Stress, it is said, is the “equal opportunity destroyer.” Regardless of income, education, gender or how dysfunctional your parents were when they raised you, stress is present everywhere in our world. The World Health Organization goes so far as to say that stress is a “global epidemic.” But as the global village begins to pool its collective wisdom, we see that the stress of life is a natural process of life on earth. It is no secret that we are living in times of tremendous change; and where the winds of change blow, undoubtedly there is stress.
Stress is commonly defined as “wear and tear on the body.” This definition holds much merit, but it denies the existence of our spiritual essence. Today, a more apt definition bringing light to this perspective describes stress as “a perceived disconnection from our divine source.” While it is true that we are never disconnected from our divine source, unresolved feelings of anger and fear create a very real illusion of separation. In the eastern culture this concept is known as the “veils of illusion,” in the western culture, it is more commonly known as the walls of the ego. And where there is ego, there is stress! Carl Jung once said that every crisis is a spiritual crisis, and spiritual crises require spiritual cures — a thought which holds much wisdom.
If you were to talk to the wisdom keepers, the shamans and healers of all times, of all cultures, you would hear them speak of three things with regard to human spirituality: (1) relationships (with oneself and others), (2) values and (3) a meaningful purpose in life. Ask anybody to make a list of their top ten stressors, and most likely you will find that each list is comprised of exactly these issues. At first it may seem that stress and spirituality are mutually exclusive terms, but a closer look reveals that they, as in the ego and the soul which they manifest, are quite literally partners in the dance of life.
Many people think of human spirituality as a trip to Disney World: beautiful sunsets, warm fuzzy puppies and cute newborn babies — the proverbial endorphin rush after climbing a mountain peak. But spiritual experiences on the human path are not limited exclusively to the metaphorical mountain top. The human path includes several treks through many a valley as well. And as Jung reminded us, human spirituality involves one, if not several trips through the “dark night of the soul” or “winter of discontent.”
The boss from hell, the ex-spouse from hell, traffic from hell — have you noticed how popular hell has become these days? Stressors come in all shapes and sizes, from the personal to the global. The small stressors we can sidestep with little effort. The larger stressors, those which seem to be insurmountable roadblocks and obstacles, we tend to avoid. And while avoidance may be the coping skill of choice for life threatening situations, it is not a spiritual cure for stressors involving relationships, values and purpose in life. They must be resolved; there is no other way.
Roadblocks are actually part of the human path. They are meant to be dismantled, circumvented or transcended, not avoided. We are never presented with a problem that we cannot handle. Throughout my professional career, I have had the good fortune to meet several people who have been through hellacious life experiences. Remarkably, these people are not victims of their circumstances, they are the victors. When I ask them how they overcame their adversity, their answers are almost always the same: a sense of patience, a sense of humor, a sense of faith, compassion, patience, forgiveness, humbleness, imagination and creativity, optimism and love. These are not gifts for a chosen few. They are birthrights for everyone. These are what I call “muscles of the soul.” Like our physical muscles, they never disappear, but they can atrophy with disuse.
We are called upon regularly to exercise these spiritual muscles; whether it is a malignant cancerous tumor or a benign person with 14 items in a 9 item express checkout lane, we must learn to exercise these muscles frequently. We each have the potential to be spiritually healthy, because within each of us reside these dynamic muscles of the soul. However, potential that is not used is wasted. Perhaps spiritual health can best be described as using this potential — to engage these spiritual muscles on a regular and frequent basis. In these times of great change which often produce great stress, we are called upon to use our inner resources and come through each situation the victor, not the victim. Our spiritual potential, as expressed through humor, compassion, faith, forgiveness, courage, creativity and intuition are there for the asking. Spiritual health, the good race, is flexing these muscles and feeling the strength they provide when needed.
Flat tires, alcoholic spouses and messy divorces may seem like roadblocks, but they are really reflections of our angers and fears, the real roadblocks on the human path. The walls of the ego become so thick that we literally become immobilized and our life force becomes restricted. The metaphor becomes quite real in terms of health and well-being. Over time, unresolved anger and fear can and will disrupt the flow of universal life force, cascading down the layers of the human energy field to cause dysfunction in various organs, from the immune system and reproductive system to the heart muscle itself.
Ensuring health to the human spirit is ensuring all aspects of health. Herein lies the significant strand which binds stress and spirituality together. As the daily responsibilities of life pile up to an overwhelming clutter, the need for effective coping skills and relaxation techniques is essential to maintaining a sense of mind-body-spirit equilibrium. Productive coping skills and relaxation techniques do more than calm the body; they provide stillness to the mind and clarity of thought. Grounded in frequent regularity, they clear and maintain a pathway to allow the constant flow of divine energy from the highest level of our being down into our deepest body tissue, ensuring and nurturing the health of the human spirit — health to mind, body and soul.
A crimson sunset, a hot bath, a monarch butterfly, a massage, the reassuring voice of a good friend. These are gifts which nurture the soul. We yearn for and cherish these special moments to give balance to that which so often and so easily becomes off-balance through the hectic demands and increasing pressures of our jobs, families and uncalculated events in everyday life. These gifts, a type of divine energy so to speak, filter through our senses to invigorate the human spirit; the essence of life which seeks to resonate in every cell of our body. And in cyclical fashion, it is the vibrancy of our inner resources which like a magnet continually draws our attention toward these special moments. This awareness that recognizes the unique alchemy of humanity and divinity is that which allows us to best cope with life’s problems. Moreover, this mystical alchemy which sustains the health of the human spirit is none other than the most sound strategy for stress management because it acknowledges and honors, rather than ignores, the critical importance of the spiritual dimension.
As we begin this new millennium there is a growing interest in the topic of human spirituality. Indeed, there is a hunger which can be neither satisfied by the dogma of religion nor the promise of science. As human consciousness expands and evolves, as hundreds of thousands of people begin to wake up to the full potential of their spiritual essence, a new spiritual renaissance will emerge to shape and influence our human potential. Perhaps the winds of change and the winds of grace are one and the same, Divine spirit seeks to breathe life into every aspect of our lives. To repeat the words of Sri Ramakrishna, “The winds of grace are blowing perpetually. We only need raise our sails.”
© Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D.
Brian Luke Seaward, Ph.D. is a health psychologist and author of the best selling books, Stand Like Mountain, Flow Like Water: Reflections on Stress and Human Spirituality, Stressed Is Desserts Spelled Backward. www.brianlukeseaward.net
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