"Spirituality is about waking up. Eastern religions know this. The word Buddha means 'the awakened one.' Spirituality has come upon hard times in the West, where legalism so often took over that we didn't need spirituality. We lost the spiritual disciplines and tools to know how to remain awake. We lost the disciplines that show us what's happening, what human relationships mean, the effects of what we do to one another in our relationships." (R. Rohr "Radical Grace" p.103)
Most of us have to wake up each morning in a way that is not natural, the blaring of an alarm clock. I know that I often wake up before the alarm goes off, but I'll take a look and see what time it is. If it is to close to 6 a.m. (say 5:55 a.m.) I usually turn the alarm off and get going (a gift to the person next to me in bed.) Those rare times when I don't have to set an alarm are sometimes a real gift, letting my body and soul decide when its time to wake up.
Lately I've been asked to lead spirituality workshops in my Diocese. I don't know that I'm any expert but my church has a portable labyrinth so apparently ownership is de-facto wisdom. I have learned some things about spirituality. First there is no one way to do it. There are many disciplines that are found in all religions, and often times we borrow from each other and mold it into our own tradition. The labyrinth is not originally Christian, who you pray to on the labyrinth is what makes it Christian.
The disciplines I use, the Daily Offices, writing reflections and occasional times of solitude are there to wake me up to what God is doing, and to what God needs me to do. The legalism that infects the church seems to me to be more of a desire to control people rather than to let God have the control. Spirituality, real quality time listening for God, doesn't control people, it opens their eyes, hearts and minds to see the world around them and to seek a compassionate response to that world. It can also open us up to a compassion for ourselves as well. In those spiritual disciplines, in the quiet we might here God saying something about us, to us. Showing us a way to work on those parts of our lives that we are not as proud of, that weigh us down, inviting us to cast our cares and preoccupations onto God, who reminds us that there is plenty of room and time for God to be bothered with you, because God is always awake.
For Lent I'm going to develop a new spiritual discipline. Each day I'm going to attack some clutter. In that spiritual discipline, I'll take the time to reflect and pray about the objects that I no longer need. Pray in thanksgiving for the joy that they once gave, and if I'm giving it away, eg. clothes, to pray for the person that may benefit from it next. I hope you find something in these 40 days that actually wakes you up, can strengthen your relationship with God, neighbor and self.
Blessings on this Ash Wednesday,
Ed
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