Photo by Johnny Caspari on Unsplash
Date: January 15
Since 2008, the Feast for the Soul is observed from January 15 through February 23. You can commit to deepening your practice during the Feast or any other time of year. Practicing the Feast for the Soul is one way of working towards Martin Luther King's concept of the Beloved Community.
The annual Feast for the Soul unites people in their commitment to a 40-day practice of stillness. Many commit to 40 minutes of spiritual practice each morning of the Feast and report transformational effects form their commitment. The Feast for the Soul embraces all forms of spiritual practice, whatever allows you to bask in a period of peace in your daily life. Whether it is winter or summer where you are in January, we hope you will join the more than 20,000 people worldwide who participate each year.
Go to the main page of Feast for the Soul to learn more than is offered here and to sign up to receive current updates and review last year's offerings.
Thousands of people worldwide observe the Feast, so you are in good company.
Think of the Feast as an intensive — a spiritual practice retreat. It’s a 40-day period during which you dedicate 40 minutes each day to your spiritual practice all while living the life you already live. Whether you are practicing for 40 days of your choosing, or you are joining the annual observance of the Feast from January 15-February 23, the Feast is a wonderful opportunity to transform your perspective and your life.
You don’t have to head into a monastic setting. Instead, you’ll incorporate the deepening of your spiritual practice where you live. Though your life may be busy with work, taking care of your family, and spending time with friends, during the Feast it is possible to reclaim and put your spiritual life first.
How to embark on the Feast.
- Set a Practice Space: How you prepare your inner and outer spaces as you move through the Feast sets the tone for the season and the year ahead. Find a comfortable, quiet place in your home where you can do your daily practice. Perhaps you create a temporary space that you maintain throughout the Feast. You can create an altar of sorts, with candles, incense, objects that remind you of your commitment, and by lighting a candle, burning some incense, and playing meditative music.
- Set a Practice Time: Choose a time in the morning when you can dive deep into your practice for 40 minutes. Or, set aside two 20-minute sessions. Whatever your spiritual practice is, whether you choose to pray, meditate, read sacred texts, or give yourself time for reflection and creativity, you can participate in the Feast.
- Join the Feast Meditation Support Group on Facebook: Spiritual Practice is a solitary endeavor, however, you can benefit by practicing with others and sharing what is going on for you. If you’d like to receive support for your practice with others online, join the official support group on Facebook.
- Sign up to receive inspirational emails during the Feast.
