Practicing Peace with All Your Soul
Making Peace with Ourselves
Be still, and know that I am God.
-Psalm 46:10
The Soul point on the Living Compass focuses on Spirituality and Rest & Play. Today we will reflect on what peace looks like in these two areas of our lives.
Rest and Play have to do with how we are honoring sabbath time in our lives and how we are engaging in truly re-creative activities. In a culture that overvalues busyness (especially this time of year), taking time to be purposeful about slowing down requires intentionality. Playfulness is also not highly appreciated in our culture, and yet it is both foundational to, and an expression of, well-being.
Spirituality, as with all dimensions of wellness, requires regular tending. A garden becomes wilted if it is not regularly watered, as do our spiritual lives. A combination of communal and personal spiritual practices is ideal for enhancing this part of ourselves [see pages 49 - 52]. Spiritual wellness is grounded in humility, as Audrey Scanlan discovered through her practice of honest self-examination and confession.
The season of Advent provides us with a unique opportunity to be counter-cultural by both slowing down and focusing on the deeper spiritual dimensions of Advent and Christmas. Making this counter-cultural choice will surely help us make peace within ourselves and with others.
Making it Personal: Take a moment to reflect on the current levels of rest and play in your life, as well as the state of your spiritual life. In the metaphor of a garden, where do you see a need for watering? What is one thing you could do right now to “water” your spiritual life and/or your need for rest and play? How might this new thing help create a deeper sense of peace within yourself?