| When it comes to spiritual growth, most of us know it | | | | opportunity for spiritual growth. When you find yourself |
| requires focus, dedication, devotion, and sustained | | | | feeling impatient with your children or yourself, this is an |
| effort. However, what do you do when you have a | | | | opportunity to go within and explore the root of the |
| busy life. Between work and taking care of the | | | | dis-ease. |
| children and your husband, what if you barely have ten | | | | Are you harboring the belief that you should be |
| minutes to yourself anymore. Although spiritual growth | | | | accomplishing more during the day? Are you torn |
| might be really important to you, what if you are having | | | | apart by guilt because your work life takes you away |
| a hard time fitting it into your schedule. Here are some | | | | from your children? Do you constantly tell yourself |
| suggestions. | | | | there isn't enough time to get everything done that |
| It is natural and not uncommon to view worldly | | | | needs to be done, and if you were more organized |
| endeavors and spiritual endeavors as separate | | | | you would be a better mother? All of these negative |
| functions. From this perspective, one is always | | | | beliefs are opportunities for contemplation and spiritual |
| competing with the other for your time and attention. | | | | growth. |
| On the one hand, you have responsibilities to manage | | | | Contemplation is a very effective means of |
| and perhaps an endless to-do list to complete. On the | | | | multitasking - so to speak. It allows you the ability to |
| other hand, your soul is encouraging you to be more | | | | handle personal responsibilities while simultaneously |
| introspective, slow down a little bit, and spend some | | | | doing some much needed soul work. |
| time going within to become aware of false beliefs | | | | Every negative feeling, from slight irritation to intense |
| and old patterns of behavior that no longer serve your | | | | rage, is an opportunity for spiritual growth whereby you |
| highest good. | | | | can infuse more compassion, understanding and love |
| Rather than compartmentalizing spiritual work and | | | | into your life. Every moment of your life offers an |
| worldly work into separate camps, I would encourage | | | | opportunity for growth. Whether you are waiting for a |
| you to see them as one and the same. You don't | | | | bus, sitting in traffic or changing a diaper, a deeper level |
| have to withdraw from the world and meditate for an | | | | of awareness can be accessed. All you have to do is |
| hour each day in order to advance your | | | | exchange "this OR that" thinking with "this AND that" |
| consciousness. Everything you do and every person | | | | thinking. |
| you encounter during the day offers you an | | | | |