Contentment makes poor men rich. Discontent makes rich men poor. -- Benjamin Franklin
Not by Bread Alone
The other day I was feeling off center, and so I took a walk around the block to lift my spirits. As I passed one of the neighbor's homes, I spotted a luxury car and began to imagine my pleasure at owning and driving such a vehicle. Suddenly, a still small voice whispered from within, "You can't fill a spiritual void with a physical object. Because you are a spiritual being living in a material world, your deeper needs for love and connectedness can never be satisfied in purely material terms."
And yet we climb the ladder of material success only to discover that it is leaning against the wrong wall. It is clear that human beings need a certain amount of food, clothing, shelter, and comfort to meet their physical needs. But anything beyond that is not truly essential for inner contentment. As the philosopher Marcus Aurelius said, "Very little is needed to make a happy life."
In Scripture we read, "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God." Ask yourself, "What are my spiritual and emotional needs, and what steps am I taking to address them?" As you begin to feed and nourish yourself with spiritual food, your soul's hunger will be filled. There is no deeper satisfaction than this.
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Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. ~Dr. Seuss
How appropro. The material world is so "in front" of us on a daily basis. The last few months, I found myself dealing with alot of material issues that I normally don't have to, ie: family issues. I became so caught up in wheeling and dealing, I neglected the spiritual side of my life. I ceased my studies, went on hiatus. I stopped my out in the woods time, which is something that has been an integral part of my spirituality for many years. My meditation time slipped away more and more. I found myself reacting in old ways due to this neglect. Where did my walks on the rivers go? And how could I deal with these necessary issues regarding my family when my material/spiritual balance was so off kilter? I tell you, not very well. I became so wrapped up in my brain, I forgot the health of my spirit and soul.
I spoke to my mentor about four days ago, and we have me back with my lesson "plans", I finally committed to helping teach an online class, and have begun a paper on invoking the power of Spirit when dealing with good judgement and learning. These things have been my mainstay for so long, yet how easily I was able to get caught up with the material world and people, places and things--and allow them to take precedance over my personal journey. The good thing is, there was even a lesson in all those things ( How our HP works is always such a shock when I "see" it, finally).
So, today I will set aside the time my spirit needs and reconnect with the things that are truly important to me. Other things will still be there when I've done this first, and then I can deal with them in a much more balanced manner. Thx, Carol. lv, Chris
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"Never argue with an idiot... They'll drag you down to their level and beat you with experience..."
