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Spiritual Practice

How to Pray – Even if You’re Not Religious

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Why now is the perfect time to learn about prayer.

As we face uncertain times during the COVID-19 epidemic, many of us are searching for ways to help us cope and be more resilient to stress. We need something to help us feel safer and more relaxed and also to have more clarity about what is happening around us.

I believe there is one step that could help us accomplish those goals, and that is: to establish a daily practice of prayer. I know that even the word “prayer” is a turn-off to many people because it has been associated with religious dogma and seems to be too old, outdated, and limiting to fit in a modern life. Many people who consider themselves spiritual but not religious have rejected the idea of prayer for this reason.

But I maintain that prayer is an act of communication that can be performed by anyone with or without religious beliefs. In fact, setting aside a special time every day for quiet contemplation can take your spiritual practice to the next level, bring peace and joy into your life, and help you stay focused on the other goals you want to accomplish. Even if you are not sure you believe in God you can still benefit from a daily practice of intentional solitude.

Furthermore, prayer may be even more beneficial when it is removed from a religious setting to become a private, personal act that is spontaneous and not rehearsed or memorized. Even Jesus admonished his followers to “go into a closet” to pray, rather than pray in public to win the admiration of others.

Why pray?

The Sufi poet Rumi wrote: “When the world pushes you to your knees, you are in the perfect position to pray.”  This is certainly a time in our planet’s history when we have been “pushed to our knees” in many ways. The global pandemic and unstable worldwide economy are certainly threats to our survival, along with drastic climate change that is altering the planet itself.

The word “prayer” comes from a root word that means “to ask” and is also the root for the word “precarious.” So prayer, in a sense, means to ask for help in precarious times, which is precisely why it is an appropriate practice for today. Pray because it will help you connect with others in the world who are suffering; pray because it will help you tap into the energy of all of life for sustenance and growth; pray because it is an intentional act of goodness that far exceeds doing nothing.

How to pray?

While there is no shortage of issues to consider during a time of prayer, you may feel uncertain about how to actually pray. Here are some pointers for beginning your own practice of prayer:

  • Create a quiet space.Try sitting, kneeling or even lying down in a comfortable place where you won’t be disturbed. 
  • Calm yourself by taking a few deep breaths.
  • Contemplate the concerns you have and set your intention on holding them in your heart during this time. You may want to begin with concerns for yourself, then expand to others in your life, your community, nation, planet, etc.
  • Connect with the flow of energy around you. Allow yourself to sense the pulse of life and creativity that infuses everything. For some this is called Spirit or God or the Divine, but you might simply perceive it as an energetic life force.
  • Communicate either silently or aloud by naming your concern, then visualize sending your own love and compassion to that person or place. 

Studies that have been done by Spindrift Research using prayer have shown that all forms of prayer can be effective, but that “non-directed” prayer can have the greatest impact. This means praying for the greatest good for all rather than asking for a specific outcome. In this way you acknowledge that there is greater wisdom in this Universe than your own and that you may not be able to see the best outcome for the situation, but you are still sending your own loving intention for the good to that person or place.

What to pray for?

Whenever possible let your prayers arise spontaneously from within you rather than planning them in advance. But if you feel insecure about this at first, here are some specific things you might pray for:

  • Growth in wisdom, love, compassion and insight for yourself, others, the leaders of our nation and other countries
  • Wholeness of body, mind, spirit and planet
  • Healing for those who are sick and those who are caring for the sick
  • Comfort for those who are grieving and suffering at this time
  • Peace and understanding– send your loving energy to those who are reacting with fear and hatred to these challenging circumstances
  • Guidance for yourself and others to make wise decisions
  • Survival skills such as strength, courage, patience and endurance to help you get through this difficult time
  • Gratitude– let every prayer begin and end with thankfulness for all creation and the opportunity you have been given to experience life

Even if you’ve never prayed before, today is the perfect day to start. Open your mind and heart for just a few moments and connect with the breath of life that surrounds you. Let your own love flow out toward others as you receive the shining, pure light that has been waiting for you all along. This is the light that may help you find the very path you have been seeking, so don’t turn it away! 

