Slow Down

The busyness of life often rushes us past all of the miraculous things that are happening all aroun us.  We rush from activity to activity, from crisis to crisis and fall, exhausted into our beds to gather enough energy to do it all again the next day. We are so consumed with the goings-on around us that slowing down and looking inward requires a determined act of will. Like the constant thirst of a desert traveler, greed consumes us, stealing our attention away from the graces of life. When we continually want more, we find ourselves noticing what is missing rather than savoring the deep enjoyment of contentment. Contentment, unlike greed, helps us live fully. We become aware by seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling, feeling the God-given gifts that are right in front of us. When greed severs us from contentment, our soul withers from a lack of grateful awareness.

How can we accomplish this? The first discipline is to live attentively. The Buddhists call this mindfulness. All it means is to be aware of life. Hear the silence of the snow. Feel the cracks in the earth. Look into one another’s eyes. Pay attention to every single moment and that moment alone. Feel it. We will take it into our bones and let it transform us.  The second discipline is to learn to let go. We can begin to simplify life. Simplify possessions, thoughts, desires, and our expectations. When we can let go, our arms are open and ready to receive all the good things God longs to give us.

Examining Self

Monarch Free of His Chrysalis ~ Photo by Steve Magin

The season before Easter for Christians is intended to be one of self examination. Lives are transformed when people enter in to deep and sustained spiritual personal reflection. I am reminded of a man named John O'Donohue. He was a catholic priest from County Clare, Ireland. His poetry, prose and spirituality transcended the boundaries of his priesthood and he abandoned his vocation. This did not mean that the depth of his journey was diminished. On the contrary, it broadened. The painful self examination that led him to make this decision allowed him to contribute even more writings and books that continue to inspire after his death. The books Anam Cara, (Gaelic for "Soul Friend"; 1997) and Eternal Echoes (1998) are treasures that should be part of the library of any who search for meaning. I remember that he once said "If you attend to your self and seek to come into your own presence, you will find exactly the right rhythm for your own life." We are asked to enter in to this sometimes painful process that John experienced in order to live more fully.

I found myself in treatment for alcohol dependence back in 2000. The struggle with drinking had taken a great toll on my life. Despite the fact that I had long worked in the field of addiction and adolescent services, the facts of my own compulsion escaped me. I could help others with their problems but could not grasp my own. One of the counselors at Talbott Recovery Campus insisted that my primary responsibility was to take care of myself. I was to put everything else behind this directive including my children, wife, job and friends. I recoiled at the very suggestion. It seemed not only selfish but narcissistic. The truth became clear, however, that in order to live in service to others I would have to work on myself first. I would also have to continue to attend to me if I was to be useful in the future. There is no way to be effective externally if there is only a limited journey inward. I am not always happy with my findings. There is more on which to work.  There is more to explore. The fruit of this kind of search is the discovery of our true identity. We are all an integral part of the whole. We are all kin. We are the beloved. This information is all that we need to sustain ourselves for whatever life offers.

A Lenten Thought

“Look closely when you feel the swell of joy within, or the tightness as your throat closes up in sorrow. Live in that moment.”

The busyness of life often rushes us past all of the miraculous things that are happening all around us. We rush from activity to activity, from crisis to crisis and fall, exhausted into our beds to gather enough energy to do it all again the next day. Even the vacations that we anticipate and plan can be frantic. We pack up the family and drive long distances or forge into the daunting airports to be processed for travel. We arrive at our destinations, see all of the important sights, hit the hot spots, and head back home. Lots of vacationers take their business cell phones and laptops with them wherever they go so that they are always on task, always available. Where (or when) do we draw the line, stop running so hard, and slow down to witness the real beauty of it all? Most of the religions have integral periods of retreat and renewal. They make sacred certain seasons of their calendars so that people can reflect, meditate, pray, fast and become centered. Most spiritual disciplines call for daily ritual that brings the faithful into the realm of devotion and peaceful reflection or prayer. Such is that time called Lent, which is the 40 day cycle prior to the Christian celebration of Easter. It is a sacred time of introspection and review. It is a period of sacrificing some self indulgent habit and creating or enhancing some positive contribution to the community. It is a really good time.

What indulgence or bad habit can I give up and replace with a good deed today?