Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Strategic Monk

Home
Contemplative
Practice From the Inside Out: A Long Way From Home

Practice From the Inside Out: A Long Way From Home

Last updated on: May 16, 2017 at 3:40 am by Greg Richardson

Practice From the Inside Out: A Long Way From Home 2017-05-16T03:40:57-08:00 Greg Richardson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

31980263354_c79af81d00_z

There are days when it just feels like we are a long way from home.

Exhausted

Sometimes we get tired. Building and strengthening and growing spiritual life takes hard work. We have embarked on a long, challenging journey of exploration and discovery. It can take a lot out of us and we may need to rest.

Our pilgrimage takes us far from the familiar comforts of home. We awaken each day to new facets of ourselves and of spiritual life. Some days we just want to put our feet up and spend some time resting. There are times when it seems we are so far from home we wonder whether we will ever return.

It may become apparent we really should have packed that extra blanket or another screwdriver. The one thing we forgot to bring becomes the straw that breaks our motivation. We are so tired we just want to stop, or turn around, and surrender.

Expectations

At other times the challenges and suffering just confirm what a serious mistake we have made. People told us we would never succeed and we should have listened to them. Who do we think we are, setting out on this journey to discover and explore? Did we even really expect to make it this far?

Many of us have voices in our heads and hearts which make us feel further from home. Even some people who mean well do not understand spiritual life. They may not see the point of our effort and struggles. It may seem to them we are wasting our time.

Some of us will feel tired and discouraged because we expect ourselves to be perfect. We may become frustrated if it takes us more time or effort than we expected. Our expectations may include unrealistic ideas of how we will work with other people.

Our own perceptions of ourselves work against us and make it harder for us to continue.

Exploration

There are times when we are exploring and do not have a good idea where we are. We may feel lost or confused, or we may head off in an unproductive direction.

Some of us view such exploration as making mistakes.

It is impossible, and a waste of our time, for us to think through every option before we try it. Part of our discovery is exploring possibilities to see what happens. Ours is not an exclusively intellectual or analytical journey. We need to trust our emotions and intuition as well as all our senses as we explore.

Some of our expeditions may take us farther from home before they bring us back.

Finding Our Way Home

We set off into the world, leaving behind what is familiar and looking for our own way. Spiritual life all around us and within us draws us out in search of deep, Sacred truth.

Our quest is a labor of love. We want to know the truths which inspire and animate us. The possibility of finding pulls us into seeking. The opportunity for knowing sparks questions within us.

We explore and pursue until we find ourselves struggling a long way from home. Maybe this was not such a great idea after all. How will we find our way home?

It is tempting to simply turn around and try to follow our own steps back.

We realize, though, we cannot simply retrace our steps. The lessons we have learned and truths we have discovered make it impossible for us to go back. We have started and are drawn forward.

When fear or fatigue drain our will to continue, we remember our way home.

The quest which has chosen us is not a geographic journey. We are not seeking coordinates or a point on a compass. Our travel does not take us across deserts or oceans, rivers or mountains.

The trip home takes us deeper.

Reminders of Home

There are times when we find ourselves far from home and are inspired to remember. We may hear part of a song or read a familiar paragraph. It may be the aroma of wood smoke or baking bread, or the flavor of our favorite ice cream. No matter how long we have traveled or how far we are from home, we are reminded.

Spiritual life appeals to all our senses, including our sense of adventure. Our journey begins when we realize we are not where we belong and we head out for home. We recognize we have been lured away from where we belong, from our truest selves.

A Long Way From Home

Waking up with a start, we know we are not where we need to be. We are a long way from home and will do whatever it takes to get there.

There is no published map or uniform checklist to follow on our way home. Our navigation is by our own personal homing instincts. It may be a challenge to find the way, but we will know it when we see it.

There have been times when I felt lost a long way from home. Sometimes people have shown me the way and other times I needed to find it for myself. People have encouraged and inspired me, and have reminded me when I needed to pause for rest.

Spiritual life is a quest unique and personal to each of us. We get to a point where we feel a long way from home even though we carry our home with us.

Spiritual life is a long journey. Each of us feels lost and a long way from home sooner or later. We walk as far as our legs will carry us that day and we get tired. Each of us needs a little help along the way.

When we pause to rest we remember we are on a deeper journey. The home we seek is within our hearts.

Spiritual life fills us and reminds us of home.

What is drawing us toward home this week?

Where will our journey home take us next?

[Image by MeoBaggy]

Greg Richardson is a spiritual life mentor and leadership coach in Southern California. He is a recovering attorney and university professor, and a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is StrategicMonk.com, and his email address is [email protected].

Blog

Spiritual Practices

Previous Post

May 13, 2017

Practice From the Inside Out: Holding On by Letting Go

Next Post

May 18, 2017 Leading Like a Monk: Monastic Life and Working Life

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Book Reviews Everything Else Guest Posts Leadership Monastic Strategies Neighborhood Pilgrimages Sacred Stillness Spiritual Direction Spiritual Practices Work

Select a Month May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who is known for teaching that "faith without works is dead"?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Paul James Peter Jude