Pretty much all the advice we get from people on their deathbeds has everything to do with soul-fulfillment and just about nothing to do with material enrichment. Time spent with loved ones, smelling the flowers, and enjoying yourself means tons more than time spent at the office. So it’s pretty ironic that most of us spend the majority of our time pursuing material gain and ignoring our spiritual hunger.
The pressures of materialism are enormous, so we can be forgiven for being distracted by them. We call it being practical. Practical matters absorb so much of our attention that it’s a cinch to forget all about everything else. After all, bodily needs must be met.
But if we’re to learn from the advice of elders, we ignore spiritual needs to our great peril. No one wants to lie there dying unsatisfied, unable to take our riches with us. It’s absolutely crucial to happiness that we focus on our soul’s health regularly. Journaling, for instance, is a good way to do this.
Maybe part of the reason why Wednesday is Hump Day is that our myopic focus on practicalities reaches a frenzied climax – one that demands the relief that comes only from attending to the soul. If I start on Monday hell-bent for material gain, by Wednesday my soul will be parched and crying out for a little love. Its clamor makes getting over the Hump that much more difficult.
So, taking a step back on Wednesday and building in care for the soul will make life far more enjoyable. It’s also likely that the habit will bring more success to my practical goals, because I complete the work week as a more relaxed, well-nourished individual.
This last bit is the most important, I think. The point is not so much that you must take time out to rejuvenate but that you must learn to take that rejuvenation back into your practical work.
- When you make it a habit to take time out to meditate, contemplate, walk by yourself, or otherwise turn your attention to the health of your spirit, what about these sessions can you translate directly to the work you return to afterwards?
- When you take a vacation, what of its joys can you apply during your regular work days back home?
- When you journal, what ways can you bring the soul-attention of that practice into the rest of your life?
Having a regular way to tune in to the soul is not just a nice way to spend a few calm moments. It is a process that will lead us to living the soulful life, the kind of life that will give us real satisfaction when we finally bid it farewell.
Your thoughts?
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Does your Journal need some jumpstarting? Maybe 143 Journal Prompts can help!
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