'I guess there's more to life than working on spirituality' … so said the words in a recent email conversation.
Spirituality is counter-cultural. It has no monetary value; it can't be bought or sold. You can't brag about it like a ‘hole-in-one’ or a new boat. It doesn't bring you prestige in the eyes of others like an address in the 'right' section of town or sending your children to the 'right' (read expensive) school. It doesn't come with visible results like a gym membership or working with a personal trainer.
Working on one’s spirituality is hard and exhausting work. It will require that you change. It will probably turn your life upside down…especially any long-held or closely-guarded beliefs. It requires as much dedication as training to run the marathon does. And just as training to run a marathon does, it affects every aspect of your life. So really, why would anyone work on it?
It is common these days to speak of a person as having three parts: mind, body and soul.
We spend a lot of time on the body, making sure it is exercised, fed healthy foods, and worrying about the image we project to the world… are we too old, too thin, not old enough, too wrinkled, etc. And we are told by the commercials on TV and in print, that this is right and good to do.
Society’s emphasis on the importance of getting a university education, even though the job’s available are mainly in the trades, makes one type of learning one type of mind, seen as preeminently preferable. However we all stimulate our minds with the type of books we read, the TV shows and movies we watch and the conversations we have with others.
The Spirit, to many, is more ephemeral. It is largely ignored by society at large as something passing, transitory, and of little importance. You hear people spoken of as ‘hot-headed’, ‘ambitious’, or ‘vain’, among other things. Occasionally someone may be ordered by the courts to take an anger-management course. But rarely do you heard of someone who sets out to work on their spirituality just because that is the right thing to do. Spirituality is the essence of who you are, and who you are informs both what you do with the body and with the mind. Who you are is why you act the way you do; why you choose to watch the movies you watch and read the books you read; even why your friends are who they are.
Spirituality, for me, is what ties all of life together into a homogeneous whole. It provides the map, if you like, for the body and the mind. So to return to the quote at the beginning, I wouldn't say that there is more to life then working on your spirituality. I would say that life at its deepest and best is doing exactly that, exploring, refining, and honing your spirituality.
How are you working on deepening your spirituality today?
Spirituality is counter-cultural. It has no monetary value; it can't be bought or sold. You can't brag about it like a ‘hole-in-one’ or a new boat. It doesn't bring you prestige in the eyes of others like an address in the 'right' section of town or sending your children to the 'right' (read expensive) school. It doesn't come with visible results like a gym membership or working with a personal trainer.
Working on one’s spirituality is hard and exhausting work. It will require that you change. It will probably turn your life upside down…especially any long-held or closely-guarded beliefs. It requires as much dedication as training to run the marathon does. And just as training to run a marathon does, it affects every aspect of your life. So really, why would anyone work on it?
It is common these days to speak of a person as having three parts: mind, body and soul.
We spend a lot of time on the body, making sure it is exercised, fed healthy foods, and worrying about the image we project to the world… are we too old, too thin, not old enough, too wrinkled, etc. And we are told by the commercials on TV and in print, that this is right and good to do.
Society’s emphasis on the importance of getting a university education, even though the job’s available are mainly in the trades, makes one type of learning one type of mind, seen as preeminently preferable. However we all stimulate our minds with the type of books we read, the TV shows and movies we watch and the conversations we have with others.
The Spirit, to many, is more ephemeral. It is largely ignored by society at large as something passing, transitory, and of little importance. You hear people spoken of as ‘hot-headed’, ‘ambitious’, or ‘vain’, among other things. Occasionally someone may be ordered by the courts to take an anger-management course. But rarely do you heard of someone who sets out to work on their spirituality just because that is the right thing to do. Spirituality is the essence of who you are, and who you are informs both what you do with the body and with the mind. Who you are is why you act the way you do; why you choose to watch the movies you watch and read the books you read; even why your friends are who they are.
Spirituality, for me, is what ties all of life together into a homogeneous whole. It provides the map, if you like, for the body and the mind. So to return to the quote at the beginning, I wouldn't say that there is more to life then working on your spirituality. I would say that life at its deepest and best is doing exactly that, exploring, refining, and honing your spirituality.
How are you working on deepening your spirituality today?
Another good one, Lynn. When life is difficult, I remember how much more solid I feel when I am regularly praying and meditating and doing the stuff I need to do to feel grounded....sometimes that means cleaning out a closet!
ReplyDeleteCarol