About the Author:

(Dr. Karen Wyatt is a hospice and family physician and the author of the award-winning book “7 Lessons for Living from the Dying.” She is the host of End-of-Life University Podcast and her profound teachings have helped many find their way through the difficult times of life. Learn more about her work at www.karenwyattmd.com.)

http://www.spindriftresearch.org/theory.php

Why Some People Don’t Die in Peace

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(Previously published in the Huffington Post)

Throughout my career as a doctor working with patients in hospitals, nursing homes and hospices I have had the opportunity to witness the dying process on many occasions. I have learned that even though the outcome of this process is always the same—the death of the physical body—there are many different ways to die.

In fact, each individual has a unique experience at the end of life. For some patients death is a welcome ending to a life well-lived, for others death is reluctantly accepted even though they don’t feel ready to let go of life, and some approach death kicking and screaming all the way. They “rage against the dying of the light” as observed by poet Dylan Thomas in a poem he wrote for his dying father.

Though I have seen that patients receiving hospice care often die with greater comfort than those in the hospital, there are still people who struggle all the way to their last breath, even when they are surrounded by loved ones at home. What makes the difference? Why are some people not able to be at peace when they die? Here are some of my observations from years of hospice work and my recommendations for ensuring that you have a peaceful death:

They haven’t thought about the end of life

We live in a society where death is still a taboo subject. Many people go through life without consciously considering the fact that they will die one day and are shocked when they receive the news that death is approaching. Since they’ve never thought about death they have no idea what type of care they would like to receive at the end of life and find it difficult to make clear choices for themselves while dealing with the stress and fear caused by a terminal diagnosis.

Recommendation #1: Begin to think about the reality that every living thing on this planet eventually dies and then spend time contemplating the fact that you too will die one day. The Bhutanese people have a practice of thinking about death 5 times a day and have been named “the happiest people” on earth. So make a point of thinking of death on a regular basis, perhaps reading books and watching films to help you get more comfortable with the idea of death.

They haven’t put their wishes in writing

Those who haven’t thought about death also have not made plans for the end of life or completed an advance directive. A recent study has shown that two out of three Americans have NOT put their end-of-life wishes in writing, which means they are more likely to receive expensive and unwanted care during their last days. According to a survey by the CDC, most patients do not want to die in a hospital attached to machines, but that is only possible if they have made the decision ahead of time and completed an advance directive.

Recommendation #2: Start by completing your own paperwork now for the end of life, such as a living will, estate plan, and funeral plan. Think through the options for care that might be available to you and formulate your own opinions—what is important to you? What are your wishes for your last days on earth?

They haven’t talked to their loved ones about their preferences

During a healthcare crisis many patients are unable to speak up for themselves about their end-of-life choices. If family members don’t know the patient’s wishes they will find it difficult to make appropriate decisions for their loved one on a moment’s notice. In my experience, uninformed family members are more likely to defer to medical providers when end-of-life decisions must be made and are also likely to experience guilt and conflict with one another over those decisions.

Recommendation #3: Once you’ve decided what you want for yourself at the end of life it is vitally important that you have conversations with everyone in your life that may be involved in making decisions for you. The more you talk about it the more you will create peace for yourself and for your loved ones when the time comes.

They have been unhappy all their lives

There is a saying in hospice that

people die the way they’ve lived.

I have observed that patients who have held onto bitterness and disappointment about life tend to be unhappy during the dying process as well. Since they had never learned how to be at peace with the circumstances of life, when death is near they remain angry and inconsolable. Woody Allen wrote for the movie Annie Hall that life is “full of loneliness, and misery, and suffering, and unhappiness, and it’s all over much too quickly.” This epitomizes the attitude of the unhappy patient at the end of life, who hated every moment of being alive but is now furious that it is coming to an end.

Recommendation #4: The antidote to this type of misery is to learn to find happiness within yourself long before life reaches its end. Each of us is responsible for creating our own joy in life, even if life hasn’t turned out as we have hoped. Conduct your own “experiment” and figure out what makes you happy—then cultivate those things in your daily life and you will look back one day to find that you have led a life filled with joy.

They are holding on to old regrets and resentments

Many of my dying patients have been ravaged by feelings of guilt and remorse over events of the past. They either have felt a deep need to make amends for some previous action of their own or they have been burning inside with resentment toward another person. Those who have not found their way to forgiveness have remained in this painful state of guilt and blame until their last breath.

