from intention to gratitude. Remind yourself that the world is full of untapped wisdom and your life is full of unrealized potential. Note a couple of things for which you’re especially grateful.
If you wish, end your practice with the final two lines of the All Souls benediction: “This is the day we are given; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
I have been doing this (well, most of it most of the time) every day since I returned from GA. My best friend is also doing it. If lots of UUCA people did it, we'd begin to have common readings that we might refer to in conversations with each other. If you want to get in on the practice, sign up on the All Souls website.
