At this point I\u2019d like to ask you, \u201cHow is your spirituality?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is it something that matters to you? If it is, I hope you\u2019ll keep reading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some people worry that if they disengage from the Church\u2014whether that means\u2013stepping away, taking a break, or even just quietly unplugging while still showing up\u2014they\u2019ll lose all sense of spirituality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But I believe the opposite can be true. Here\u2019s why.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To me, spirituality is about drawing closer to the divine. It\u2019s about cultivating a more personal connection with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As a member of the Church, you’ve likely heard that the best way to do that is in certain places and through specific practices. And those ways can be powerful. But there are seasons in life when we may need something different\u2014something more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Do you remember my gardening analogy from a while back? I compared the traditional spiritual practices\u2014scripture study, prayer, and keeping commandments\u2014to soil, water, and sunlight. They\u2019re foundational. It\u2019s hard to grow anything without them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But they\u2019re not everything<\/em>. Even with the right seeds, soil eventually becomes depleted. It needs fertilizing. Gardens need weeding, staking, and attention. And if all you’re ever growing is the same zucchini year after year… Well, it can start to feel a little bleak.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019m not knocking zucchini\u2014I like it too. But is that all you want is spiritual zucchini?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Spirituality, in my experience, is much like a garden. Do you want a single crop, or something rich, diverse, and flourishing?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That connection to the divine is deeply personal. And how you nurture it can take many different forms. Is the standard way of praying you were taught in Primary not working for you? Set it aside and try something that does. You can still feel God; it just might not be in the same way as before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, give yourself permission to explore. Ask yourself: What else connects me to God?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
Here are a few ideas to consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n
Practicing meditation and stillness<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Walking in nature<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Seeking out moments of awe<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Changing our practice of prayer<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Finding meaning through service<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Building deeper relationships\u2014and kind, casual ones, too<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Being kind for no reason other than to ease someone else\u2019s day<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Doing something for a greater good<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Reading additional scriptures, or listening to music and literature that speaks to your soul<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Looking for the best in others\u2014and being grateful when you see it<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve found value in many of these\u2014more than I expected. They\u2019ve opened new ways to feel God\u2019s presence: direct, subtle, calming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
One that\u2019s been especially meaningful to me is cultivating a sense of awe<\/em>. You\u2019ve likely felt it too\u2014maybe while flying above the clouds, looking over the Grand Canyon, standing atop a tall building, or gazing at the night sky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Astronauts describe something similar when they see Earth from space. It\u2019s called the overview effect<\/em>: a perspective shift that brings a sense of wonder, connection, and the fragility of life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I\u2019ve created a small version for myself\u2014what I call my \u201cDaily Dose of Awe.\u201d I often find it while walking my dog. I pause to notice the way the clouds gather, or a pair of ducks drifting in to land on the pond, or a bee making its way from bloom to bloom. These tiny moments pull me back to the divine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dacher Keltner, in his book Awe<\/em>, writes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAwe is the feeling of being in the presence of something vast that transcends your current understanding of the world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
To me, that sounds a lot like connecting with God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, if spirituality has been important to you and you\u2019re feeling a little disconnected lately\u2014know that it\u2019s not out of reach. Maybe it\u2019s just waiting to grow in new ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And by the way, that experience of being spiritually unplugged while still physically present? It has a name: PIMO (Physically In, Mentally Out). When I first heard it, I had to look it up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whatever your beliefs, I believe there\u2019s always room to reconnect\u2014to deepen your spirituality, to feel something bigger than you or me. So, try something new. Let your spiritual garden grow in its own beautiful way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With warmth,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/strong>Your Friend<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.S. I thought about naming this chapter something witty like Feeding your Soul because I think a lot about my whole self now\u2014mind, body, and spirit. That\u2019s important so recognize that deconstruction and reconstruction can wreak havoc on your body and mind as well as your spirit. It\u2019s one of the reasons I made a much more determined effort at daily mindfulness. I also spent more time on improving my physical health and learned to focus on the basics: good nutrition, exercise, plenty of sleep, and reducing stress. It\u2019s critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
P.P.S. I like the book Awe<\/em>, from Dacher Keltner, which talks about connecting to the eight wonders of life: moral beauty, collective effervescence, nature, music, visual design, spirituality and religion, life and death, and epiphany. As your friend, I would recommend you listen to the podcast with Faith Matters #184 Your Brain on Awe\u2014A Conversation with Dacher Keltner<\/em>. It\u2019ll tell you everything you need to know on the topic. Enjoy your daily dose of awe! <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Reading time: 5 minutes. Hi Friend, At this point I\u2019d like to ask you, \u201cHow is your spirituality?\u201d Is it something that matters to you? If it is, I hope you\u2019ll keep reading. Some people worry that if they disengage from the Church\u2014whether that means\u2013stepping away, taking a break, or even just quietly unplugging while […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19],"tags":[87,83,84,7,86,85,82],"class_list":["post-104","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-your-friend","tag-awe","tag-church","tag-connection","tag-god","tag-meditation","tag-mindfulness","tag-spirituality"],"yoast_head":"\n
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