Recommendation #5: It is never too early to start working on letting go of old wounds so that you can avoid the overwhelming negativity of resentment at the end of life. Develop your own daily practice of forgiveness and you will find much more peace in your life now, as well as during your last days.

They feel entitled to a different outcome

Some of my patients have been angry about the fact that they were dying because they spent much of their lives doing things they believed would “prevent” them from dying. They devoted themselves to a restrictive diet or intense workout plan or even strict religious practices in order to live life “the right way” and avoid something “bad” from happening to them. When they ultimately had to face the fact that they were going to die anyway they felt cheated and betrayed. They had fallen for a false belief that their healthy habits would somehow entitle them to avoid death.

Recommendation #6: It is important to come to terms with death, and your fear of it, earlier in life so that you don’t waste time and energy trying to prevent what is inevitable. Develop a practice of thinking about death as a necessary part of the life cycle and something not to be feared, but to be respected. Journaling, prayer and meditation can be helpful tools as long as they focus on the reality of death and are not serving as bargaining chips in a futile attempt to avoid death.

They rely on the medical system to make choices for them

Those patients who have avoided thinking about death generally have also not taken time to educate themselves about their own health issues. Without knowledge and information as a tool to guide decisions, they are disempowered when they must engage with the medical system. They don’t know what questions to ask or what alternatives to explore so they simply place all decision-making in the hands of their care providers. These patients may end up with more treatment than they want and encounter more suffering than necessary because they didn’t have the confidence and information they needed to help determine their own course.

Recommendation #7: While doctors are well-educated about disease and treatment modalities, they know very little about you, your life path and what options might be best for you. When you receive a chronic or terminal diagnosis it is your responsibility to learn as much as you can about your options by asking questions, reading and studying, and requesting second opinions. You are the only expert on the subject of “you” so don’t give up your power to another person, no matter how impressed you are with their credentials.

In summary, by looking at why some people don’t die in peace we have seen what is necessary in order to have a peaceful death. Being consciously aware of your mortality, working on your past issues, making plans and completing paperwork for the end of life, communicating with loved ones, and empowering yourself with knowledge are all important steps toward an end of life that offers comfort rather than chaos. But it requires work and dedication on your part to prepare now for what will be coming in the future.

Of course there are other reasons why some people don’t die in peace: they may have pain and other symptoms that haven’t been managed well, they may be alone and have no one to comfort them, they may simply be overwhelmed by the hand that life has dealt to them. But these are issues that may be addressed by finding support from hospice or palliative care workers, if that type of care is available (and reliable) in the community, though there are reports that hospice staffs are stretched too thin in some areas and care at times falls short of what it should be.

But you can improve your own chances of getting good end-of-life care by doing your own inner work, becoming an advocate for hospice and palliative care in your community, holding those organizations accountable to best-practice standards, and supporting causes that help people find peace in their lives. It’s never too early to start!

How to Make Peace With Negative Thoughts and Emotions

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There has been a great deal of emphasis in the New Age movement over the past few years on the power of positive thinking, with strong recommendations to eliminate all negative thoughts and emotions in order to enhance the benefits of being positive. In fact, some teachers have urged their students to break ties with any negative people in their lives to avoid being contaminated by their less-than-ideal energy.

But what happens when you feel negative emotions such as fear, doubt or anger arising within you? What do you do when your thoughts turn to the dark side? Again many teachers recommend shutting out these thoughts and feelings by ignoring them and replacing them with a positive outlook.

However, from the study of human psychology we know that you cannot actually rid yourself of negative emotions – you can only repress them, which causes those feelings to retreat into the Shadow. Once your negative emotions find a hiding place within your subconscious Shadow, they are free to create all sorts of chaos in your life, as has been discussed in other posts.

But is there a better way to manage your own negativity so that it doesn’t poison your efforts to create a positive attitude or sabotage your attempts to grow as a person? The answer can be found within a poem written by Rumi, the Sufi philosopher who was born in the year 1207.

Rumi says to think of your psyche as a guest house that has a new arrival or unexpected visitor every morning, such as “a joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness.” He recommends that you welcome all of your thoughts and feelings “even if they’re a crowd of sorrows who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture,” for they “may be clearing you out for some new delight.” In the last lines of the poem Rumi concludes:

            The dark thought, the shame, the malice,

meet them at the door laughing,

and invite them in.

