Balancing
Act II
“The
spiritual journey is one that we must take 'alone together,' in the
same way that a good marriage involves a dance between solitude and
communion. The life of the spirit entails a continuous alternation
between retreating into oneself and going out into the world: it's
and inward-outward journey. There is a solitary part to it, but that
solitude helps us to develop richer and more in-depth relationships
with our friends, our children, our community, and the political
world.”
Sam Keen
Finding balance between
communion and solitude is one of the great challenges of modern life.
We enter the workplace on a daily basis with the nonstop movement of
nuclear particles—rushing is what we do best. Then we go home and
the demands of family accost us and absorb whatever residual vitality
we may have had. Our community, our places of worship, our
friendships, while deeply desirable, all require energy and attention
to maintain. What usually gets skipped for lack of time and fortitude
is our personal solitude; our time to refresh, recharge and reflect.
Sometimes that's okay.
When our families are young and demanding, when there is more to do
than hours in the day, we have to sacrifice something. We have to
prioritize. So we come to the end of each day, of each week, and say
to ourselves, tomorrow I will set aside some time for me. Then
tomorrow comes with its list of necessary activities, and once again
we fling ourselves into the melee. No wonder we typically don't delve
into our spirituality until the second half of life. That's the first
time we can catch a deep breath and a minute to ourselves.
Developing a rich
spiritual life is one of the great boons of aging. The time comes
when we can step away from the noise of hyper-mobility, and quietly
go within to contemplate what truly matters to us. It's like knocking
on a door you've always known about but never tried, and having it
opened by your dearest friend. Here, in the silence of your own
solitude, you can find what is substantial and solid about you. Going
inside, you discover all that you have learned along the way, and how
much you have to offer the people you love, and the world in which
you live. When you come out again, you bring your sacred presence
with you. Because you have taken the time to deepen your relationship
with yourself, your other relationships will bloom as well.
As crazy, demanding, and
intoxicating as life in the fast lane is, taking time to recharge
your inner batteries will make it even richer and more satisfying.
Take at least fifteen minutes today to inquire within—your dearest
friend is waiting there with a cup of tea and a cookie just for you.
In the Spirit,
Jane
No comments:
Post a Comment