finding your center again.....

[cgode]

this is a question for you all. How do you folks reconnect spiritually with yourself and surroundings if you've lost your center.....feel spiritually fractured so to speak? I'm not the religious type, at least not the main stream religions and never have been but now, a middle aged man, am wondering and curious. I would like to hear from anyone but especially our Native American folk, I know there are quite a few here.
I have smudged in the past and that is just too cool! I've heard of sweat lodges but never been.....and yes, recent events in my life have me staggering around and feeling not quite in control anymore and I don't like it. A friend has offered Reiki to try.....I think I will as it also sounds like a cool experience. Anyone care to offer up their traditions/preferences???

[Headhunter]

Music and arrowhead hunting do the trick for me.

[Indianasmith]

John's Gospel. The most beautiful book in the history of the world. Even if you despise church, the Jesus that John portrays is deep, evocative, and fascinating. Especially when you consider that the account was written (dictated most likely) when the Apostle John was in his 90's. He had had sixty years to meditate on the words and person of Jesus Christ, had read the other Gospels, and set out to portray the side of Jesus they had not. It can be read in a single afternoon, but I recommend reading a chapter or two a day for a couple of weeks - it allows for deeper concentration.

Then follow that up with a day on the river, alone with nature. Heals my soul every time.

[joshuaream]

If I'm not too far out of alignment, not seeing my cell phones and getting blisters from digging or hiking too much in a week is my personal maintenance (toss in a sauna, a massage, a decent meal and I'm golden.) The random act of kindness also works well for me, it might be sending someone a relic or two, letting the person behind me in line at the grocery store go first if they have fewer items, help an old lady load something heavy, etc. If I'm in one of our restaurants I just comp someone's check or send someone who looks like they are having a worse day than I a desert or something (guest, staff, etc.)

When I'm really out of alignment, I stop and change directions. A couple of years back pretty much everything except my wife and kids made me feel like I was doing a head-stand in a bucket of crap and the wife and I decided a more radical change was needed. We moved to Florida and I switched companies.

[longtimefree]

cgode a spiritual journey is what i recommend, its like a rebirth, a way of organizing all the things in your mind so there room for new stuff, the fact that you recognize and can request direction is proof of this,good luck

[Steve Valentine]

20+ years ago whenever I felt a little out of kilter I would fire up a big fattie, put on some Pink Floyd and just set back and relax for a while. Then my son was born and I knew it was time to give up the stinky bud and focus on other things in life.

I am not a religious person and never really have been, so I don't go that route. I usually just go hunting if I an feeling little "off center" and try to connect back with nature. Being out in the field by yourself gives you lots of time to think about things and reflect on life. Plus finding artifacts has always given me a giddy kind of feeling and it always put me back into a better mood.

[Bobby]

Well if you cant go look for points to realign then maybe drive around for about an hour in the worst neighborhood you can find so it makes you feel better about what you have and what you have accomplished in life.
If however you already live in that neighborhood then I suggest maybe visit the poor parts of Mexico or Africa or just watch one of those starving kid fund raisers on PBS for an afternoon.

[Bobby]

By the way I am leaving in a few minutes to get realigned after a very hard week.
I am going to go digging for about ten hours.

[Headhunter23]

I'd have to go with nature too. Nothing makes you feel better than just going out in nature and sitting. And taking it all in. I used to trip to Pilot Knob, find a place in the woods and just lay back. Puts my head back on straight. I can't think of a better feeling than being alone in nature.

[DesertWalker]

Being outside and away from the hustle and bustle for a day or 6.