A Practical Spiritualist
As much as I’ve been on a quest for meaning, I have also always been interested in learning and growing. I appreciate blissful experiences where I feel God’s breath course through me until I become peace. BUT. If I cannot integrate the feeling of peace into a daily interaction than I am missing an opportunity. It’s the practical part of me who wants to apply what I learn to my daily life. It’s the part of me who wants to make the mystical useful somehow.
The practical realm provides insight into how to integrate meaning into our lives. The mystical world can be a wonderful fun ride, but it is necessary to balance meaning with purpose lest we expand so far we lose ourselves. Or get so lost in self-absorption that the quest for spiritual meaning becomes an indulgent act of escapism. Or spirituality becomes a way to reinforce our own denial and prevent us from seeing ourselves clearly. The practical keeps spirituality real.
One gift of practicality is the present moment. It’s by paying attention to each moment that we can begin to see how the unknown communicates and helps us learn. It reminds us not to take ourselves too seriously. While writing this, my dog, Roxie, comes over and nudges me. I see it’s time for her dinner. I am happy writing but she’s been waiting patiently to eat until now. As we walk toward her food bowl, Roxie rubs up against me, her tail wagging with a look of love and thanks in her eyes; my heart swells and I stop to rub her black fur. Our dog is a constant opportunity to give and receive unconditional love while staying aware in the moment; a great example of practical spirituality in action. Learning through love and joy is quite a gift. Happiness and nourishment are also wonderful practical ways to learn and grow.
Another gift of practicality is that it helps us walk our talk. I have spent many years studying spirituality and developing ways to explore meaning with others. Ultimately, if I don’t practice these ways, how can I share them? Practicality is an authority on the validity of something. It tests for verifiability.
We will all have different experiences of developing meaning and growth in our lives. By sharing experiences with each other, there is an additional benefit of creating companionship as we make friends with the unknown. This can help us feel less alone while we also learn from each other. Connecting with others is yet another gift practicality offers.
Tags: meaning, moment, path, practicality, present, spirit, spirituality, unknown
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January 11, 2008 at 12:16 pm
Wow! You are not exactly a light read
(I love it) There is so much to chew on…just your title, Practical Spirituality…interesting concept…Interesting to me how you use the example of being in the present moment with your dog as spiritual…I find the same thing with my cat. When my clients tell me they don’t think they’ve ever felt grounded or centerered, I use this example and they immediately connect to it…
January 11, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Yes, I must say, INTENSE is one of my favorite places to hangout. For me, spiritual is whatever is a source of learning and meaning. Some people feel that “groundedness” is some out there mystical thing, but again, for me it’s right here and begins with remembering to breathe. If I’m not grounded my two kids bickering can ruin the moment (or a whole day). Grounding helps me stay centered and find my sense of humor. I LOVE CATS! Thanks for visiting.
January 11, 2008 at 12:54 pm
Mmmm. there’s an interesting topic for my blog, which I’ve actually thought about…the differences between cat people and dog people….i love cats , i have 2 maine coons - the funny thing (not so funny, comments the therapist on the side) is that i grew up with a mother who had, and still does have, a phobia of cats. When she comes to visit we have to lock them up lol!
January 11, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Yes, cat and dog people are different…I touched on this in A Reluctant Dog Mama post. I bet your cats would love to get to your mom. I’ve noticed that somehow cats can pick out the non-cat people in a crowd–and those are the ones whose laps they go for (if the cat is in a lap mood, of course!).
January 11, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Yes, absolutely true, cats ARE like that, hee hee!