Tag: spiritual life

Spiritual Maintenance: Small Choices, Daily Practice

by Minister Gordon Street

As I approach 38 years of sobriety, one lesson from Alcoholics Anonymous continues to guide me: my spiritual life needs daily attention. The years have given me experience, but I still need to practice what helps me live well today. I need honesty when I would rather avoid something, humility when I need help, and willingness to release what I cannot control. Recovery has taught me that spiritual growth happens in the choices I make throughout an ordinary day.

These practices have something to offer everyone. Honesty asks, “What am I feeling, and what am I avoiding?” Humility asks, “Where do I need help?” Surrender asks, “What am I trying to control that isn’t mine to control?” Accountability invites us to acknowledge and repair harm. Connection makes room to listen—to God, another person, or our own conscience. Service asks what we can offer without needing recognition. We can bring these questions into our homes, congregations, workplaces, and communities.

Recovery Spirituality in Action is my ministry of presence, listening, and love. I help people connect or reconnect with the God of their understanding and put spiritual principles into practice in everyday life. For me, spiritual maintenance is a way of responding to unconditional love and freely given grace. We keep learning, asking for help, and returning to what sustains us. Whatever your spiritual path, I invite you to begin with one question: What needs my attention today? If you would like to explore these practices together, I welcome you to reach out.

Divinity in Daily Life: Busy Times as Spiritual Practice

by Rev. Teresa Blythe

To get better at something we consider challenging, we have to practice. You know what’s hard for me in spiritual direction? Exploring with a client ways to deepen in relationship with God when they are truly and unavoidably busy. Spiritual directors are not “fixers,” yet I’m always tempted to suggest ways to squeeze more time out of a packed person’s day. Never, ever have my suggestions on this when I gave them worked. I’m especially cautious about doing this to caregivers of people who are ill, elderly, disabled or who have young children in their lives.

As I was reading Mirabai Starr’s amazing book, Wild Mercy: Living the Fierce and Tender Wisdom of the Women Mystics, I came across her beautiful reflection on this. She tells the story of her friend Asha, mother to four girls, who came to the conclusion that “unless she focused on parenting as a spiritual practice, she would have no spiritual life.” (p 122) Overworked people could substitute any number of responsibilities for the word “parenting” in that statement.

That’s the reality! If we say that all of life is spiritual, then the practice of daily life is a good part of our spiritual practice. For caregivers, the act of giving unconditional love to your loved one has to connect you to God. It just has to! Especially since those of us who are Christians constantly refer to God as Comforter, Restorer, Father and Mother.

What part of your life do you need to begin to see and experience as spiritual practice? Is it cooking a healthy meal? Taking an afternoon walk? Sharing tea with a friend? Or maybe even staring at the wall when you are too tired to do anything but.

I have always loved how spiritual director and storyteller Mark Yaconelli looks at it. He is fond of asking people what daily activities really get them excited? Then when they name it, he says, “go and do that.” Do it with all the exuberance and life you have.

I’m convinced that’s the kind of practice that makes the Divine One happy.