Simon P Walker

In one sense, Simon asserts that to depict 'spirituality' as a discreet discipline is entirely false. Spirituality is, by definition, that which penetrates all other areas of thought, action and life. Or perhaps, better, all life penetrates that which is spiritual, which is the ground of our being.

Simon's writing is, therefore, all spiritual, and there is nothing which cannot be said to be spiritual.

Perhaps the most vivid example of this integration is seen in the Rule of Life which is used by some members of The Leadership Community, and continues to offer shape to Simon's own posture in life. It is offered here with a benediction for any who seek a way of being in the world which is sustainable, open and receptive.

The Leadership Community
The Three Postures of the Rule of Life

FIRST POSTURE: RECEIVING

Our posture in the world is primarily that of receiving the goodness and generosity of the created order (and therefore, the Creator). This is in contrast to a postures of ‘giving to’ or ‘taking from’ which imply the priority of our initiative, power and action. As those who receive, we accept our contingency and co-dependency on the world, on our fellow humans and on God. We also presuppose that the world, as created, is essentially a generous gift to be received with gratitude.
Possible applications at a personal level (to be chosen by TLC members) include cultivating....
....a daily rhythm of receiving before giving or taking- through simple, personal acts of prayer, contemplation, meditation or praise
....a practice of pausing before taking meals to be grateful for gift to be received
....a weekly discipline of setting aside time, at the start of the new week, to look ahead and ‘receive the forthcoming tasks, work, pleasures and encounters as opportunities for growth.
....a seasonal practice of receiving the gifts, fruits and character of the season in one’s food and activities and work.
.... an annual discipline of beginning each forthcoming year with a day (or more) of retreat
.... an attitude throughout the day of thankfulness for the little things in life that we take for granted (rain, fruit juice for breakfast, a warm bed, a job, family....etc)
...a freedom to enjoy the delights, riches and goods of the world when they come to us without guilt
...a conscious check on our impatience, frustration or even rage when circumstances appear to conspire against us.
.... a decision to try to seek the benefits that may lie behind the difficulties, obstacles and inflictions which have, from time to time, to endure.

 Value 2. WELCOMING
Our commitment is to see others around us as friends whom we choose to welcome rather than threats to avoid or protect ourselves from. They are friends not on the basis of their behaviour, or their attractiveness to us, but on their shared createdness. Welcome involves a choice to basically trust others and implies vulnerability- making ourselves open to another, be that in conversation, time or resources. Welcome is not, however, indiscriminate; it is a privilege that we both enjoy and also choose to offer on the basis of appropriate acceptance of the implications. Closing the door on another may be both necessary and right when it is to protect the vulnerable and to make the other take responsibility for their actions.
Possible applications at a personal level (to be chosen by TLC members) including....
... cultivating patience and stillness to listen attentively to those we meet so that each person feels heard and not ignored, used or passed over
... resisting the temptation to condemn others who hold different beliefs; rather choosing to listen and understand their perspective and concerns in order to find ways to live as friends
... communicating clearly and authentically the beliefs we, or our community, hold so that it is apparent to others how they can relate to us, understand us and accept us.
... developing a commitment to help others understand the impact of their actions on us, or others, or the world, or themselves, so that they can better take responsibility.
.... choosing to consider encounters with strangers as potential meetings with friends- a gift, rather than a bind
... choosing to be particularly attentive in our lives, our time, our skill and our use of money to the vulnerable, dispossessed, homeless and lost in the world
... choosing to welcome visitors, both expected and unexpected, with generosity, as far as possible willing to share our home, time and food so that we might bless them as we have been blessed
... choosing to set aside a proportion of our time and/or money as a gift to be given away freely with no stake in the return, as an act of dependence, trust and generosity- to remind us that we do not live by bread alone but on the good gifts given to us by our Father in heaven.
... developing a practice of confessing to, asking for and receiving the forgiveness of those we may hurt
... seeking to hand over our anger at what has been wrongly done to us, rather than allowing it to fester and harden into bitterness. In this way seeking to find the will, resources and love to forgive those who hurt us.

 Value 3. STEWARDING
We understand that the world which we have been given is finite and that resources are not without limit. We also understand that the resources of our world are being consumed recklessly, unsustainably and unfairly, be they energy, food or space. We also understand that we are robbing, not only from other parts of the globe, but also from our children and our children’s children when we consume unsustainable resources. The obligation for all is to ‘tread lightly’ on our environment, be that environment emotional, social or biological, and to be deeply aware of the footprint we leave on the surface of our world.
Possible applications at a personal level (to be chosen by TLC members) including....
... choosing to limit our consumption of resources in line with what we need- energy, food, consumable etc- through efficiency, care, self-discipline and restraint.
...considering the impact of flying and driving in particular in our choice of transport to holidays and work.
....choosing to reduce the impact of our consumption on the planet by reducing waste- choosing products with little packaging, recycling effectively
....choosing to repair as far as possible rather than replace- including white goods, electronics, cars etc
...choosing to consider the origins of our goods and energy, the conditions of those who made or grew them, the impacts of the processes and chemicals used in their manufacture (switching to renewable energy supplies, or buying local produce for example)
....choosing to look after carefully what we do have so that they may last as long as possible
...choosing to renew our selves and our world by ‘harvesting renewable supplies’ of resources- energy (solar, wind etc), food (allotment, gardening through composting etc), exercise (cycling to work...)
....choosing to engage in cultivating and creative industry such that our net impact is positive not negative- social enterprise, creative or intellectual innovation, authorship etc...
...adding to the social capital of our neighbourhood through visiting elderly or sick people
...deepening and preserving bonds of trust in our family as a mediator or peacemaker
....preserving and deepening the relationships we have committed ourselves to so that they are sustained and endure with integrity and richness.
....working to protect social structures and institutions which deepen social capital and trust in society
...resisting the agendas of those that would exploit the world and its population
... cultivating our own skills as ‘gifts’ entrusted to us for the good of others, so that we can make the best contribution we can to the world in which we live