How do YOU mix spirituality and a hectic life?

[redthewitch75]

Hello all! I was sitting here thinking about how my spirituality seems to fall by the wayside when it comes to getting everything done in my crazy, hectic day. How do you take time in your day to honour your Gods/Goddesses/ect or to reflect on the spiritual side of your life or to feel closer to nature? Is there something you do each day? I hope that is coming out right, I am almost falling asleep as I sit here typing. Lol, see? Trying to cram in some comp time before bed. Feh!

[hastings1066ad]

I try to meditate and really set aside time for me, but when it gets too much, I take just a few minutes in the shower and take a couple of deep breaths there (I'm pretty attuned to water, but even if I wasn't its an easy place to put other things away and concentrate on just the essential.) The minutes when you're drifting before you go to sleep are also good-- and I normally really rest rather than sleep restlessly when I just take a minute to focus my mind on the spiritual aspects of my life rather than going over my to do llist.
-Hastings

[CelestiaSynth]

I know how you feel. I've had a very hectic schedule for the past 5 months. Coupling that with my insane lack of privacy within my home, and I usually find it difficult to set aside some time for spiritual endeavors. I find myself buried within my practical worries, like trying to get funds for college while trying to look for another job while still working at times, 6 days a week at the one that I have now. I'm trying to find days to hang out with my friends who I rarely am able to see nowdays, setting aside time everyday to workout.
I can get drained and frustrated after awhile. I also have trouble when I do make plans for something of a spritiual nature, like celebrating a Sabbat. No one in my house is Pagan but me, and no one honestly understands even the basis of my beliefs, or the basics of what I practice ( but my mom, and she's still confused ). So you can imagine how weird and uncomfortable I would feel if, let's say, I'm casting a circle and someone just walks into my room. My concentration would be broken, and they would feel either scared, angry, ot awkward.
At first I thought I should just wait till everyone in my house was asleep but me before I did anything, but my sisters can stay up till dawn just watching tv or talking on the phone, while my room is right next to my parents, and my mom is a very light sleeper ( and they snore LOUD! ). After some observations, I was able to figure out that the most private time I had came at about 11-3 in the afternoon. My parents are usually at work, and my sisters are either not home, or just not on the same floor as me. This is personally my best time for spiritual workings. But I intergrate Wicca into my life on a daily basis in even simpler ways. I read alot, and I find myself never in a shortage of Pagan books to read, because I'm convinced that I can always learn something new. I also read some Pagan magazines when I get the chance to get to a bookstore. I don't meditate as often as I used to, but whenever I feel the need to release some stress, or just express some of my thoughts to the Goddess and God, I find time to do so. What sticks out the most is that I do pray every night. I recite a short lyric, thanking the deities for protecting my family, friends and self, and hoping to see and even better day tommorow :)

[Mau]

I have a 6 month old son with a cleft palate (he's a lot of work), a 4 year old son who the energizer bunny would envy and there are no known dictators or tyrants in the history of the world to come close to his stubborness, selfishness, and disregard for decency, and a 2 year old son who is a momma's boy and literally attatched to me at the hip...when he isn't fighting with mini-Stallin. Oh yeah..I also have a husband who works 10 hr shifts at job sites 2 hours away. And I recently started watching my youngest sibling (3 yrs old) who is ALSO a boy, all day every weekday while my mom works :eek:
ummmmmmm, my life is a 'tad' hectic LMAO!
If I can meditate a few times a week, I'm happy..its always so loud here I usually do this in the bath tub with music droning out the 'MINE! Get off! Ouch! He bit me! He kicked me! Who woke the baby up?! Angelo do NOT put the sandwich in the VCR! You're NOT a professional wrestler, get OFF of the back of the couch!!! Angelo put your diaper BACK ON! Carmen, get your underwear OFF of your head and ON your butt!! NO, NOT backwards! ' etc. I take hourly 'sanity breaks' to read books, MW, and other sites that pertain to my spiritual interests. I don't worship any God/Goddesses THANKFULLY. When I get up I light my candle for the day, center myself, light some incense, and do my elemental exercises. And I usually stay up most of the night dallying around here and other sites, reading, and contemplating. When I want to get close to nature I take a late night stroll or take the beasts out to play in the dirt :D

[Aidron]

I think dealing with a hectic life while making time for yourself (not just including your faith, but that is a major point to make note of) is something that naturally evolves over time. When I first began my craft studies everything was very black and white. I had my regular bedroom and then my room for my craft related studies and projects. The two never mingled.

Nearly a decade later the two are so interwoven that not even I can tell where one begins and the other ends. Here's an example:

I wake up every morning and have a smoke. I reflect upon my dreams for perhaps new insight into the coming day. Then I joke around with my mother or play with my dog briefly. What's so witchy about all that? True, you don't have to be a witch to reflect upon your dreams, but in honoring my mother and my dog I am honoring my faith, as I believe all living beings should be honored for simply 'being'.

