TEN SPIRITUAL PRACTICES FOR 2009

I find that every New Year – new resolutions are planned and seldom kept. I was thinking about how I lack faith. I lack faith in my abilities as a mom to raise and guide my child; I lack faith in my husband ability to simply pick-up the dry cleaning or feed the cat. I lack faith in others and I was starting to question my ability to believe. I want to believe in the goodness of others especially when I live in such a harsh and inpatient world. I am the caption on Impatience myself, most of my waking hours. And than I thought, maybe I lack spiritual guidance in my life. Maybe I need something more organized like a bible study, a commitment to walk into church every Sunday come rain or shine.

And than I cam across this article by By Lynne Bundesen in Dr. Weil’s Newsletter: Ten Spiritual Practices for 2009


As I read it and re-read it, I realized that I did not need something so concrete after all – I did need a commitment and that commitment was to me. To me; to change negative thoughts into positive outcomes, to reach out to someone who needed me, to not be so fixated on a schedule and to just learn to stop and relax. To let go and surrender to quietness, to modesty and to self change. This is what 2009 is about for me – not the number on the scale or restricting the number of carbohydrates I can consume on a daily basis. Not about my next career move or how I am going to get there.

I hope you enjoy this news letter as much as I did. It made me stop and think, truly think about what is important.

Ten Spiritual Practices for 2009

Spirit is infinite. It is not bound by any age, location, not even by gravity. Spirit lifts up, releases, frees and comforts us collectively and individually. It is often our only refuge and friend. It is a great paradox that the Infinite is found in small steps that can be taken at home, the office and on the road.

Not all of the following are "actions" in the traditional sense; some are subtle shifts of perspective that can ultimately be more powerful than any action we might take:

1. Resolving to bring Spirit nearer and dearer to us is the first step. Motives lead to action.
2. Don't be afraid of good. Good is natural, and though it may not seem as interesting as the convoluted byways of dramatic horror, good is enriching and normal.
3. Make a spiritual text your own. Pick one that speaks to you: The Psalms of the Bible; The Bhagavad-Gita; a poem by the Persian mystic Rumi, or for those who would like an easier start, perhaps the works of Khalil Gibran. Commit to reading ten minutes each and every day. The effect is both immediate and cumulative, and is unique to you alone.
   
4. Watch your thoughts. Listen and discern. We hear so much of our own thought that often the Voice of Spirit is distant and muffled. Listen to good ideas, ideas that benefit you and others, and elevate and nurture those above thoughts that urge revenge and fear. Look for the profitable and hopeful.
   
5. Give up an opinion. Heavily weighted opinions wear us down. Simply surrender one, let it go. You alone know which of your opinions, your prejudices, is a burden to you and the world. Let that one go. And then, another.
   
6. Take a day off. Once a week, take a day for not shopping, not watching television, and not participating in business. A Sabbath day is not a useless, outdated, boring concept but a day for refreshment, for walking, writing letters, arranging flowers, reading, cooking a meal that is better than usual, loving yourself and all the life around you. The world will survive without you and you will be the richer for the day.
   
7. Breathe deeply. Practice breathing. It's free. Dr. Weil has three simple breathing exercises that clear the mind and help to calm stress and create wholeness.
   
8. Adopt a pet. Yes, they can be a nuisance, but they can also add years to your life, provide solace, and give a focus outside the self. Even fish in a tank bring serenity and comfort. If a pet is not possible, bring plants into your home and take an interest in them, how they grow, what they need to thrive.
   
9. Walk. The view from the sidewalk, the park trail, the nature path is not the view from behind the wheel of a car. Look up and out and see what is around you with a 30-minute daily walk, no matter the weather. Remember the aphorism: there is no bad weather, only bad clothes.
   
10. Do something for someone else each day of your life. Count it a poor day when you have not volunteered, gone to a community, or church, or faith meeting, or taken cookies to a neighbor. We find our own spirituality in our connection to others' good. There is always something we can do for another and our motives lead us to action, a spiritual life, and a connection.

By Lynne Bundesen
DrWeil.com News