| It is no secret that maintaining spiritual peace or | | | | from washing the dishes, to shoveling snow, to driving |
| balance in these tough economic times can be difficult. | | | | to work. Of course, yoga is often this type of |
| Fear, anxiety, and worry are pervasive emotions in | | | | meditation. |
| those around us, in those we work with, in those we | | | | As for reading to keep the spiritual focus, I offer the |
| are close to. But there is a way to keep your spiritual | | | | questions: how many spiritual based books do you |
| equilibrium. | | | | already have on your shelf? Are there any you can |
| Having the finances to study and practice does make | | | | revisit? Often a second reading offers many new |
| keeping a spiritual perspective easier. Reading books | | | | insights. If this is not a viable option, there are used |
| helps make the spiritual a regular part of your life. | | | | book stores and magazines as well as online sites that |
| Purchasing books or magazines that you are attracted | | | | offer spiritual guidance. |
| to and reading the material keeps the spiritual focus, as | | | | Of course, there are several other things that can |
| well as allows your unconscious to guide your choices. | | | | assist in keeping spiritual balance. These are often of a |
| Taking a yoga class, a meditation class, or going to | | | | psychological nature. Let's address anxiety, which is |
| spiritual seminars can assist in keeping the focus | | | | directly opposed to spiritual peace. I think it is an easily |
| necessary for spiritual peace and to motivate you on | | | | made assumption that these are anxiety producing |
| your path. But they are not necessary; you can do it | | | | times. People have lost some of their savings in the |
| without them. In an economy like this, these types of | | | | stock market. Unemployment is rising, and businesses |
| expenditures are likely some of the first to go. And this | | | | are struggling and shutting down. People are worried |
| is to be expected. But it does not have to be the | | | | about their future. |
| beginning of the end of your personal spiritual quest. | | | | When and why do people worry or become anxious? |
| In many belief systems, a lack of money is actually | | | | Generally, we worry about the future, whether distant |
| advantageous to a spiritual mindset. For example, in | | | | or near. In psychology it is believed every behavior or |
| many Native American cultures you must clear space | | | | action has a reward. In the case of worrying, the |
| (get rid of some possessions) before the spirit world | | | | reward is to foresee a problem and take action. This is |
| will bless you with new. In Eastern philosophical views | | | | why people consult psychics, or attempt to develop or |
| attaching yourself to material things (or people, or | | | | trust in their own psychic ability. Worry is often an |
| expectations) is counter to spiritual enlightenment. So, in | | | | attempt to control, or a wish to control, what is |
| these tough economic times, you might actually have a | | | | uncontrollable. When worrying or anxiety serves the |
| head start. | | | | purpose of aiding preparation, it is a worthy pursuit. But |
| Most of the things I mentioned earlier that assist in | | | | none of us are in control of these tough times. |
| maintaining spiritual balance, including meditation, yoga, | | | | Independently, we can do little to change the economic |
| and reading, don't have to be costly. Meditating, | | | | environment. |
| shrouded in all its mystery, is really just altering your | | | | Several articles I have read discuss keys to happiness. |
| awareness, being mindful, and concentrating on the | | | | These articles, which varied in some respects, had a |
| breath. The most beneficial way to practice meditation | | | | common theme: faith. According to these articles, |
| is through just sitting quietly, and observing your | | | | those that have faith, faith events happen for a |
| thoughts. Of course it is normal for the mind to wonder, | | | | reason, faith that things will work out as they are |
| and to drift into thoughts about the day, about people, | | | | supposed to, faith that a higher power is acting on their |
| or just about any other distraction. The goal is to catch | | | | behalf, are happier than those who do not share these |
| the mind wondering, and come back to the position of | | | | beliefs. I do not believe that the role of faith should be |
| awareness and separateness from your thoughts. Of | | | | minimized in regard to spiritual peace. If you believe |
| course there are other ways to sit in meditation, | | | | things will work out, there is no need to worry, the |
| including chanting and just monitoring the breath. We'd | | | | happier you will be and the closer you will be to spiritual |
| all be better off, and more emotionally and spiritually | | | | balance. The recent inclusion of Eastern thought and |
| balanced, if we just took the time daily to practice | | | | beliefs into psychotherapy is evidence of its proven |
| meditation. | | | | effectiveness. There are many therapists who teach |
| In addition to sitting meditation, which was just | | | | meditation techniques, suggest yoga, or who suggest |
| described briefly, in Zen philosophy, any activity can be | | | | spiritual reading for their clients. |
| meditation. Being completely aware of your | | | | Spiritual balance may be more a necessity than a |
| surroundings and focused on them and the task at | | | | luxury. In these tough times, it may be the most |
| hand is mindful meditation. For example, in walking | | | | influential thing a person can do to help themselves and |
| meditation, one concentrates on the feeling of the feet | | | | others rise above the emotional turmoil surrounding |
| on the ground, the feel and smell of the air, the sounds | | | | them. Do your part to bring peace to your life and the |
| that come and fade, the breath as you walk, the | | | | loves you care about by keeping your own spiritual |
| feeling of the sun on your face, and any other present | | | | balance. This article offers some tips to get you on |
| event happening during the course of the walk. This | | | | your way. |
| type of meditation can be generalized to any activity, | | | | |