After I'm sufficiently awake enough to not fall into things as I walk... well actually, I'm still waiting for that to happen after 21 years, but anyhow... I take a shower. While I am practicing good hygiene, I'm also practicing magic. As I wash my hair for example I see it engulfed in green, nurturing energy (as of right now I'm wanting my hair to glow). As I wash the rest of my body, I visualize myself being engulfed in soothing pink energy (the color I associate with beauty). I get out, dry off, and imagine the towel absorbing all negativity (which is later removed through washing when I add a very small pinch of salt and an incantation over the washer). I look myself in the mirror, state my current postive affirmation which is as of right now:

"You can do anything you put your mind to, Raven. Now go do it!"

Four hours later I'm ready to start the day. :lol: It takes me forever to get ready, I'm so sluggish. However, you get the idea. I find time because I make time. It takes being inventive to really meld spirituality and the mundane. You have to grab your spiritual moments when you can, while you can. It may not sound very witchy to many who have watched "The Craft" one too many times and are hoping to 'invoke the spirit' in a few months, but all my clothes, belts, shoes, hats, ceiling fans, and even my toothbrush are enchanted. They may be mundane everday necessities, but there is no point in forcing them to be only that. I have a rainbow belt I wear to promote harmony, and my ceiling fans are imbued with air energies to banish negativity. It truly just takes a bit of dedication to being a creative, magical person if you want to make time for your spirituality while dealing with the everyday rustics of paying bills (I enchant those too!), taking off the trash (also enchanted before taken off), and so forth.

[LadyOak]

I guess it's a good thing I can't drive and walk to work. It gives me time to reflect. I never really thought about that...

[TornadoAli]

I read in bed before I go to sleep. Sometimes it's something spiritual, sometimes just fiction. But it is still my quiet time...

[13thChylde]

This is something I've been neglecting lately...which is probably a reason for my funk.

In the days of yore...I started the day off rather early, around 5:00 am
I would draw my card of the day, either tarot or an oracle and reflect on that and hopefully, I would write it down in my journal.
I have a 20-minute AM Yoga video that I *used* to pop in.

Then I jump in the shower, and wash away any negativity or bad icky dream dust that may still be lingering on me.

Then the mad rush of getting the hobbits up and at'em, fed, cleaned and dressed and off to school. I drop them off at school, then have a 25 minute commute to myself where I listen to some calming music.

At night, I read, shuffle the ole deck and occasionally do some candle magic to send healing energy, or for prosperity..

.....I really need to get back to my routine.

[Teshuva3D]

I try to meditate and really set aside time for me, but when it gets too much, I take just a few minutes in the shower and take a couple of deep breaths there (I'm pretty attuned to water, but even if I wasn't its an easy place to put other things away and concentrate on just the essential.) The minutes when you're drifting before you go to sleep are also good-- and I normally really rest rather than sleep restlessly when I just take a minute to focus my mind on the spiritual aspects of my life rather than going over my to do llist.
-Hastings
Sounds like me..although I will light incense and play some soothing music while I do dishes...I've found that some kinds of housework are good distractions for my mental self..so my spiritual side can come out..lol..
Doing dishes,scrub,rinse,set aside,repeat..the repetitiveness of it is kind of hypnotic..
Okay,I'm sounding like a real weirdo now so I'm gonna end this post.. :rolleyes:
Blessings All,
Tesh

[stormyray]

Having 2 A.D.H.D boys and 1 that is not, plus working for my Mother-In-Law and a hubby that is totaly dependant on me I barly get time for me let alone spritualy. But I do get in as much as possible. while cleaning I light an insence on my alter and vac the negitivity out of the house. Then at Night while in the shower I listen to one of my chant c.d.s. Once a month grandma babysits and hubby and I go to out local group meeting. Its not much but it is better thana nothing.

[zakzekezedd]

Since I ride a bicycle or walk daily, I always get to spend a certain amount of time outside. I try to start my morning with a brief ritual, and try to spend a little time in meditation and reflection every evening before bedtime. Mostly I try to live in the moment all the time. Experiencing life--good, bad or otherwise--is one way to connect with the divine.

[Desdemona]

This is a GREAT thread. You guys are posting some wonderful ideas, and I am taking copious notes, hehe.

I find that I miss more and more sabbats and I never get to do a full moon ritual. I agree with Rainbow, you need to make time or it will never happen. I do honor my critters, and nature, and I read as much as possible. I would like to incorporate more magic into my life, that seems to be missing lately.

[Juniecat]

I find some of my most spiritual moments involve time spent in reading poetry. To me it's almost trace inducing and I can get lost in words and rhythm and rhyme. And the really big perk of it, is that I can do it while other people are right in the room with me and mainly they'll leave me alone because I'm just reading anyway! (I should add that I don't have any children so that's one MAJOR distraction I don't have).

[Faery-Wings]

There realy are a lot of wonderful ideas here. I have the smae problems as many of you. There usn't enough time in the day to do all that I want to do for myself spiritually. I try to incorporate blessings and energy workings into as much of my day as I can. I try to say a quick prayer to the Goddess when I wake up and when I go to sleep. When I can remember, I do try to do my every day things mindfully, similarly to what Raven said.
It's not easy, but hopefully it will get better.

