We are in the midst of our Lenten season as we enter into the season of Spring and the fast-approaching month of April. Throughout our Lenten series in the Nourished community, we have been reflecting on themes in “The Risk of Being Woke” by Curtiss Paul DeYoung. This past Centering, we looked at the idea of “being,” and remaining centered in our spiritual practices.
Studies show that when we are in crisis, the first three things to go are eating well, exercising, and sleeping, all things that help us to thrive. As we reflected on “being,” we looked to some thoughts about survival that my husband Ryan put together for a previous sermon at St. Paul’s.
When we are in a place of crisis, one of the best things we can do is to begin with what is possible, especially when everything feels impossible! Ask yourself, “What is something that is simple or doable or possible that I CAN do in these circumstances?” Maybe this is prayer. Maybe it’s taking a nap or eating some food. Maybe this is as simple as taking a deep breath at every stop light on your commute to work.
The second thing we can do is to care for our inner life and ground ourselves in something beyond us. For those of us in the Christian faith tradition, God is essential in grounding ourselves and remaining open to the possibilities. We need to take care of our inner life, our body, mind, and spirit, when we’re in crisis. We might take the time to see a therapist, a spiritual director, an accountability group, or maybe even a prayer group.
The third thing that my husband lifted up is to practice because practice creates resiliency. And when we’re talking about practice, it’s to practice our spiritual disciplines. We practice spiritual disciplines because they help us navigate a crisis or conflict when they arise. Spiritual disciplines can be different for every person — meditation, yoga, movement, prayer, reading, journaling, etc.
Lately it’s felt like everything is turning on its head, and it can leave us feeling like nothing is possible. Use these three things to help ground you in something greater.
Peace to you,
Pastor Kristina