Me-time for your Spirit
Me-time 101: Self-care in the time of Covid (10 of 11)
Welcome back!
Some ask: What’s it all for? What’s my purpose? Why do I feel stuck in a loop doing the same thing day in and day out?
Some even attain the money, fame, and possessions that they thought were meant to bring them happiness and life satisfaction and STILL wonder, What is it all about? or What is it all for?
If life is getting you down, you may be missing a huge aspect of what life is meant to be. It is fairly common in our culture to “build our vessels” during our first 40 or 50 years or so - that is, get an education, career or job training, then work, build relationships or families, save or invest money (or try to), and enjoy a life of consumerism. But, by mid-life, if not before, many people reach that moment where they simply feel something substantial is missing. They return to the big questions of life.
Believe it or not, engaging in me-time and self-care is one avenue to actually discover answers to those questions. And engaging in any number of various spiritual practices could be just what you need in this moment on life’s journey. This article will take a new look at some of the prior self-care practices already discussed, but through the lens of spiritual connection, as well as provide new ideas specifically for spiritual expansion.
Beyond the small self
The human who is you who lives each day in and out surviving trials and traumas or grasping for happiness or success; that human could be called the small self. But, as many of you know, there are moments when you feel awe and wonder at the world around you, see beauty in a leaf, or experience the Divine in a lover or a child or a starlit night. In these moments, don’t you get the feeling that your small self has connected to something much grander and even holy? One may call that God, the Divine, the Universe, Source, or All that Is. The name is simply a means to communicate something far deeper or bigger and more real, so let’s not get caught up on the name to use. (For my purposes here I will use “The Divine”). Spiritual practices connect humans to the Divine in profound and transformative ways.
No matter what you call it, one must take time away from the daily grind in order to create or allow that connection to that which is beyond the small self. A lovely Taize song lyric provides guidance from a Biblical verse from Psalms 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.”
Be still and know that I am God.
Be still and know that I Am.
Be still and Know.
Be still.
Be.
To connect to that which is All, takes attention and intention. This is where me-time comes in. Use your me-time to expand your spiritual self and awareness. Use your me-time to connect to the Divine in yourself, others, and the world and universe around you.
Connect to the Divine in Yourself
So, let’s say you wish to connect with your Inner Self or Higher Self, that which is You with a capital Y. One way to do this is to create. It hardly matters what you are creating, really. It is the action of creation that releases you from your thinking brain and connects you to You! Draw, paint, dance, sing, sculpt, build, play, act, pretend! Using your imagination reconnects you to a very important aspect of yourself; that holy, divine aspect. Being in the flow of creativity itself morphs time, doesn’t it? Have you ever lost all sense of time when creating, playing or imagining? You were connecting to something beyond the small self. To me the act of creating is so fundamental to being human that I would like to switch that common first meeting question of “What do you do?” to “What do you create?”
If you say to yourself, “I would love to create but I’m stuck” or “I don’t even know where to begin to tap into my creative self,” then you may wish to read one of Julia Cameron’s books: The Artist’s Way (written as a 12-week course) or her newer 6-week version, The Listening Path: The Creative Art of Attention.
Mindful walking and labyrinth walking are other ways to connect to your Inner Self. These practices settle the thinking brain and open the mind and heart. There are also many Guided Meditations that you can find to help you connect to your Inner Self/Higher Self.
Connect to the Divine in YourSelf
Create
Mindful walking
Labyrinth walking
Guided meditations
Connect to the Divine in Others
Connecting to the Divine in others is different than you may expect. It’s not that you pretend that everything is perfect in others. It’s that you recognize that just as you have a small self and a Higher Self, so does everyone else!
I have found that practicing gratitude has altered how I see and feel about loved ones and even strangers. A consistent practice of placing attention on who (and what) you are grateful for moves the dial in a variety of ways. I appreciate the presence of others more, have more patience in normally frustrating situations, and let go of anger or grudges more quickly. When you see the divine in all those around you, you can’t help but know you are connected in profound ways.
Connecting to the Divine in others is different than you may expect. It’s not that you pretend that everything is perfect in others. It’s that you recognize that just as you have a small self and a Higher Self, so does everyone else! Every single person is an aspect of the Divine/of the Universe living a human experience. We all belong here. We all emerged from that great mystery. We all have a place and a purpose in it. True, sometimes we get quite lost along the way, but that doesn’t mean that we aren’t still a child of God or a child of the Universe. Why not take a step back and contemplate this truth during me-time?
Connect to the Divine in Others
Gratitude Journal
Loving-kindness meditations
Contemplation
Connect to the Divine through Nature
As mentioned in article 8 of this series, “Let Nature Nurture You,” Forest Bathing is one amazing way to connect to the Divine through nature. Walking in the woods through the trees, unplugged from a phone or music or other people but just being there soaking in the smells, sights, and sounds of nature all around you can calm you, recenter you, and connect you to All that Is. You can focus your walk by placing your attention on something specific such as noticing water, air, wood, plants, insects, or animals. Of course connecting to the Divine through nature is also reached through Stargazing or walking on a beautiful beach. You may find bird watching or even fishing or hunting a doorway to connect to All that Is. Mindfully walking through grass or on sand or in water with shoes off will ground you and connect you to nature, as well.
I have found through the years that my connection to nature has increased. Now I crave it. Even during the Wisconsin winter I felt the need to bundle up and go for a walk in the woods (preferably on a clear, blue day). One of the joys of living in Korea and Hong Kong was the easy access to beautiful nature hikes or walks. What about where you live? Is nature calling to you?
