Spirituality and the State of Flow
Most if us are familiar with the expression being in the zone, and in fact most have probably experienced it at some point. Psychologists usually refer to it as being in a state of flow. It is usually thought of as involving a higher level of alertness, concentration, and maybe skill. Most also remember it as a very positive experience.
The state of flow is not often thought of as spiritual but there is a possible relationship that is worth exploring, and in any case the concept has a lot to say about human flourishing and growth.
We discuss flow and its causes, benefits, and connection with our faith and spirituality in a new article and on the podcast episode linked below.
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Workplace Stress: Can a Spiritual Practice Known as the Prayer Mantra Help?
Workplace stress is a common problem with important consequences for both our health and our effectiveness. A spiritual practice known as the prayer mantra can help us calm down, place our problems in a more realistic perspective, and act with greater strength, insight, and resilience. It can also help us stay on track at other times. (Time: 6:52)
Listen on: iTunes / Stitcher / Google Play or
Flow and Spirituality
As we think about healthy, productive, and fulfilling work, Mihaly Csikszentmihali’s concept of flow comes to mind. Flow (sometimes referred to as “being in the zone”) is not often thought of as spiritual but there is a potential relationship that is worth exploring, and in any case the concept has a lot to say about human flourishing and growth.
Lectio Divina and Guigo’s Ladder for Monks
Lectio Divina is a traditional monastic spiritual practice that combines scripture and a form of contemplative prayer. It has recently become popular among contemplative Christians as a way to a deeper prayer experience. It is one of the practices we have taught in our Spiritual Practices for Your Work Life retreats.
Retreats: Spiritual Practices for Your Work Life
Please let us know if you are interested in hosting or attending one of a series of retreats we call Spiritual Practices for Your Work Life. It has been a couple of years since our last series, and we are putting together a new version.
In these retreats we expose the participants to a number of spiritual practices that can help them in their work life. We also provide some time for small group discussion and individual reflection, and in general help people see how their faith and spirituality can inform and support their daily work.
Spiritual Intelligence: Does it exist?
I ran across an article written in 2000 by psychologist Robert Emmons that is well worth considering (I wish I had seen it earlier). Emmons raises the possibility that spirituality might be considered a form of intelligence consisting of five components (I am quoting Emmons):
Charles Marsh on Bonhoeffer Without a Church
One striking aspect of Charles Marsh’s new biography about Dietrich Bonhoeffer is the degree to which Bonhoeffer’s church seemed to disappear. For someone as committed to, and embedded within, the church as Bonhoeffer, this must have been a highly distressing experience. How the experience seemed to affect him can have important lessons for us.
Prayer Mantras and Stress
(See also our podcast episode about the prayer mantra.) A spiritual practice that can be very helpful during times of workplace stress and uncertainty is that of repeating a personal prayer mantra. Mantras can reduce stress whether the issue is a minor hassle or a crisis large enough to generate outright fear. They can also help us to stay on track.
“Who Experiences the Presence of God and How Often”
At the Black, White, and Gray blog at Patheos, Bradley Wright presents charts based on 2004 General Social Survey data concerning the frequency with which particular groups say they experience the presence of God. The 2004 version of the G.S.S. included questions...
Gregory the Great: Active Contemplative
I ran across an insightful article by Chris Armstrong in an old (2008) Christianity Today on Gregory the Great (540 -604), Spirituality for Busy People. Armstrong writes that Gregory longed to be a monk and to devote himself to quiet contemplation, but felt obliged...