Our culture – and so many of us – are at the breaking point,
stressed by personal, family, and work-related societal demands
and realities. It is no wonder that we may have dismissed a more
spiritual approach to our life. Perhaps it is because of a tendency to
intellectualize and hold rigid opinions, or to follow a philosophical
or political ideology that forsakes all else. Some of us have lost faith
because of our society’s social and educational institutions, or our
struggles and misunderstandings with our families, or how we interpret
our past. We may have lost faith in religious institutions and
communities as we have watched them fight and fail to be the models
of change, growth, and integrity that we long for them to be. Some
of us have become exhausted and overwhelmed by the sheer complexity
of postmodern life and all its demands, invitations, and its
endless possibilities in this complex age of hi-tech and social media.
Moreover, we may have been conditioned by our families, our
friendships, our chosen communities, and our culture not to value a
greater spiritual awareness, whether through a particular religious
philosophy or a set of nonreligious beliefs. Maybe because of our
negative religious experiences or cynical thinking about religion, we
have chosen not to seek the experience of spiritual enlightenment in
our lives. Or our outlook on life has been shaped by our despair over
political and economic systems that have led to continued war, poverty,
oppression and division.
It’s important to remember that to embrace the spiritual life, we
do not have to suddenly abandon or judge who we have been, or the
reasons for the important decisions we have made, or our essential
beliefs, points of view, deepest feelings or otherwise. Instead, we can
begin to trust this: no matter where we are, we can begin right where
we are.
Tending to one’s spiritual life is countercultural, even in some religious
communities. It is so difficult when so much of life points to the
surface of things – like conforming blindly rather than searching
inwardly for answers. Seeking the authentic self and exploring whom
we are called to become is either not honored, or not in the minds of
most people. It seems to me we all have difficulty finding a way of
life that allows spiritual and human love to flourish, of being faithful
to our responsibilities and finding that inner path of purpose that
only we are meant to find. One reason could be is that we’re so busy
doing for others (including our work) but we are neglecting ourselves.
Unfortunately, this is one of the deeply ingrained norms in our culture.
Consequently, self-care will initially feel selfish to many of us.
Reprioritizing our time allotments with family, various causes, communities,
volunteering, recovery work, overworking and so on, may
become necessary for us to be able to sink into what is most deeply
drawing the attention of our soul. Doing this may present another
obstacle: if we do not risk others’ disapproval, we may never know
what that calling is. However, I’m convinced that discovering the
divine and our truest self are two of the most amazing, grounding,
and life-changing choices we will ever make.
Questions for Journaling
- What is your idea of a spiritual path? Can you find an image
in a book, magazine, online blog or website that speaks to your
sense of what a spiritual path may embody for you? Does this
image give you a metaphor you can work with? Journal your
thoughts, identifying the characteristics of your desired spiritual
path. - Write as many personal questions as you wish. (Examples might be: Why do I feel so unhappy? What am I longing for? How can I get there?) Take time to journal your responses each day but remember the amount you write is not the goal. Rather, try to get to the bottom of what you feel, think, or sense about the heart of these questions. Later, reflect and meditate on which question(s) seem to be the most important at this time.
“This is never a painless experience, but once we have committed ourselves to the search for truth, to seeing ourselves as we really are, we must see without judging what we see.”
~ Kabir Helminski, Living Presence“The call of the pilgrim is to stay awake to our own patterns of life and death… When we feel the death impulse arising…. we can turn toward it with compassion…”
~ Christine Valters Paintner, The Soul of a Pilgrim“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, [we] cannot live without a spiritual life.”
~ The BuddhaCopyright © 2025 Jo-Ellen A. Darling. All Rights Reserved.
Journaling as a Spiritual Path 