Connect to the Divine through Nature
Forest bathing
Stargazing
Walking the beach
Bird watching
Fishing
Hunting
Mindful walking
Connect to All Creation and The Universe
Knowing the Divine in All Creation sounds rather ambitious. But that is precisely what the loving-kindness meditation seeks to accomplish (see article 9 of this series). With regular practice of the loving-kindness meditation, even those who are misanthropic may find themselves transformed. It is possible to experience such a thing!
Perhaps “All Creation” and “The Universe” are synonymous. For me there is something more spacious and abyss-like to The Universe. At any rate, I have felt deeply connected to the Divine during gong bath meditations. If you haven’t experienced one and you get the opportunity to do so, do it! (And reader, if you know me personally and live nearby, I would love to provide this service for you.) A gong meditation can lift you out of time itself and away from gravity so that you find yourself floating and transcendent in the ethers. The line between the human you and the eternal You can become blurred or braided.
Others reach this transcendent connection during guided meditation or transcendental meditation (TM).
Connect to All Creation and The Universe
Gong bath meditation
Transcendental Meditation (TM)
Guided meditation
Connect to the Divine through Prayer
Many people use prayer as a means to connect to the Divine. I recommend praying from the heart rather than the brain. If you are one who prays, you likely already have a practice that you are comfortable with. I would only suggest that you to check in with yourself: are you fully and completely present during prayer?
Christians may be interested in learning more about contemplative prayer. The Center for Action and Contemplation, created by Father Richard Rohr is a good resource for this; their mission is “to introduce Christian contemplative wisdom and practices that support transformation and inspire loving action.”
When we lived in Asia it was common practice for people to pray to their ancestors. This is common in many cultures and provides opportunities for you to connect to the spirits of those gone before us.
Connecting to the Divine through prayer
Your own prayer practice
Contemplative prayer
Praying to ancestors
Connect to the Divine through Exercise
While this has not been my experience, I know that many people connect to the Divine during exercise. Walking, running, riding a bike, or swimming are all individual activities that lend themselves to getting in a flow. And that flow can open the door to that spiritual connection. Others who practice tai chi or qigong at mastery levels also can experience that powerful, energetic connection to the Higher Self and Source.
Connecting to the Divine through exercise
walking
running
riding a bicycle
swimming
tai chi
qigong
Connect to the Divine through Community
If you are already a member of a church or synagogue, for example, then you have a community designed to connect you to the Divine. But if you are not religious, there are other communities available too. Lynn McTaggart became interested in the power of intention within a community. She published her research in a book called The Power of 8:Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World. Now thousands of people around the world are involved in using intention to heal themselves, each other and the world. I have been a member of an amazing Power of 8 group for two years. I consider my group my soul sisters. Using intention, we continually lift each other up as we travel this human life. And each week we connect spiritually to one another and the Divine.
Connect to the Divine through Community
Religious communities/synagogues/churches
Power of 8
Me-time Learning for your Spirit
I am a big reader. And for years now I have been using me-time to research, read, watch, and learn from great teachers. Many of those teachers are alive now or have been alive in the 20th and 21st centuries. Here is a list of some of the most compelling contemporary people and resources I have encountered (Click for the a link to their website):
Religious teachings and Consciousness/Enlightenment
Lectures of Alan Watts (Interpreter of Eastern disciplines for Western audiences)
Buddhist Teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh (1926-2022)
Catholic/Christian Teachings of Mother Teresa
Paul Selig’s channeled books, lectures, and conferences
The Seth Material, channeled by Jane Roberts
Buddhist Pema Chödrön’s writings, lectures, and conferences
Gaia.com (available online and as an app, free then paid)
The Shift Network (online and as an app, free or paid)
Super Soul Sunday with Oprah (podcast)
Eckhart Tolle’s writings, interviews with Oprah, online classes
Richard Rohr’s Center for Action and Contemplation
Science meets Consciousness
The life work of Gregg Braden (author, scientist, international lecturer, Gaia.com)
The life work of Bruce Lipton (stem cell biologist, author, international lecturer, Gaia.com)
The life work of Dr. Joe Dispenza (author, international lecturer, Gaia.com)
Present-day research of quantum physicist Nissam Haramein (physicist, lecturer, Gaia.com)
Before You Go
I absolutely love going down various rabbit holes related to spirituality and consciousness. And my understanding of who I am has expanded tremendously as I encounter the Divine in myself, others, and the world around me. Connecting to God or Source or All that Is or the Divine is a wonderful way to spend some me-time. Why not disrupt your usual schedule just enough to expand your Self and your consciousness? Use the comments share your experiences!
Further Resources
Ansorge, Rick. “Transcendental Meditation.” WebMD, 27 January 2022.
Cameron, Julia. The Listening Path: The Creative Art of Attention, St. Marten’s Essentials, 2021.
Center for Action and Contemplation. CAC.org
McTaggart, Lynn. The Power of 8:Harnessing the Miraculous Energies of a Small Group to Heal Others, Your Life, and the World, 2017.
Rogers, Kristin. “The psychological benefits of prayer: what science has to say about the mind-soul connection.” CNN, 17 June 2020, https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/health/benefits-of-prayer-wellness/index.html.
Next up: Toolbox Inventory
You can find my other series “Parenting 101 Coupons: A Gift from your Parents” and “Partnering 101: A Deep Dive into Leaving Kindly” in the archives.
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Brenda BraykoWriter. Teacher. Gong Player.
Find more of my writing at GreenBaytoKorea.blogspot.com
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All photos by © Brenda Brayko 2022.