There are many valid ways to approach life and many analogies to describe them.
For many (and sometimes for me), life is a war with many battles to be fought against many internal and a few external enemies. For them, a spiritual warrior needs many different weapons to fight the crucial battles within.
Sometimes for me, life is a never-ending project . . . so, as a spiritual workman I need many tools in my tool chest to do my inner and outer chores well, to repair and optimize myself.
Sometimes for me, life is a garden . . . so, as a good, responsible spiritual gardener I should often pull the weeds, fertilize the soil, and nurture the batch of seeds and young plants that I would like to thrive.
Sometimes for me, life is one big cosmic dance. As a spiritual choreographer I do better and have more joy if I have many different moves to jive with and harmonize with the music and other dancers. . . and if I lighten up . . . and if I choose to practice gratefulness and a mystical mind set quite often.
Usually for me, life is a fascinating, complicated game we are all privileged to play, with the goal achieving optimal holistic wellness for myself and those around me. To be a good spiritual athlete I need many plays in my playbook. I score better if I creatively choose different tactics when the one I have been trying isn't currently working well enough. Other keys are teamwork (I'll care for you well, in the ways that work for you and hopefully you'll often reciprocate and treat me well) and quieting verbal thinking so I can move more gracefully. Some great plays in my playbook: dancing, drumming, mantram (with positive phrases, especially about gratefulness), optimism, acceptance, tolerance, equanimity, kindness, mudita, compassion, mindfulness (especially in the hot tub), tai chi, yoga, sports, climbing trees, patience, laughter, listening to music, enjoying a beer, walks in the woods, & appreciating and having reverence for the beauty and miracles in nature, and for the divine grace which allows the whole game to continue. To play the game of life well, I always try to heed the main rule, karma, that whatever I think and do has consequences. Of the MANY guidelines on how to play well, I believe the most important for me is: "do unto others as they would have you do unto them." Unfortunately, the game of life is not always fair.
Various attitudes about living all support my main task in life-- to wisely and lovingly manage the thoughts, feelings and actions that I will have in the next few seconds . . . which is perhaps about the only thing I can control.
Posted by: |