Be grateful for whoever comes,

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

What a novel way of looking at these troublesome thoughts and feelings of ours – as guests who have arrived for some purpose even though we don’t really understand what that might be. And we should not only allow them to have a presence in our lives, but we must tolerate the effects they have upon us because those negative parts of ourselves play an important role in our growth process.

When we reject our own negative feelings it is as if we lock our “house guests” in the basement where they remain hidden from us and we lose sight of their influence on our behavior. But when we openly welcome our negativity, we keep it within our vision where we can monitor it until we become powerful enough to gain control. By acknowledging and owning our negative thoughts we gain the ability to analyze and work with them and can then understand ourselves better and eventually grow in consciousness.

So remember to keep the doors of your “guest house” unlocked and ready for any visitors that choose to show up. Be prepared for some difficult times when you won’t be able to find many positive “guests” at all. But also be aware that there is a purpose for everything you think and feel. Enjoy exploring the mysteries that arrive in your life. Let them clear you out and make room for the next “visitor” to appear – because it might just be the joy you have been waiting for all along!

Why I Think About Death Every Day

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I was 16-years old when I first began to think about my own death. A classmate of mine died from a fall while hiking, which caused me to recognize that it is possible for a young person (including me) to die at any time. For the first time, death became real to me and since that event I have thought about death every day. In fact I might say that I have kept “death on my shoulder” like the character Billy Jack from the movies of the same name that were popular in the 1970’s.

But I am not alone in my tendency to dwell on thoughts of death. In fact, contemplation of death is a spiritual practice in Tibetan cultures. Moreover when I recently interviewed a priest about the Catholic perspective on death he quoted St. Benedict as saying, “Remember to keep death before your eyes daily.”

While this might sound like a morbid practice, I can assure you that it is not. Recognizing my own mortality on a daily basis has actually changed my life in profound ways and provided many benefits:

Gratitude for every moment of life

Knowing that life is fleeting helps me appreciate each experience and every moment to a deeper degree than ever before. I no longer take life for granted and value the time I have been given.

Restructured priorities

With the briefness of life in mind I am able to focus on those things that really matter to me (like love and relationships) and let go of the superficial and trivial details that compete for my attention. I don’t “sweat the small stuff” now because I know it’s not really important.

Taking responsibility for my life

I now see that life is precious and the meaning it contains is up to me. No matter what has happened in my life, I am responsible to make the best of it and create as much love as I can. I no longer waste time blaming other people or circumstances for the problems I encounter.

Looking within myself for answers

I also have learned to seek my own answers from within rather than looking outside of myself for guidance. No one else can understand my life or my purpose better than me so I need to find my own path and follow it.

Finding joy in being alive

The French value the concept of joie de vivre, which literally means “the joy of being alive.” Recognizing that death could arrive at any time helps me cherish the gift of life. I wake up joyful each day because I am still here with another opportunity to experience life on this planet, even if I am sick or if life’s circumstances aren’t exactly what I would have chosen. Simply being alive is enough to create deep joy.

Being prepared for anything

Since I have spent a considerable amount of time contemplating my own death, it won’t really be a surprise to me if or when I hear the words “You are going to die” from a doctor some day. I have already known that fact for most of my life and I have made sure I am ready every day. While I may not be happy to hear those words I won’t be shocked or angry or depressed. Death is an important part of life and I am prepared to face that truth.

So for me, thinking about death is a simple spiritual practice that has changed and exhilarated my life. I wish I could teach everyone that but our society remains entrenched in fear and avoidance of death.

But now is the time when we need more than ever to find joy in every moment, to be grateful for all of life, to be prepared for the future, and to shift our priorities to what really matters. Now is the time to learn to truly love life by embracing the reality of death.

(Learn how you can start a simple practice of contemplation of death here.)

