Open to Something New
Does spiritual life help us become open to something new, or is it all about holding on to what we already have?
Last week my father-in-law, who is in his nineties, went to the Apple Store for the first time. We wished we could have gone with him, if only to hear what happened, but we were already busy. He is a retired teacher, and had a great time. His iPhone seems to work better, though he still has some questions.
We talked with him before he drove to the store and gave him some suggestions about parking. He enjoyed his visit.
I was impressed with how open he was to something new. The store was a little overwhelming, but he got some good help.
We could not be there to support him because we were on an adventure of our own. My wife and I have been considering buying a car for some time. One of us does not enjoy change as much as the other, so it took us many conversations to make a decision.
Last year we sold a car which was 22 years old. The transition from a 2000 model to one from 2022 can be exhilarating.
We went from a standard car of the past to something which feels more like a spaceship. Making a decision was a demonstration of how open we both are to something new.
Many of us are slowly emerging from a world shaped by a pandemic to discover something new. Some of us find we are not open to anything new, while others of us embrace every opportunity.
I believe spiritual life is filled with ways to discover and appreciate something new. Becoming open to newness of life all around us and within us is essential to spiritual life.
What Will We Discover Today?
Spiritual life catches us by surprise.
We are minding our own business, following our routine, when something captures our attention. It may be a particular person, a work of art, or a striking sunset. It may be scenery, an enticing aroma, music which stirs our heart, or something truly delicious.
We realize there is more to life than we had experienced the moment before.
The more we prepare ourselves for these experiences of depth, the more open we are to receive them.
Spiritual life, and spiritual practices, are about taking time to begin again. When will we begin to experience and practice spiritual life all around us, and within us?
We say seeing is believing, but we are not paying attention. Our lives are filled with sights, sounds, flavors, and aromas of spiritual depth, but our focus is somewhere else.
Sometimes it seems like we are wrapped up in our own fears and insecurities. Many of us are occupied with nostalgia or regrets from the past, or anxiety or fantasies about the future. We do not take time to be open to the present.
We need to be ready, to pay attention. When will we begin letting go of disturbances and distractions to prepare ourselves to be open?
Our preparation starts with being aware and remembering who we are. We take a deep breath, let it out, and take another. It may help us to sit and rock in a chair, or to spend time looking into a flame. We open ourselves to what is right in front of us, discovering the deep truth hidden in plain sight.
Are we open to something new?
Will we find the exquisite depth in each moment and listen to the truth of our own stories?
How Do We Become Open to Something New?
Spiritual life is not a tool we use to make our lives easier or more productive.
As we practice becoming open to spiritual life within us and in the world around us we begin learning to recognize it. Spiritual life shows us how we can respond to our fears and insecurities in our everyday lives.
Rather than being caught up in a swirl of vague concepts, spiritual life draws us into being open to something new.
Spiritual life helps us experience the power of openness.
When we are open we unleash our potential. The possibilities which live in us can be born into action.
We practice being open to something new and become ready to translate what is inside us into our everyday lives. The seeds we sow take root and grow, producing fruit and flowers and other living things.
Openness is how we turn our struggles into practical growth.
We do not need to be afraid to be open to something new. Spiritual life teaches us how to be open and embrace the newness within us, in each other, in the world around us.
There is something new waiting to fill us with fresh air and fresh life.
Are We Ready to Practice Being Open?
I believe spiritual life supports and encourages us to become more open to something new.
Many parts of religious traditions and religious culture seem to be obstacles tying us to the past. My spiritual journey, the story of my life, is about discovering and exploring ways to become open to something new.
The story is filled with people who have helped me continue to become more open. Some of them were actually trying to help me become less open. Each of them were on their own paths toward something new.
Our lives are filled with people and experiences we could never have imagined. We discover and explore ourselves and the world around us, and every step reveals something new to us.
It can be easy for us to get caught up in defending what we have already collected along the way. The people who inspire me are the ones who, like my father-in-law, continue becoming more open to something new.
We choose where we will pay our attention each moment of each day.
How will we practice being open to something new today?
Where will we find something new to open us this week?
[Image by Tanozzo]
Greg Richardson is a spiritual director in Southern California. He is a recovering assistant district attorney and associate university professor, and is a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s email address is StrategicMonk@gmail.com.