Developing a Supportive Lifestyle

Developing a Supportive Lifestyle

I found the audio tape and the book, Gifts of the Spirit, so very helpful because even prior to listening and reading I was attempting to articulate to myself what was nudging at my spirit. I simply did not have the information to begin to do so until the material came into my presence. I was struck by how much work the speakers on the audio tape had to do to balance their spirituality, work, and family life, the ordinariness of the daily struggle despite the amazing backgrounds they came from. I guess I naively assumed that they had it “all figured out” whereas I am still floundering around in the dark of finding my way. The journey is work for everyone; I am discovering.
One of the main issues I have been confronting is how to incorporate my spiritual life into all that I do. I am feeling a need to integrate my inner and outer life more cohesively. I feel split oftentimes. While I know that I bring my spirituality into decisions that I make at work and at home sometimes, I also often forget to do so. I want to work on consistency. Consistency was a tip one of the speakers on the audio tape suggested. Perhaps what I really am trying to articulate is that I would like to get to the point where I simply operate from my spiritual center most of the time—it becomes almost automatic, although that word does not truly convey the sense of completeness I wish to feel. I know that if I take time to savor simple pleasures as the text suggests I do feel a connection to the divine. This is something I can do to bring my inner self out to the world.
Another issue I am beginning to address is finding a right livelihood and deciding what that will look like. My current job is work that does good in the world but simply does not resonate at a deep level. I am seeking work that feels like joyful play. One of the speakers mentioned work as nourishment, I do not know if finding that necessitates a change of job or change of attitude. I am wondering if I am being unreasonable because of wanting more than I have at present. Another of the speakers said that she realized that she required great variety in her work, perhaps that is what is not resonating for me in my current place of work—the sameness of so much of it. I need to address this with my superiors and ask for new ways to be useful at work. I also need to follow through with my plan to find weekend work in a wellness facility to fill the need I feel to help others feel good physically and emotionally.
A third issue I am addressing is with relationships with others and attachments. I do not know if I will ever have a true beloved in my life or not; and while this is bothersome, it is not the deeper issue for me. I want to reach a place of love that stands by itself without the ego attachments to the emotion. I do not know if this is even possible for most humans but would like to find a way to get closer to that ideal than I currently am. I feel that finding that ability or at least the beginning of it would spill out to all those I come into contact with and lessen my tendency to judge others. I am becoming aware that I need to be more open to people coming into my life and taking risks with my heart—not something I am good at yet.
It seems to me that all three of my issues that are occupying my mind/ spirit/body are, or can become, parts of a whole spiritually viable lifestyle. My current lifestyle is for the most part a healthy one. I am mostly careful with my diet; I exercise regularly. I do not put harmful substances in my body. I have good friends and good relationships with my family. I have someone to go out on dates with occasionally and yet something is missing, maybe more than one something.
I believe that a regular practice is one area that I am not consistent in and creates a sense of disconnection. For some reason, I start strong and then just do my practice less and less as time goes on. I need to find a way to stay with it; I crave a community of like-minded people to touch base with regarding this sort of thing. I have not really found one in this area yet. This is something I need to actively seek to incorporate into my lifestyle until I can make significant changes such as moving to an area more congruent with my needs.
Another change I could make is bringing my spirituality into my workday; I have an office and could shut the door and pray or meditate a few minutes during the day….I do not often remember to do it. I will make an effort to include this in my workday. I also have freedom about décor and could bring in objects that please my ascetic sense—I have not done this either. These are small things I can do to bring my spiritual self into my job without being inappropriate.
A third change I could make is to actively seek out a community to support my spirituality. Even in my area there are likely enough people to find a community. I am unsure why this feels so daunting to me, but it does. This change will be the most difficult one to make. I feel intuitively that a move from the area will ultimately be necessary to facilitate the sense of community belongingness I desire.
Truly however, the most important changes are going to have to take place within me—my own inner-work will be the greatest facilitator of change in my lifestyle. And naturally, that is the most difficult work of all in my experience. The smaller things can all be done and will be now that I have brought them into my consciousness with this exercise. I know that the work on my inner landscape will take longer but will be worth working on because it will affect all of the areas of my life on the outside: “being” my spirituality, courage to find my nourishing work, and learning to open my heart and risk it. Big, hard, scary stuff, indeed.