In just about every personal practice where I've spoken to the practitioner each has made mention of passing through a period of uncertainty. Those episodes many of us call "Dark night of the Soul" type scenarios I suppose. A period when the very vibrancy and I suppose fabric of our practice leaves us feeling empty or un-satisfied. Yet what of the other extreme?
If there are periods of uncertainty and loss then it seems we also have to experience periods of complacency in our practice. It's not the uncertainty period for we are certain of our beliefs, practices, ceremonies, rituals, etc that make up our (collective) practice. It still fills us with a sense of connection to the divine and a sense of reward. Yet it has become un-challenging to us and almost route in application.
For me I notice many times my spiritual life is sort of like a sign wave. I have highs where everything is charged and jumping. I have lows where it's almost a dark night of the soul or lessor periods where I question things but not to the extent of a dark night of the soul. Then there is the complacency periods. Those periods that tend to precede the highs and lows of the sign wave movement. A period where I am not climbing towards a high nor sliding towards a point of questioning. Simple a rest position as it were, almost a lull but not a lull for it is part and parcel of the cyclic nature of things.
Some might equate it to a rolling with the tide I suppose. Nothing really enlightening or challenging to push you into a drive to research or seek to move you forward.
So how do you address the complacency of or within your practice?
If there are periods of uncertainty and loss then it seems we also have to experience periods of complacency in our practice. It's not the uncertainty period for we are certain of our beliefs, practices, ceremonies, rituals, etc that make up our (collective) practice. It still fills us with a sense of connection to the divine and a sense of reward. Yet it has become un-challenging to us and almost route in application.
For me I notice many times my spiritual life is sort of like a sign wave. I have highs where everything is charged and jumping. I have lows where it's almost a dark night of the soul or lessor periods where I question things but not to the extent of a dark night of the soul. Then there is the complacency periods. Those periods that tend to precede the highs and lows of the sign wave movement. A period where I am not climbing towards a high nor sliding towards a point of questioning. Simple a rest position as it were, almost a lull but not a lull for it is part and parcel of the cyclic nature of things.
Some might equate it to a rolling with the tide I suppose. Nothing really enlightening or challenging to push you into a drive to research or seek to move you forward.
So how do you address the complacency of or within your practice?
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