The very word Spirit can bring up a lot of connotations, and they’re probably different for everyone. Here we are not taking about a boxed in idea that is ensnared in old definitions and tied to our upbringing.

I like the word spirit because it is very general, and I like that it’s etymology traces back to the word breathe. The Muskogee Indians’ word for God meant “The Master of Breath.” There are other wisdom traditions that equate God’s name, I AM, with the sound of the breath. 

There are names galore for the great I AM, and whichever one you want to use is fine. You can just call it Consciousness if you want. Try to give others the freedom to use their own words, too. I think you’ll see we’re all pointing at the same Great Unnamable.

The WAN Map is a cornucopia of awareness practices. As we practice, we are led into more subtle realms of experience, always more alive and engaged in narrative-free presence. Our True nature is what’s left when The Net, is very much easier to see through. 

If the Awareness Wheel is about cultivating direct experience of our blindspots in order be freed from our attachment to them, the Spirit Wheel is for accessing the benevolent reality that contains all experience. 

Practices in the Spirit Wheel include letting things be for a little while. We rest from the imaginary world our mental constructs create, and see what it’s like to be free of their noise.

We’ll come to realize is that our true nature is inherently joyful, free, and present and we don’t have to do anything to create that.

It’s fascinating to see how each wisdom tradition expresses One Thing at its heart. Our Spirit Wheel doesn’t explore anything without relating it to the One Thing. Concepts are wonderful, but they are meant to point to something. On their own, concepts are basically entertainment, and people can go a lifetime being entertained by the idea of awakening. How do we get to where they point? 

In the Celebrate Slice, we practice resting in the space that’s free of The Net. We embrace our visceral momentary experience by using our awareness. We become more comfortable with the unknown, allowing ourselves to be guided by intuition instead of shoulds or our automatic default mode setting. 

In the Nourish Slice we respond to our body’s needs in the moment, feeling a sense of what’s called for next. There is no formula for this. Self-care is not a great word here because it can carry a connotation of pampering which may not be what is needed at the time. We rest our old habit of constantly taking actions without turning inward and instead let ourselves be guided by creativity.

The Heal Slice is the Fellowship Wheel on steroids. Our freedom from strife in relationships opens the door to expressing unconfined generosity and deep healing with others, which intensifies our sense of presence even more. 

The Liberate Slice is not a set of practices. It’s who we are. We find ourselves resting here more often as we grow in awareness through the other Wheels. Ultimately, we can live our everyday lives in a timeless, spacious, astonishingly marvelous paradigm, even as the ups and downs of life play out.

Writer Mark Nepo reminds us that when some medieval monks were asked how they practiced their spirituality they said by falling down and getting up. Our practices here help us do both with curiosity and strength. 

Ideally, we don’t want to do the “I do not like Green Eggs and Ham” attitude. Our task is creativity. We challenge ourselves with being open. With each practice we ask, can I experiment to see if the Heart, the One Taste, the Real Human Presence can be touched on through THIS practice? 

There’s no pressure. Take what you like and leave the rest. If we find that certain parts of the Spirit Wheel irritate us, we head back to the Awareness Wheel to see why. 

If we hang on to the details of philosophy/dogma/doctrine we might be worming our way out of what we’re really here for. Let’s not let our hang-ups about the way some people, who are obviously clogged up with blindspots, give wisdom traditions a bad name. If we keep our focus on our own journey, our own felt sense of being, we will be led by the One Thing back to the One Thing.

Some people call the one thing Love, but whatever word you use for it, remember it’s recognized by its openness and warmth.