Spiritually Mindful

With everyone so conscious about health, weight and calories a diet comes naturally to mind. There are so many forms of diets available in our planet, but their effectiveness depends on how much one puts his mind and will to following them religiously.

One can easily access the Internet and check out a few of these health lifestyle modes and tailor it to one’s physiological needs. This approach, however, may not be advisable especially since going on a diet isn’t as simple asnot eating.

Thus, others take a more prudent approach with the help of a dietician or a health coach who will provide a perfect scheme that promises effective non-harmful weight loss for the person. This basically considers the amount of food intake, the indispensable nutrition and of course exercise.

Quite recently, a friend of mine attended some seminars on new approaches to cognitive therapy in the U.S. Among the interesting and amusing things he attended was a module called ‘Mindful Eating’. The gist of this class was that a person is more healthy when he is ‘conscious about what and how he eats’.

What is funny about this idea is that one may define ‘mindful’ as slow-motion eating. Take the example of eating a prune. Instead of devouring it in one gulp, you should first ‘mindfully contemplate’ the prune. This means appreciating its contours, color and even its smell. You then eat it, but you must savor its flavor by chewing on it slowly and serenely.

This mode of eating may seem like a ‘gastronomical aberration’. Studies, however, are now beginning to reveal that such an approach to food in general leads to a healthier lifestyle and may dramatically contribute to weight loss.

Sandra Aamodt, one such specialist, witnesses to the fact that she lost ten pounds in about a year by resorting to mindful eating without going on a diet. She showed how one’s awareness of the body’s needs has more lasting effects than going on a diet.

Spiritually speaking, such a perspective may be useful for our spiritual health and growth: being mindful about our spiritual life. This helps us to understand that our spiritual life cannot be simply taking in everything that may be ‘inspiring’ or ‘meaningful’ for us. Like bodily health, our spiritual life also follows some ingredients and methods to best put them to our advantage.

Naturally, this does not imply a ‘straight-jacketing’ of our spiritual life. Like everything in life, the spiritual also has some guidelines that only seek to streamline our spiritual and religious obligations so that they may be further woven into every thread of our daily life’s fabric. This is also true with the Church’s liturgical rites and calendar. These are not meant to stifle but to further enrich us spiritually.

A mindful spiritual life really means not falling into the routine of doing our religious practices. It means ‘savoring’ the little we do but with more love each time. For example, we shouldn’t just read a spiritual book, but in the process learn to spiritually read it. This also goes for our prayer, when it is prayerfully done: more care in preparing the topic, setting a place and time and forming resolutions.

This has deeper implications in the sacraments. The Holy Mass, on one hand, will not just be a weekly obligation. Being mindful of it would help us to be more ‘eucharistic souls’ –as St. Josemaría described it– in that we strive to ‘eucharistically’ live the entire day centered on the Mass. And when we go to confession, we may also be more mindful of our sorrow and purpose of amendment, as we strive to ask God’s grace to help us deepen our awareness of His mercy and compassion for us His children.

Our spiritual mindfulness is further enhanced when we seek spiritual guidance for our spiritual life. With a prudent, encouraging and demanding spiritual director is required. We will become more mindful of what is essential for our spiritual edification and what may not be.

A spiritual adviser is not someone who will impose on us what or when to do things. More often than not, he will simply build on and polish what we already have. A great part of the work and progress will depend on our sincere desire to be guided, carved and polished.

Placing ourselves under the guidance of such a director will not only make things easier for us, but we will also discover broader horizons to explore in our spiritual journey. He will remind us of how to refine our virtues further, he will always encourage us during more difficult trials or falls, and he will console us with his own prayers and sacrifices for our struggle.

A spiritual guide, taking from St. Josemaría experience, has the following qualities: a teacher, a doctor and a guide. He is a teacher who instructs us, in the doctrinal and ascetical aspects of our life. He is a doctor who heals with advice, and most especially if he is a priest who heals us through Confession. And he is a guide, who personally travels the journey with us towards Heaven.