Several years ago, I shared something I’d come across called Daily Necessities: Tips & pointers for building a spiritual life from scratch, and I asked View Pacific’s readers to vote on which ones they find helps them the most.
Okay, it’s been more than five years, and since then this site has had over 97,000 views (not everyone voted!)
Here are the top seven from the list of 31:
- Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
- Love
- Consider/Reflect
- Dream
- Breathe and Smile
- Listen/Learn/Inquire
- Surrender/Trust
Relax/Enjoy/Laugh/Play
Check out Laughter Yoga, or improve comedy. Besides being fun, they’re life-affirming!
Love
I’ve previously shared my Love Principles, where I’ve tried to distill what I’ve heard from so many about living in love, as love, and as a fully loving being.
Consider/Reflect
Taking time to let thought settle can bring a lot of clarity. Here’s an experiment: put some glitter or mud in a jar of water, seal it, and then shake it vigorously. You’ll likely find it’s hard to see through. Let it settle overnight and then you’ll see that the water is clear. Similarly, letting our thoughts and energies settle can bring us a stronger sense of clarity.
Dream
Have some fun with your imagination! Visualize new possibilities! Dream big!
Breathe and Smile
Enjoy your breath. Consider how wonderful it is that with each breath you’re bringing in vitality for your whole body. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote a whole book called “How to Breathe” and it includes simple tips on smiling to your breath.
Listen/Learn/Inquire
There’s a saying that we have two ears and one mouth for a reason – to remind us to listen more often than we speak. To develop listening skills that include hearing your and other’s people’s hearts, check out NVC – Non-Violent Communications.
Surrender/Trust
Fish don’t see the water they’re in, and still they swim. Birds don’t see the air in which they soar. They can trust without needing to see how they’re supported. Similarly, trust lets us take each step forward with confidence.
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