About the Author: 

Dr. Karen Wyatt is a hospice and family physician who writes extensively on spirituality and medicine, especially at the end-of-life. She is the host of End-of-Life University Interview Series and author of “The Tao of Death” and the award-winning book “What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying” Connect with her at karenwyattmd.com, on Facebook at fb.com/KarenWyattMD and on Twitter @spiritualmd 

 

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6 Mystical Teachings the Whole World Needs Right Now

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If it seems like the entire planet has gone slightly mad over the past few months, you are not alone in that perception. In fact, a Pew Research study has shown that intolerance has been increasing around the world for the past decade, including “crimes, malicious acts and violence motivated by religious hatred or bias.”

What’s going on here? Shouldn’t our religions be teaching us to behave in a more positive and “godlike” manner rather than fostering hatred? The problem seems to lie less in religion itself and more with the level of consciousness of individuals who practice various religions. Rigid and narrow ways of thinking are more likely to lead to intolerant practices than inclusive and flexible states of mind.

However, throughout history every religion has yielded mystical teachers who have brought messages to mankind that transcend the consciousness of the masses, such as Abraham, Christ, Buddha, Rumi, Mohammed, Confucius, Lao Tzu, and Krishna, among others. These teachers who represent different religions have each taught some common principles that transcend every religion and show us how to live in peace in a diverse world.

1. There is One God

There is One Creative Force in the Universe, from which everything, both seen and unseen, derives. That same One God is viewed differently by each of us through our own individual lens, which may have been shaped by religion, family, society, education, life experiences, or other factors. A small and narrow lens leads to a limited and partial view of God, including blindness to the fact that every other person has been created by that same God; and every other religion worships the same God. A limited view of God through a tiny lens leads to judgment and bias toward others who seem to be different from and inferior to us.

You can expand your own “lens” by learning about people who differ from you, studying mystical teachings, and using your own life experiences to guide you to a new way of seeing. Think of someone you feel judgmental toward and then list all of the things that you actually have in common with that person.

2. God is Love

The Creative Force of God is actually love made visible. Everything in existence derives from love and thrives on love. But a narrow lens may make it difficult to perceive love as a creative force and to manifest love in your own life. Therefore your actions will be driven by the greed and fear of lower consciousness if you cannot take the higher path and be guided by love.

Spend time each day bringing love into your life and sharing it with others. Meditate or pray with the thought that love constantly pours into your heart from the Creator, only to overflow to the people around you.

3. All is One

We are One with every other aspect of creation, including every other human being. While our narrow lens may reveal to us only the differences that separate us from others, we share with every creature the truth that we have been spun into existence from the breath of God and also that our physical form will one day dissolve back into the Divine Source of creativity. In other words, each of us has been born into physical existence and each of us will also die one day. That fact is responsible for the greatest common bond between all living things and means that our primary struggle in this life is shared with every other being.

Death is the great “unifier” of the masses—the one Truth with which we all must wrestle. Think about your relationship with mortality and recognize that all life is precious because it is fleeting.

4. What is in One is in the Whole

Because we are connected with every other living thing in existence, what we do to one aspect of creation we do to all of creation, including ourselves. If you harm another person, you harm yourself and the entire planet. If you heal another with love, you bring healing to all of life. Every word, every thought, every action is significant and should come from positive intention, that is, from love. Only love sustains and nourishes life for the good of the Whole.

Do one thing “for the good of the Whole” every day. Think of a simple positive act that can make a difference for someone else.

5. Change comes from within

To change what is outside of us we must first change what is inside of us. In fact, you are powerless to change the world around you to fit your mind’s concept of “how things should be.” You can only change yourself, which requires spending your lifetime looking within and understanding the wounds you carry. If you want to rid the world of darkness, you must look into your own darkness first. Shine the light of love on the pain you hold: the fear, anger, shame and greed that have been hidden within. Use your light to expose your own shortcomings rather than looking for what’s wrong with others. What you heal within you will be healed in all of creation.

Journal about the wounds that hide in your Shadow. How can you love the parts of yourself that are in pain?

6. Nothing lasts, everything changes … except love

If you think you can keep life the way it is right now or go back to “the way things used to be,” you are in error. Everything in this universe changes from moment to moment and that is a fact you must embrace. If you resist change within yourself you will waste your vital Life Force on a task that leads nowhere. Learn to ride the waves of change and focus on the process rather than the outcome, for you cannot control the future.

Since love, as the Divine Creator of all, is the only constant that does not change, bring love always to every moment. Let love guide you as you work on changing your own inner landscape. Love is the light you need to illuminate your painful wounds and also to heal them. Allow love into your awareness and let it be your tool for change as you work to change yourself and thereby change the world.

