Move into a comfortable position. Take a deep slow breath.
During this month, permit yourself the gift of acceptance of who you are … this day … this season … this year. Concentrate on this present day. Know that you can hold different sensations at the same time. You are the exact same person you were before your cancer diagnosis. You hold the same history and experiences. You are likewise in a time of seeing the world in a different way and possibly re-examining your life. All is in this present time of your living.
I have discovered that spirituality and faith can be tough to inform apart, yet there are some pretty defined distinctions in between the two. Faith is a particular set of organized beliefs and practices, typically shared by a neighborhood or group. Spirituality is more of a specific practice and relates to living in the minute; having a sense of peace and purpose. Persons can be both spiritual and spiritual. Some practice spirituality but may not belong to a religious neighborhood.
For many who are in high stress times of life, religious and spiritual practices are useful in producing peace, purpose, approval, hope, and forgiveness. In my experience, those who are dealing with cancer face concerns about significance of life, purpose of suffering, and choices of how to live. I typically hear, How do I live with this? Where is God in the midst of my discomfort? I can no longer attend my faith community, and even if I could, when I do not feel well and when Im afraid, I simply withdraw.
For cancer clients, this is a paradox we live daily. We can wish to feel happiness and be close to others AND we can likewise feel frightened, sad, and alone. We want to feel near to our faith and spirituality AND we can feel deserted.
As a chaplain, one of the most satisfying parts of my task has actually been dealing with people of different religions and spiritual beliefs. When we are dealing with cancer, we take advantage of a wide range of resources to help us cope and deal with the modifications in our living. One such resource for many is the practice of spirituality or faiths.
Inhale … breathe out.Breathe in what is required, breathe out what is not.Breathe. Permit yourself to accept where you are this moment.Breathe. Decrease your expectations of yourself … of how you pick to experience the holidays.Breathe. Take on what is workable and crucial to you. Breathe. Allow yourself to acknowledge the goodness you already have in your life. Breathe. Offer yourself a few minutes of silently inhaling and breathing out appreciation for what you do have in your life (not for what you do not have).
Spirituality Exercise
Lucretia Hurley-Browning, MDiv, MS, is a guest writer whose recent background consists of Chaplain of Abramson Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital and the Director of Juniper Tree Counseling. She is a therapist and ordained United Methodist Minister. Presently she is an author by day, a reader by night, and is enthusiastic about living life meaningfully with an excellent dosage of fun.
For many who are in high tension times of life, spiritual and religious practices are handy in producing peace, purpose, hope, acceptance, and forgiveness. December is a real paradox: it can be both a time of great pleasure AND a time of excellent tension. It can be a time for families to celebrate their history and love for each other AND it can be a time of unhappiness and loss. It can be a time of gathering in spiritual celebrations and feeling powerful spiritual connectedness AND it can be a time of isolation, doubt, and confusion.
All of these reactions are VERY regular.
When you finish this brief workout, I welcome you to take with you this quote from Eckhart Tolle: ” Acknowledging the great that you already have in your life is the structure for all abundance”.
May your days in December have a focus on the abundance that does exist in your life. It is there. Remember it.
You are also in a time of seeing the world differently and maybe re-examining your life.
December is a real paradox: it can be both a time of fantastic delight AND a time of excellent tension. It can be a time of gathering in religious celebrations and feeling powerful spiritual connectedness AND it can be a time of confusion, seclusion, and doubt.
