Our actions, emotions, and thoughts are animated in and through the spiritual dimension that makes us human. It’s the vitality of the human spirit that seeks expression in the things we think, do, say, and feel.
It’s common sense that the other dimensions of our lives need to be properly nurtured for our own good. For example, a friend of mine told me the other day that he received results from his doctor regarding his annual check-up. His cholesterol was a bit high. While it’s not high enough for medication, he knows he needs to eat more foods that are lower in cholesterol and exercise more to maintain a healthy heart. Another friend, whose mother has Alzheimer’s disease, shared with me that she regularly does puzzles and other activities designed to maintain brain health. We know what it takes to maintain a healthy body and a sound mind. While we don’t always do the things we should, we still know what it takes.
What about maintaining a healthy spirit?
People interested in spirituality know the importance of spiritual practices, particularly various forms of meditation. Each morning, I spend time twenty or thirty minutes in quiet to begin my day. Often, though not often enough, I’ll take time for prayer and meditation at some other point in the day. This daily rhythm nurtures my spirit, keeps me mentally focused, and better enables me to have a positive outlook on life. This basic spiritual practice enables me to better recognize beauty and wonder in life. When I don’t attend to a regular practice of contemplation, those closest to me will notice because my outlook and disposition are just not the same.
Many people find quiet meditation to be a difficult practice. To that end, I’ve always appreciated Swiss writer Hans von Balthazar’s basic rule of prayer: pray as you can; don’t pray as you can’t. In other words, if a practice of silent meditation works well for you, and then do it. But if it doesn’t work for you, don’t try to fit yourself into a mold. Instead, find other ways to nurture your spirit.
In the midst of a busy life, many people find the appreciation of beauty as something that nurtures their soul. The appreciation of beauty may come from spending time in nature and being present to the wonder of trees, flowers, mountains, ocean waves, or desert sands. Other people may appreciate beauty in the arts and music. Still others from writing or poetry.
Another way to nurture the soul is to just slow down and focus on what is happening at that moment. Multi-tasking is prized in our complex culture. Multi-tasking requires a great deal of energy. Doing the opposite, focusing fully on what is at hand in the present moment, causes an internal shift of attention. In that shift, one may be present to a depth of being in that moment which otherwise may be missed.
Like maintaining the other dimensions of our lives, nurturing the spiritual dimension of life is important for our health and well-being. As Rhineland mystic, Meister Eckhart described in the 13th Century: the power of Spirit is that Spirit keeps us green. Yes, green and fresh with life: this is the potency that comes from nurturing the spirit within us.
What a soul takes in by contemplation that she pours out in love.
Meister Eckhart
Thanks. This is a beautiful post, and a great reminder that no one spirit practice works for everyone. I also find that sometimes my soul craves the silence of meditation and other times the solace of the trees. Still other times, my soul actually needs to be among the modern world with friends and family. Knowing how and when to nourish the soul and spirit is so, so important, and too often we forget to ask it what it needs. I know I forget all the time. Thanks for this great reminder.