A Rule for Living

One saying attributed to Jesus is: “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” (John 15:4) I interpret this teaching to be about staying in touch with our true eternal Self, ‘that of God’ within, and allowing the Inner Light to guide us.

Historically, monastic communities have lived by a Rule. (An example is the Rule of St Benedict, written around 530 AD.) Recently, I’ve been drawn to creating and adopting a personal Rule which, when I follow it, can help me to cultivate Presence and remain more consistently in the Vine. This isn’t about a set of requirements for me to adhere to rigidly for their own sake. To borrow from another of Jesus’ teachings, “The Sabbath was made for us, not we for the Sabbath.”

Adopting a personal Rule is about living intentionally. Following a rhythm in daily life can help me to stay focused on entering into and dwelling within what Jesus called the ‘Kingdom of God’. For me, the Kingdom is not a place but a state of being. It is the awareness of the Presence of God. Acts of kindness, inner peace and other fruits of the Spirit will flow when we enter God’s Presence (here, now) and attend to the promptings of love and truth in our hearts.

I’ve kept my Rule short and simple. In discerning what to include, I’ve asked which of the practices I’ve already been following (though perhaps inconsistently) I have found most helpful in keeping me centred? What makes the biggest difference in how present I am and in how I live out my faith in the world? I’ve been honest about what I am ready to make a commitment to do regularly – even on those days when I’m tired, or don’t feel like it. For example, there’s no point in adopting a Rule that I’ll get up at 6am every day, go for a run and then meditate for an hour before breakfast if, after a day or two, I decide that’s too much for me and I quickly abandon a morning discipline altogether. I’ve also included one practice which I haven’t been doing very often, but which (informed by one of the Quaker advices and queries) I sense would be valuable to embed in my weekly routine.

I’ve arrived at three practices I’m going to commit to every day, four others that I’ll do one or more times a week, and two – including reflecting on the Rule and refining it in the light of experience – that I’ll do once a month.

What practices might you be ready to commit to as a way of helping you to dwell more consistently in the Vine, and to live with presence and love?