Contemplate where and how you are resisting change in your life. Write about what might help you let go and allow change to unfold in its own way.

The current dire state of human relationships on this planet might be a great opportunity for evolution and growth to higher consciousness to occur. If you want to make a difference in the world, work on your own consciousness—grow and evolve within—in order to change things for the better. This is the where our hope for the planet resides!

About the Author:

 Dr. Karen Wyatt is a hospice and family physician who writes extensively on spirituality and medicine, especially at the end-of-life. She is the host of End-of-Life University Interview Series and author of “The Tao of Death” and the award-winning book “What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying” Connect with her at karenwyattmd.com, on Facebook at fb.com/WhatReallyMattersWithKarenWyatt and on Twitter @spiritualmd.

A Farewell Letter From a Dying Monk

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As part of an ongoing series on various religious and cultural perspectives on death, I recently interviewed a priest about the Catholic approach to dying and after-death care. During the interview he shared with our audience a letter that had been written recently by a fellow monk from his monastery, Father Mark, who was dying of stomach cancer.

That letter was a poignant and instructive guide for how to approach death with three virtues that Father Mark said he valued most in his last days on earth: comfort, grace and gratitude. Father Mark, who has subsequently died, agreed to share his words and his wisdom with people far and wide, with a humble wish that others might be helped by reading about his experience.

Father Mark’s letter can be read in full here, but the following is a summary of the lessons shared by Father Mark as he lived his final days:

“Keep death before your eyes daily.”

Father Mark interpreted this quote from Saint Benedict quite literally as he recommended a meditative approach to death to help ease fear and live fully. He himself was able to find joy and positivity even within the natural anxiety that comes from facing death full on and acknowledging its inevitability.

Be willing to hear the truth.

Father Mark described unflinchingly how his doctors told him truthfully that there was nothing more they could do for him. He listened to their prognosis and embraced the limited time left for his life without fear.

Let go of curative treatment at the right time.

When it was clear that the cancer was spreading quickly Father Mark recognized that it was time to stop treatment and focus on saying goodbye, which was the motivation for writing the letter.

Embrace palliative care.

Father Mark described how helpful his palliative caregivers were in guiding his decisions for the last chapter of his life. With their advice he expressed his love to others, made amends and planned meaningful activities while he still had enough energy to pursue them.

Be grateful for everything.

In his letter Father Mark expressed his deep gratitude for life itself, love, his community, career, and spiritual life. He looked back upon his years of life as a blessing filled with rich meaning and growth.

See beyond sadness.

Because of his belief in an afterlife, Father Mark could express his sadness for all that was coming to an end in his physical existence but also look forward to something more that would continue on. His great faith allowed him to embrace his death with wonder and awe as he prepared for whatever lies next.

Through his thoughtful words Father Mark was able to translate his dying experience into meaningful advice that can change the perspective of all who read it from fear to peaceful acceptance of death. Indeed Father Mark accomplished his goal of achieving comfort, grace and gratitude in his own final days and also transmitted those three virtues to each of us who have received them.

We don’t need to be Catholic or even religious to grasp the meaning of Father Mark’s teaching, for he is communicating the universal language of death:

 These are the words we were born to hear; this is the lesson we came here to learn: embrace life fully and look death in the face every day.

Thank you Father Mark for so generously sharing your last days and thoughts of life with us and for continuing, even in your death, to be an enlightened teacher.

About the Author:

Dr. Karen Wyatt is a hospice and family physician who writes extensively on spirituality and medicine, especially at the end-of-life. She is the host of End-of-Life University and the author of “The Tao of Death” and the award-winning book “What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying” Connect with her at karenwyattmd.com, on Facebook at fb.com/WhatReallyMattersWithKarenWyatt and on Twitter @spiritualmd

What I Learned From 40 Early Mornings

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Last summer I was reading a book of poetry by the 13th century Sufi mystic Rumi when I came across this verse:

“What nine months of attention does for an embryo

forty early mornings will do

for your gradually growing wholeness.”

As someone who is constantly seeking to grow emotionally and spiritually, I resonated with Rumi’s words. The rest of his poem talked about how we must proceed with growth slowly and have patience with “small details.”

