Living Social and Spiritual – Why are we here?

Last night I had the privilege of being in the presence of one of the world’s greatest teachers. An inspirational icon and example of what it takes to live a life on purpose. A woman who follows her passion and whose every move and decision is dictated by her heart’s desire to offer up her gift to the world and to be of service to others.

Oprah, such a power house of a woman who speaks to you in many ways and at every level, left me with one defining moment that resonated at my core and that lingers with me as I wake this morning. She said (something along the lines of) ‘There is no life without a spiritual life. And by spiritual I don’t mean religious. You can be spiritual without being religious and the reverse is also true, you can be religious without being spiritual. Spiritual, in this context, is the connection you have with the spirit within you – the core of who you are’.

A famous quote to follow up her point-“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience; we are spiritual beings having a human experience” – Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

So I ask myself these two simple, yet loaded, questions.

Do I live a spiritual life?
What do I do that connects me to my spirit?

I started to explore.…

I meditate every day to center myself and to listen to my inner voice (if only for 5 mins)
I practice Ashtanga yoga, to connect my body, mind and spirit (even when I’m tired or resist)
I dance to feel and to harness the power of music and movement (and to literally stop thinking)
I walk along the beach to bathe in the abundance of the ocean (and sense the bigger picture)
I watch movies to discover meaning and the power of story (recognising my own story)
I check in with myself when I need to make a decision or respond (even after I may have reacted unintentionally)
I hug and sit by trees to connect and honour the wisdom of the land (knowing nature has it all worked out)
I connect with others and travel to experience diversity and appreciate other cultures/view points (validating the different aspects of my consciousness to avoid sitting in judgement too long)
I surround myself with people that are aligned in values and who ask more of me (despite my moments of resentment or reluctance)
I follow my passion through the work that I choose to do with and for others (even in the face of uncertainty)
I hold an intention to add value in everything I do (in spite of a world telling me to take all that I can get)

In exploring these relatively simple questions, I discover what I need, what it is that excites me, what brings me happiness – and we all want to be happy!

It’s so easy to get caught up in the social side of life, where we want to fit in with the latest trends and fashion and where its hassle free to follow the crowd and simply do what everyone else is doing or thinks we should be doing.

But what last night’s defining moment made me realise is that in order to live a meaningful and happy life it is simply dependent on being you – the spirit of you – the best version of you. The level of happiness you experience is directly related to the connection you have with your spirit within and the choices you make every day to honour your spirit. It is our ability to bring together and be Social and Spiritual – a new way of living.

So my question to you is this…

What do you do every day that connects you to your spirit, your passion, your personal calling?

As you ponder this question, I leave you with a few of my favourite quotes from Oprah Winfrey…

“Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you’re going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus.”

“Passion is energy. Feel the power that comes from focusing on what excites you.”

“I’ve come to believe that each of us has a personal calling that’s as unique as a fingerprint – and that the best way to succeed is to discover what you love and then find a way to offer it to others in the form of service, working hard, and also allowing the energy of the universe to lead you.”

‘Turn up the volume of your life!’ – Living Social and Spiritual