Taking Time for Spiritual Work

Taking Time For Spiritual Work

The hurrier I go, the behinder I get!

A New England Proverb Cited in Mystical Hours

Brother Teasdale offers us so background information on this folk wisdom:

The folksy bit of practical wisdom from New England fits well with the preceding advice from Angles Arrien.

Constantly rushing around, often running in a gerbil wheel of our own making, discourages authentic behavior. It is the opposite of compassion, kindness, love, and sensitivity, and more importantly, it is the enemy of being present.

We have to take our time, whether we are looking at the task at hand, which we can then do with good intention and efficiency, or listening to the people around us, who we can respond to authentically and appropriately. And of course, when we are in a hurried state, we are unable to attend to spiritual practice.

Again, contemplation takes time. Decide to make time for prayer, meditation, and quiet in your life. Allow yourself to slow down, and be present to others and to the miracle of the present moment.

Gandhi declared: “there is more to life than increasing its speed.” I have to agree, and yet I know that I can easily get trapped in the social tyranny of the appointment book, and the nagging list of the “to do’s” that can haunt my sense of accomplishment.  If I am to see myself as a productive and participating member of our society!

On a first look, it seems as if our model for our lives is closer to the Mad Hatter than to any more tranquil and centered spiritual approach! Learning to break ourselves from clock and calendar time in a way that truly and genuinely serves our spiritual development can be quite a challenge.

It takes honesty and intention; being honest with oneself and being clear about what things deserve priority in our lives, and how to keep from allowing distractions to rob us of our sense of balance or peace. 

Without a clear sense of intention, our willingness to become a sincere spiritual student can be robbed of its significance. Contemplation, meditation, prayer or any truly spiritual and centering activity requires time; If you can find time to eat well, that is important. 

If you are sure to schedule in some healthy exercise, there is much benefit to that use of your time; Spiritual study and practice is no less essential, no less important to your health and well-being!

Most mornings, I try to set aside a half hour for devotional reading and a half hour for some active yet gentle form of exercise, such as Tai Chi or Chi Gong. Some people who have been my spiritual direction clients prefer to start with meditation, and exercise later in the day, or vice versa.

What is vital to your ongoing and sustaining progress, is that you have to find the rhythm and the routine that works for you! Each person, in their own way, has to overcome tendencies towards feeling rushed or pressed by being gentle and persistent. 

Starting over again each day, you can move beyond those feelings of being discouraged that can take you away from giving yourself precious devotional and contemplative time.