I'm currently reading Some People Say That God is No Laughing Matter by Julia Cameron (in fact, I read one small section each day in my devotional time). I read this this morning and decided it was perfect for our current conversation - except now I have to decide which parts to quote and which to leave behind...
I've never felt I had a very buff spirituality. I've always had problems with doing the "proper" spiritual sit-ups and so I have just sort of figured I hd to live with my Spiritual Cellulite and not try for God's Pinup Girl of the Month.
For example, I hate going to the gym for my physical body, so I go for long walks and bike rides. That's a good time for spiritual check-in, and I do seem to hear a lot of great advice from Something when I am outside and moving. On the other hand, I have always felt it would be more spiritually acceptable if I were getting the advice when I was inside and not moving....
What I am saying is that maybe a few spiritual lumps and tiny little bulges are normal and we should all just go swimming anyway.
Often when I hear people talk about their spiritual practice, I think the word "practice" got left out. I get intimidated because they seem to do it so perfectly. And so much. And so often. It gets to sound like doing the "right" kind of crunch, so that their spiritual abs get a great cut...
It seems to me that sometimes we can get so busy doing our spiritual aerobics that we don't notice the light in the trees and feel of the sun on our skin, because we are speedwalking instead of ever going out for a stroll...
1. Do you beat yourself up about how unspiritual you are?
2. Do you believe that other people "do" their spirituality better? Who? Why?
3. Do you feel you're lousy at prayer?
4. Does your meditation practice seem shabby?
5. Has it ever occured to you to make your spiritual practice something you enjoy?
You could:
Pray and Dance.
Pray and Walk.
Pray and Bike.
You could:
Pray and sing.
Pray and paint.
Pray and take a good, hot bath.
Julia Cameron is not overtly Christian but I still highly recommend her work. If you think you might like this book you can get it at a good rate from The Book Depot.