In that moment I knew that I had received guidance for the next spiritual practice I was to pursue. I would spend “forty early mornings” watching the sun come up each day in order to nurture my own growth, like an embryo in the womb.

For the next forty days I rose before the sun and found a place to sit outside where I would be able to see the “ball of fire” as it appeared on the horizon. I meditated while I waited for the arrival of the sun and then wrote a few notes in my journal about the inspiration that filled me during the process.

I immediately became aware of the power of the sun, particularly in the early morning against the backdrop of the fading night. The contrast between dark and light was a reminder of the cycle of life and death on this planet and that new life always follows the darkness of death. In addition the intense heat of the sun’s rays was especially noticeable in the cool air of the morning. By the time my forty-day experiment was completed I felt like a new person in several key aspects of my being. Here are some of the lessons I learned:

Maintaining a spiritual practice is challenging but powerful

It takes discipline to awaken from deep sleep and get out of bed every morning but the rewards of the practice are great. As physical beings we function well with routines and daily rhythms and in fact the entire Universe flows in just such predictable patterns and waves. Once I established a routine my body and mind began to cooperate so that arising early and preparing for meditation became much easier.

Simple is best

At times in the past I have tried to follow rather elaborate daily rituals with exercise, yoga, meditation, prayer, tea, journaling, reading, and candle-lighting all included in the process. But it was too time-consuming to become a reliable daily routine and I was not able to be as consistent as I wanted. The early morning sunrise practice consisted of just that—watching the sun come up and then writing 1 or 2 sentences in my journal. The simplicity of it helped me be consistent and I eventually found it to be just as profound and inspirational as every other practice I have tried.

Sunlight has a powerful effect on the human body

I’ve read articles recently that show how sunlight activates the pineal gland, which is responsible for producing melatonin, the “sleep hormone,” at night. The sunlight helps set the body’s circadian rhythm, which coordinates endocrine and neural pathways. This exposure to natural sunlight early in the day seemed to help my body settle into its natural rhythm and I felt the benefits throughout the day, including improved sleep at night.

Embracing the darkness is essential

Starting each day in relative darkness showed me how much I tend to avoid “the shadowy” parts of life in my preference for “light and love.” But over the forty days I became very comfortable with the darkness and recognized the profound calmness that I experienced when shapes were soft around the edges and features were dim. There was comfort for me when light was lacking and I grew to love those quiet moments before the sun became visible. The darkness is rich with creativity and possibility—when we embrace it and make space for it in our daily lives we can deepen our growth and substance.

The light illuminates what we fear to see

The gradual rising of the sun brings with it excitement and anticipation but removes the ability to hide in the darkness. In the light of the morning sun I could suddenly see with honesty the painful truths I had been covering up and avoiding in my life. I wrote “The light reveals my own Shadow so I can finally embrace it with love.”

The sun’s light is “love made visible”

Each morning as I stood within the rays of light that were pouring down from the sun at the start of a brand new day, I felt love entering me and filling me completely. While the light showed me my Shadow issues, it also filled me with the love I needed in order to address them. Then for the rest of the day I continued to glow and shine with the “love energy” I had received in the morning.

Rumi was correct in his poem that the most profound growth can unfold in such a subtle way that we may not recognize it is taking place. At the beginning of my new practice I wasn’t sure it was making a difference. But in looking back now I can see that my forty early mornings brought me to deeper awareness of the love that constantly surrounds me and helped me show that love to others through my presence, rather than just tell them about it.

By starting my day with this powerful exercise of connecting with the sun’s early morning light and allowing it to illuminate every dark space, I could became a beacon of light for the rest of that day. I could shine for others and show them their own beauty and worthiness. Now that’s a spiritual practice I will continue to follow!

About the Author:

Dr. Karen Wyatt is a hospice and family physician who writes extensively on spirituality and medicine, especially at the end-of-life. She is the author of “The Tao of Death” and the award-winning book “What Really Matters: 7 Lessons for Living from the Stories of the Dying” Sign up for her online interview series End-of-Life University or connect with her at karenwyattmd.com, on Facebook at fb.com/WhatReallyMattersWithKarenWyatt and on Twitter @spiritualmd

 

 

 

 

 

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