Sunday, December 30, 2007 at 1:01am
10 New Year's resolutions for spirituality
Column: Interesting Times
Spirit is infinite. Not bound by any age, location, nor even by gravity. Spirit lifts up, releases, frees and comforts us collectively and individually and 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.
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. Making a spiritual text your own is not the province of a closed mind. Pick a text: the Psalms of the Bible, the Bhagavad-Gita, Rumi or, for those who like an easier start, perhaps the works of Khalil Gibran. Commit to reading 10 minutes each and every day. The effect is immediate and cumulative, and it is your own.
4. Watch your thoughts. Listen and divide. 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 divide those from thoughts that echo revenge, loss and fear. Look for the profitable and hopeful.
5. Give up an opinion. Heavily weighted opinions wear us down. Give one up. You alone know which of your opinions, your prejudices, are a burden to you and the world. Let 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 is not a useless, dated, boring day 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. Andrew Weil has three simple breathing exercises that clear the mind and help with stress and 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 a fish tank brings serenity and comfort to experience. 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. We then end up where we started — steps to a spiritual life and connection.
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" was just published. Her email address is {email lynnebundesen@hotmail.com}lynnebundesen@hotmail.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Lynne Bundesen.
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.
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. Making a spiritual text your own is not the province of a closed mind. Pick a text: the Psalms of the Bible, the Bhagavad-Gita, Rumi or, for those who like an easier start, perhaps the works of Khalil Gibran. Commit to reading 10 minutes each and every day. The effect is immediate and cumulative, and it is your own.
4. Watch your thoughts. Listen and divide. 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 divide those from thoughts that echo revenge, loss and fear. Look for the profitable and hopeful.
5. Give up an opinion. Heavily weighted opinions wear us down. Give one up. You alone know which of your opinions, your prejudices, are a burden to you and the world. Let 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 is not a useless, dated, boring day 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. Andrew Weil has three simple breathing exercises that clear the mind and help with stress and 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 a fish tank brings serenity and comfort to experience. 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. We then end up where we started — steps to a spiritual life and connection.
— — —
Lynne Bundesen is the author of five books on religion and was adjunct professor at the Boston Theological Institute under a Templeton Science and Religion Grant. She is currently the spiritual expert for the physical and spiritual health website of Dr. Andrew Weil. Her book "The Feminine Spirit: Recapturing the Heart of Scripture" was just published. Her email address is {email lynnebundesen@hotmail.com}lynnebundesen@hotmail.com{/email}. © Copyright 2007 by Lynne Bundesen.