According to the Native American wellness circle, if we are physically healthy we are considered "fit." Likewise, if we are spiritually well, we are considered to be "connected," connected both to the Great Spirit (or God) and to the world. We can look at physical fitness as an analogy for spiritual connectedness, and use this as a model to understand, evaluate, and improve the spiritual aspects of our lives.
1) Regular Exercise. In the physical realm, daily exercise or a regular workout is needed to maintain conditioning and fitness. Taking time to pray and meditate each day is the comparable activity in the spiritual realm. If we lack a daily discipline of spending time in quiet reflection and gratitude to the Creator, we remain spiritually underdeveloped.
At a conference I once met a Native American elder who had a presence that radiated inner strength. He sat quietly and with dignity, and when he spoke everyone listened. Others noticed this and someone asked him if he was a medicine man. "No," he replied, "but each morning I take time to pray. I welcome the new day by being grateful to the Creator for the gift of life and asking for wisdom and guidance." This man practiced his daily spiritual exercise, and it showed in his wisdom and presence.
For some time now, I have been working on a meditation practice of my own. Each of us needs to develop our own form of prayer and meditation, one that allows us to open ourselves up fully to the Divine. Early in the day I sit near my sliding glass door and begin with a prayer and a song. Then, I meditate, sometimes focusing on a word, like peace or gratitude. Other times I picture myself receiving light from above. Afterwards, I like to read from books dealing with the inner life, and copy a few words from each in a journal that I keep.
Even if I pray and meditate only for a few minutes a day, it brings me an increased sense of well-being and peace. My energy is renewed. For this practice to be effective, it has to become a daily routine. We need a daily prayer or meditation practice to keep us spiritually connected and nourished from within.
2) A Healthy Diet. The second element of being physically fit is eating a healthy diet. There is a story of a Cherokee elder talking to his grandson. He tells the youngster that he has two wolves fighting inside himself. One wolf is goodness, love, kindness, joy, and peace. The other wolf is hatred, anger, envy, pride, and greed. The grandson anxiously asks, "Which wolf wins?" The grandfather answers solemnly, "The one that I feed the most." Just as we feed ourselves physically by what we put into our stomachs, we feed our spiritual life by what we put into our minds and hearts.
Clearly, some of the music we listen to, TV programs we watch, or the material we read feeds the wrong wolf. This poor spiritual diet keeps us spiritually undernourished.
There are many ways to feed ourselves spiritually, including participating in religious ceremonies, attending church services, reading inspirational or devotional material, listening to uplifting music, spending time in nature, and helping those who are less fortunate.
3) Avoiding Bad Habits. Common lifestyle issues or habits that create obstacles to physical fitness include smoking and substance abuse. Likewise, there are three particularly harmful habits that block spiritual health and prevent connectedness. These are complaining, holding grudges, and worrying.
Complaining. Complaining is often our initial reflex when things don't go the way we want them to. People who study these things say that 75 percent of most people's daily conversation is negative.
Being grateful is the opposite of complaining, and with every complaint there is an opportunity to be grateful. The habit of complaining blocks spiritual connectedness, just as the habit of gratitude and trust opens the doorway to spiritual peace. Gratitude turns our so-called ordinary experiences into blessings
Holding a grudge. Refusing to forgive, carrying resentment, and being critical of others; all of these are traps. The bitterness resulting from holding a grudge poisons the spirit and closes the heart. Forgiveness, on the other hand, can be joyful and freeing, while also bringing great peace of mind. Forgiveness isn't something we do for the one who wronged us; we do it for ourselves. Forgiveness opens the heart and allows new and better experiences to enter in.
It is just as important to learn to forgive ourselves for our perceived failures or inadequacies as it is to forgive others. As we let go of judging others, self-judgment becomes less likely. By forgiving, we open ourselves up to understanding and compassion toward those who have hurt us. And by doing this, we foster trust in the Divine and begin to open ourselves to its sacred work in our lives.
Worry. The third habit that blocks spiritual connectedness is worry. The opposite of worrying, of course, is peace of mind. And to experience peace of mind, we must be aware of our inner life, the life of our spiritual self.
How do we change paths from worry and anxiety to peace of mind? Thich Nhat Hanh, a Zen Buddhist monk, teaches a great exercise on mindfulness and peace that goes something like this: While breathing in, think of calmness and tranquility. While breathing out, smile. Think about the present moment on the next inward breath. Then, breathing out, declare to yourself that this is a wonderful moment!
Prayer can also move us from anxiety to peace of mind. In prayer we turn over our fears and worries to a power greater than ourselves: God, or the Divine Presence, or the Peace of the Universe. Prayer reminds us that there is a greater reality beyond our limited viewpoint. Ultimately, prayer brings us into a state of trust. We trust that we are in the hands of the Divine, and that in the end, all will be well.
learn more at www.TransformingBurnout.com Alan Shelton, MD is the medical director at the Puyallup Tribal Health Authority where he has worked as a family practitioner for 22 years. He also serves as faculty at Tacoma Family Medicine residency program at Multicare Hospital in Tacoma, Washington. In addition to his MD degree, Dr. Shelton earned a Master's in Public Health at University of Washington Medical School. He recently completed training in acupuncture.
Dr. Shelton grew up in Japan, an upbringing which helps him adapt easily to other cultures, including the Native American community in which he works. His personal renewal and recovery from burnout, along with his deep respect for the Native American spiritual tradition, inspired him to share with others the essential role spirituality plays in achieving true satisfaction and fulfillment at work. Dr. Shelton is married and is the father of six children. He enjoys coaching basketball and playing trumpet in his family band.
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