Feeling
Free
“If
you feel free only when you meditate, you're not really free. Freedom
does not come from turning your back on your responsibilities. The
game is to be in the world but not of it. Even when you find yourself
feeling spaced out, disoriented, or untogether, you can make an extra
effort to meet the needs of the moment, whether it's the baby's
diapers that need changing or your income tax that is due. Don't make
meditation a cop-out from life.”
Ram
Dass (Journey of Awakening)
The
spiritual life, regardless of the tradition you follow, is not meant
to replace 'real life'. We must keep one foot in this world at all
times. Whether we live in a cloistered convent or a bustling city,
prayer and meditation are intended to support life in the world.
The
proper purpose of a spiritual practice is to serve. Having oneself
grounded in awareness of the sacredness of everyday life is the goal.
Bringing the calm alertness of meditation into the business at hand
makes almost any kind of work a service. Having an unruffled presence
is a boon to every workplace. Other people feel it, and they respond in
kind.
Keeping
oneself grounded in the world is easy. Try washing the dishes instead
of putting them in the dishwasher; or mopping the bathroom and
scrubbing the toilet; or my favorite, cleaning out the basment.
Digging in the dirt is also a good way to find ground. Even if you
don't meditate, when you simply feel untethered and are having
trouble concentrating, get up and take out the trash, haul the
recycling to the curb, walk the dog. These too are sacred tasks.
Spirituality
does not occur only when we are in church, or praying, or meditating.
The 'kingdom of heaven' is all around us, within and without; we
can't escape it. What we can do is increase our awareness of it.
In
the spirit,
Jane
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