Is it just my age or are an increasing number of  people becoming more spiritual – searching for their  purpose in life,  a spiritual connection or are attempting to create a closer walk with their God?  I’m hearing a lot about finding joy, being grateful, choosing to be happy and being at peace.  Is it because the world is in such a state of chaos that that we are searching for some sort of peace within ourselves?

Jimi Hendrix once said “When power of love overcomes the love of power the world will know peace”.  I don’t see that happening soon.

A couple of days ago, I was watching a video on Oprah.com which featured Reverend Ed Bacon, Elizabeth Lesser and Michael Bernard Beckwith on questions you can ask yourself as part of your spiritual practice.

Before I go any further, I’m going to state that know that many people do not agree with the way that Oprah is approaching the spiritual, saying that she’s not a believer in God or in Christ.  I don’t know; I’m not her.  What I will say is that she offers lessons from various teachers so that we can all walk our own walk.  I don’t know where you are on your path; I only know where I am and I thought that these questions were helpful.

Of course, the first question which had to do with intentionality got my attention.

Reverend Ed Bacon suggested that being intentional is a big part of spiritualty.  He suggests listing the intentions that you would like in your spiritual life  because that will impact your spiritual journey and then to list the movements of grace that happen during or after that prayer time, for instance, “what do I want to accomplish in my spiritual life” and “what are my intentions for that particular prayer period”?   Many people do this by writing down their daily gratitudes in a journal.

Elizabeth Lesser asked:

1. Would I rather be right or would I rather be happy?
2. Am I ready to accept life on its own terms?
3. How can I let go and relax with each moment?

These are all questions that will resonate with caregivers.  I remember many times that I wanted to correct my father when his dementia would not let him state the facts correctly.  One day I asked myself “what is my intention for arguing with him; what am I hoping to accomplish?”  That was the day that I stopped arguing.

All we can do as caregivers is to try to enjoy the moment, the present, with our loved ones because we don’t know what the next moment will bring.

Finally Michael Bernard Beckwith stated that we are here to be “a beneficial presence” and asked what gifts are trying to emerge that you had given up on?  He states that at the end of it all, we might be haunted about what we DIDN’T do, try and/or risk and that we must use the gifts, powers and capacities that we were given.  As caregivers, we may already be doing just  that……….but we must be careful not to lose hope that we will be able to accomplish the other dreams in the process.

Remember that just like medicine, spirituality is a practice.  Be around holy people.  Read, meditate, journal, pray, and/or list the items that you are grateful for every day.

PS My friend has the alarm on his phone set for 1:11 every day and when it goes off, he pauses for a moment to state what he is grateful for that day.