Practical Tips to Make Spirituality Real in Your Daily Life
Volume 23, Chapter II, Number 012
Hello!
This Week’s One Great Thing: 6 Tips to Make Spirituality Real in Your Daily Life
Spirituality is having the belief that there is a power greater than oneself; that there are things outside one’s control. It is living life in a deeper, more profound way, and believing that life has deeper truths that are often hidden beneath the surface.
For some, religion plays a deep role in their spirituality. But religion does not equal a spirituality. One can be spiritual without belonging to a particular religion. are religious people who are not spiritual. They perform acts of religion–pray, kneel, raise hands, offer food, bow, light candles and incense, etc– but you see them and they give their religion a bad name– because they don’t take their religion seriously enough to LIVE this in their day to day lives.
On the other hand, there are people you won’t see at a Catholic mass, or in a synagogue, temple or in their houses of worship, but they walk their talk, exude a deep sense of peace, and remain humble in their integrity. It is by their fruits that you know them, and the fruits of a person’s spirituality you see in the way they live their lives: compassion, acceptance, humility, selflessness, inner peace, surrender, deep joy, and love.
As the great science fiction novel, Dune puts it:
“Religion must remain an outlet for people who say to themselves, 'I am not the kind of person I want to be.' It must never sink into an assemblage of the self-satisfied.”
Practical spirituality understands that while there is a power greater than oneself, life is the beautiful interplay between the person and what-lies-beyond. No negation is involved here and we do not advocate an all or nothing thinking. In practicing our spirituality, we do not negate our humanity, and in being human, we do not put limits on ourselves. Practical Spirituality is really about making choices, and acting on those choices, so that what we believe in is integrated into our daily life.
We make practical choices every day. It is more difficult to make spiritual choices daily. But we have to remember that to make the spiritual choice is actually the most practical choice of all. Pedro Arrupe remind us, “Nothing is more practical than finding God, that is, than falling in love in a quite absolute and final way.”
How do we live out our spirituality in a practical way every day? Here are some tips in building a more practical spirituality:
1) Using your cellphone to pray. When I’m tired and in bed, but can’t sleep, I just take out my phone and go through the names in my address book. It’s a quick process of remembering the last time I met that person (or one vivid memory I have with that person). I then thank God for him/her and pray for his/her intention.
An even more practical use of this activity is that I get to delete names I don’t recognise anymore (acquaintances you added over the years but don’t really talk to anymore), and I get to reconnect with friends I have not contacted in a long time.
I also do this in airports and while I’m riding my morning commute.
2) High point and low point. At the end of each day, I think about one high point and one low point of the day. I think about the high point and thank God for that. I then try to think about the low point, replay it in my mind and think about how I could have done better, or reacted better in the situation. I also try to make this a family activity. I sometimes do this with Isabela or Aria (or both) when I put them to bed. It’s a very easy way to know how your kids are, and they’ll look forward to it. If you’re in a relationship, you can make this your daily ritual: to text your girlfriend/boyfriend your highs and lows. Instead of just texting the generic goodnight, it’s a more meaningful way of telling your significant other about your day. The good thing about it is that you will be forced to reflect on your day yourself. And self-reflection is always a good thing.
3) Pomodoro Break Cleanup. I’ve always said that you’ll know the state of my mind by looking at my room. There is a connection between clutter and my state of life. A clean room helps clear your mind and spirit. One of the most practical tips for spirituality then is a room clean up! When I worked from home for two years during the pandemic, I practiced the Pomodoro Method. The Pomodoro Method is quite simple: you do focused work for 20 minutes (the original pomodoro work is 25mins but I find that 20mins is my upper limit) and take a 5 minute break after. On the fourth cycle, you do a longer (10-20min break).
During my breaks, I do sprint cleaning — I clean as fast as I can for 5mins and 5mins only, then I go back to work. On the fourth cycle, instead of working, I watch a Netflix show for 20mins as my long break to celebrate work.
This simple cycle of focused work and cleaning (+ netflix) helps me to stay focused and productive (clearing the physical clutter helps clear the psychological clutter) and it has the added feature of forcing me to stand up. The race against time helps me clean fast (and gamifies my cleaning), and it also helps to keep me in sync with my spirituality, as it helps me to not get carried away by my thoughts, worries and distractions.
4) 30 Day List. This is something I’ve done since the 2010s. Whenever I want to buy something that’s a major purchase (to me a major purchase is priced above a certain amount), I put it in what I call a 30 Day List: a list of items I would have to revisit after 30 Days with the question: “Do I really need this?”
At the end of the 30 Days, I’m usually over the hump of the impulse buy and 90% of the time, I end up deleting these seemingly important thing I could not wait to buy 30 days ago! This very practical rule helps discipline me and puts my attachment to material things in perspective.
5) One In, One Out. Along with the 30 Day List, I also practice the One In, One Out method. I remember reading this years ago, “The inflow of objects is relentless. The outflow is not. We don’t have rituals for getting rid of stuff.” and so I made a ritual. Basically this: before I buy anything (after 30 days!) think about the one thing you currently own that you’ll let go of when/if you buy this new item home. The rule is: if you buy anything new, get rid of something old.
If you buy a new shirt for example, get rid of another shirt. I recommend you get a good plastic bin, label it “For Charity”, and put it in your laundry area. This way you can put that piece of clothing you’re getting rid off, put it in your hamper, and in your next laundry day, you can give it one last launder, and put it straight in the donation bin. Once the bin is full, just bring it to your charity of choice.
If you’re new at this, you can even do a one-in-two-out. You’ll be amazed at the amount of stuff you don’t really need but have kept in your closet for the longest time. Start with those things that you don’t really need anymore and things that don’t matter as much. But once you start feeling the pinch (i.e. do I get rid of this? I might need this sometime?!) then the One In One Out Method is starting to really work. By that time, you’d be much better at discerning which items to keep and which ones to get rid off.
6) Burn Day. Ritualize your letting go of things by setting aside one special day every year (it could be the new year, or your birthday) to burn unwanted, deeply personal stuff (love letters, cds, mix tapes, toys, stationary, etc.). If you’re a family, you could make this a family ritual to teach your kids about letting go. And it’s not just about letting go, burn day is also about starting fresh and anew. Of course, safety is a primary concern, so make sure you’re safe when you’re doing this.
To conclude, there are many personal rituals you can design and create for yourself in order to stay connected to your spiritual self as you live your daily life. From deleting acquaintances on social media to the thought-provoking exercise of pondering your highs and lows of the day, these rituals can be a grounding force in times of stress. Additionally, the One In-One Out, 30 Day List, and Burn Day rituals are practical ways to keep in check your attachment to material things. We make our daily life fuller and more meaningful with these. What about you? What do you do to make the most of your spiritual journey in daily life?
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- One of the key impacts of the pandemic on social interaction is the rise of virtual events and gatherings, such as Zoom parties and online game nights. These have allowed people to connect with others, despite being physically distant. People have also started to form new relationships through online communities and social media groups, connecting with like-minded individuals they may not have met otherwise.
- However, despite the growth of virtual social interaction, many people still feel isolated and disconnected. The lack of physical contact and the inability to engage in in-person activities have taken a toll on people's mental health. The pandemic has also highlighted existing inequalities, as those who have access to technology and the internet are able to connect with others, while those without these resources are left feeling even more isolated.
- Nevertheless, people are still finding ways to connect with each other and support one another, and it is possible that the lessons learned during the pandemic will shape the way people interact in the future.
Ok! Now pause, get yourself to a window, look up to the sky, smile, and have a great day! Look forward to send you another letter next week!
☕ eric santillan