Process

Galaxy image from Hubble

Practice is process. The key to practice is establishing a daily mental and physical process in life. In a humanist practice, that process is based in health promotion, consciousness raising and compassionate action. The emphasis on process rather than detail is essential to living a life of practice. Obsession on details can trigger inattention and dysfunction. Focus on process enables the handling of a wide variety of details from a position of personal confidence and vision. 

If I attempt to treat everyone I meet with a level of attention and compassion which is consistent with my humanist values, I am living my practice. This is a process which, over time, will increase my capacity to deal with all people from a humanist perspective. If I attempt to approach every situation from the perspective of my humanist values, I will gradually increase my capacity to live my humanist values in every situation. 

I do not consider this mastery. Mastery implies a conflict or obstacle that does not have to exist within me or between me and my environment. I consider developing a humanist practice a form of personal liberation. Freeing my human feelings and accepting them for what they are allows me to be more accepting and understanding of others. Putting aside the attempted control by others in unjust authority of religion or social conformity is a first step to this liberation. Opening the mind and eyes to what it really means to be a living being on this planet in a vast Universe begins the healing and liberating process which leads to a practice of joy, discovery and compassion.