Just about everybody I know is into physical fitness. They are walking, jogging, riding bikes, doing aerobics or pumping iron at a gym. That's great news because, in the 1970s, we were in danger of becoming couch potatoes, glued to our television sets.
Today, the components of physical fitness -- nutritional eating, exercise, adequate rest, and relaxation -- have been incorporated into the lifestyles of millions of Americans. Centuries ago, St. Paul realized the importance of this when he told the Corinthians, who were known for debauchery, that our bodies are the Temples of God (I Corinthians 6:19).
It's sad to see our spirits and souls, the eternal parts of us, receive so little consideration. Several years ago, on a flight from Cleveland, Ohio, to Atlanta, I sat beside a woman whose beautifully sculpted body was encased in a bitter and broken spirit. It was obvious that she was a person of wealth and considerable sophistication when she placed her Louis Vuitton carry-on in the overhead bin and tossed her Gucci purse on the seat. Yet she looked as if her spirit had atrophied. There was no joy, no enthusiasm in her words, only bitterness and despair.
Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent, a 40-day period, excluding Sundays, when Christians seek spiritual renewal before Easter. I have found the following disciplines to be helpful:
• Spend 30 minutes each day in quiet meditation and prayer. Our conscious minds are so full of scheduling plans and anxieties that creative and spiritual thoughts can't emerge.
• Practice joy. In this fast-paced world filled with problems, it's easy to focus on the negatives. Instead, count your blessings and seek to bring some form of joy daily into the life of another.
• Spend some time with children. Their spontaneity and enthusiasm will jump start a weary spirit.
• Remember the life of Jesus, practice regular worship and read the Bible and other inspirational books.
Most of all, find purpose in living because that's the anchor for our souls. Have a happy spring through the practice of spiritual fitness.
Contact Nell Mohney at nellwmohney@comcast.net.