[Kadynas]

I know how you guys feel... I'm so exhausted anymore that I fall asleep when I try to meditate! :lol: Chryss1 kinda started a little support group to make us take time for ourselves though... :D Maybe I'll get myself good enough that I actually get around to doing all the things I want to do! :)

[Aidron]

I know how you guys feel... I'm so exhausted anymore that I fall asleep when I try to meditate! :lol: Chryss1 kinda started a little support group to make us take time for ourselves though... :D Maybe I'll get myself good enough that I actually get around to doing all the things I want to do! :)


I wouldn't worry about falling asleep when you mediate. For one, when you are ready to go to sleep your body does not simply shift your conciousness to Delta (the state of deep, dreamless) sleep. You must leave Beta (the state we are in for most of our waking cycle), then to Alpha, then to Theta, and then to Delta. When you meditate you are actively shifting your conciousness to alpha, or in some rare cases, Theta. In doing so, you bring yourself closer to sleep, so it's understandable that you would drift off to sleep more easily.

Your body and mind obviously worked in unison, and perhaps even your spirit, to shut your body down and induce sleep because you needed it more than meditation at that time. I have only fallen asleep once in all my years while meditating, and it was recently when I was in a deep meditative state. In fact, I wound up astral projecting right in the midsts of it all. It's a bit shocking when you go through it, but nothing uncommon.

[Autumn Clair]

I look to nature. A flower in bloom, and bird singing, the wind brush against me, that crazy squirrel darting across the road in front of my suv and I take a breath and think what a beauty to see..............And it relaxes me:colorful:

[Eowyn]

I have something like that but my life is not as hectic... I just think I have some huge depression. When others cry or something I become tired and I cant do a thing... I feel like everything not matters and I want to do stuff but cant find the enegry to do it. And then I have a lot of trouble at home (mostly at my fathers) and that... So I dont have any so called enegry to do anything... A specially not to do the thing I love the most in the world (besides from being with my mother *love my mom*); practes my religion. I cant do it. I tried once... It was at Yule... I tried... It would have been great but the lack of enegry and the tiredness made me unfocused and I forgot a number of things such as casting a circle and so... I feel bad about this and I feel like Im letting myself down... I want to do it because, Wicca is what's makes me me... And when I have this depession that I have nothing really works. And at school I do well and so but I have no insperation and I can be nice but then Im even more tired when I come home... It's hard to explain like this. Anyone know what I can do?

[Equinox]

Hi-
I try to balance the four important aspects of my life (mental, physical, spiritual, and social) by using the wheel of the year. I’ve written a bit about it here:

http://www-personal.engin.umich.edu/~leta/TREATISE/TJPSUM/wlbal/wlbalhome.htm

As far as specific things I do, I have several. For one thing, I always keep the directions in mind, and this helps me feel more “on track”, not “drifting”. I talk about this in posts # 11& 12 here: http://www.Peopleforums.org/showthread.php?t=43497&page=2

There is also this set of 9 trees planted with one in the center and the other 8 at N, NE, E, etc. visible from where I work. I know it sound strange to have something like this, but they aren’t that rare in landscaping schemes (especially square ones). I pause to look at that, and think about where on that wheel the day is (for instance, at the South tree if it is noon), and use that as a spiritual connection to time. Or I may look at it and think about where the year is (just past NE now in February), or my life or whatever (see the links on the left of that page above for more explanation of this "time" thing).

I also use nature as someone else mentioned earlier. Maybe sometime in the future I’ll set up a ring of 8 trees or stones on my property for this. Plus, I keep an eye open for instances of an 8 spoked wheel, like on those little pictures of stars with 8 points, or whatever. I also go to Wiccan rituals at the UU church on the Sabbats.

Have a fun day!
-Equinox

[Equinox]

Eowyn-

Hang in there! I wish I could help. When I get hit with minor depression, I remind myself that the depression isn't "true" (the world is actually a great place), and that it will pass. My spiritualy usually helps a lot too.

You might have it worse than I sometimes get it though - maybe see a counselor, sometimes it is just a chemical thing that can be helped with medication.

Whatever happens, I hope you are doing much better soon!!!

[Eowyn]

Eowyn-

Hang in there! I wish I could help. When I get hit with minor depression, I remind myself that the depression isn't "true" (the world is actually a great place), and that it will pass. My spiritualy usually helps a lot too.

You might have it worse than I sometimes get it though - maybe see a counselor, sometimes it is just a chemical thing that can be helped with medication.

Whatever happens, I hope you are doing much better soon!!!

:hugz: Thank you sweetie! I hope I can get over it soon to... My school work, myself, my friends... Everyone is hurting by it... Even though most people dont see my pain... I will try some meditation and maybe draw some paintings and so... Just to make me feel better and express my feelings more... Might even get a journal or something to write in just so I get it off. :nicetie:

The link you posted was really great... Im looking through it right now... I hope I can get it out soon... But I dont think it willl... Not soon anyway... But the important thing is that I try right? This depession is killing me and I feel just... empty... I hope I feel good to Beltane, one of my favourite Sabbats.

:cheers: and wish me all the luck.. I need it... And thanks for the cheer up and the link. It's great!

Love,
Em