The Benedictines have what they call the Rule of Life. Each day follows a predictable schedule, and the day includes things important to a spiritual life; there are times each day for worship, for prayer, for work, for eating. Their discipline is not a way of life that would fit well with office jobs and elementary school schedules, but invites the question “what would my life look like if it centered the things I value? How could I arrange my day so that there is time for what matters most?”
One key to developing regular spiritual practices is to consider the rhythm of your days. Do you have a favorite time of day? You might ask yourself what spiritual practice would feel just right at that favorite time. If you are an early riser, there is nothing like the hours around sunrise, the beautiful quality of light, the chorus of birds and other animals are waking. If you’re a night person, the late hours of stillness might hold a special quality for you. I know some of my family members stay awake specifically so they can have the house to themselves -- their own quiet space. If you are struggling to maintain a spiritual practice, you might experiment and notice where it fits most naturally into your day, into the rhythms of body heart and mind, family and community.
I have learned through years of trial and error, that for me morning is the best time for writing. The afternoon is a good time for meetings and chores, making plans and checking off action items. As we get close to 4 o’clock my brain gets slower and slower -- I used to think of this is an unproductive time, but it turns out it’s a great time to do something physical and let the mind rest. I now use the time for yoga, or making dinner for the family. Apparently, the dogs feel the same way -- they have no patience to let me sit in front of my computer screen past 4 o’clock and begin to fidget and beseech me to get up and get moving.
Different folks have different rhythms. Thank goodness some folks are most active and creative at night when I’m pretty useless. Our communities need folks who can stay up all night – from performers to first responders, and we need folks who get up before sunrise to staff the ICU, start the coffee and clear the roads in the winter. Even if parts of your daily schedule are imposed by your job, or the complex scheduling of family life, it can be a helpful practice to notice our own rhythms of body mind and spirit, and to find times for what we value most.
Thomas Keating, a Trappist Monk and teacher of spiritual practice, recommended practicing 20 to 30 minutes of centering prayer twice a day -- once in the morning before work, and once after work, perhaps stopping at a quiet spot as you’re headed home for dinner. For years I tried to make this happen, and always struggled with the “after work” part. It occurred to me recently that Father Keating probably didn’t have to cook dinner for his family, and probably didn’t head back to work for evening meetings. I resolved to let the truth of my own life be the authority on when to practice, and to let go of Keating’s advice.
We live in a society that often demands we do things at times that go against our own natural rhythms. The practice of noticing and following our own rhythms can be a good way of helping us come home to ourselves. Even noticing “I’m stuck in this obligation which is contrary to my natural rhythm” helps us become acquainted with our own truth and listen to the harmonies and dissonances of our individual life within the larger society. I invite you to imagine your own “rule of life” – a daily rhythm that would support connection to your soul, to Spirit and to the Web of Life, and to enjoy those moments when you arrive right where you need to be.
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