maintaining spiritual practice within family life...

[masuki]

How to do this?

Family life is so busy and noisy and messy and tiring... I used to be so quiet and solo... Help me find a way back to my heart in the midst of family life... Share with me how you do it... I yearn for the prayerful self i once was...

I think getting time for yourself definitely helps.

I know how awkward this can be, but it's once I am by myself that I can usually chill out and get some head space to sort out what's been happening. I find listening to meditative music can relax me enough and then anything I want to say, I can just get it out.

Sometimes the only time I can get is before bed, but to be honest I generally fall asleep before I can get all my praying/talking etc done :)

Anything can be a prayer, offer up the house work.

Who says have to be talking?

I read a lovely story about Mrs Wesley (I guess she must be the spiritual granny of the Methodists ) sitting down on a stool in the middle of the kitchen, with 10 small children around her, and putting her apron over her head to get a few seconds peace to pray.

just pray at the drop of a hat - for the good things that happen during the day/the weather/etc. Always have a prayer in bed - ask them what they want to pray about and direct it that way....then....have your own little compline of sorts, yourself just you and Him over a glass of milk/gin(!) before you get into your beckoning bed

(Always as for more time and more energy, whenever you are chatting to Him)

maria I love that story too! :)

masuki I really sympathise, and I feel exactly the same. It's very, very difficult to 'connect' with God / my spiritual self when I am constantly hurtling from one activity to the next and surrounded by noise and chaos.

One of the things I find really helps (when I remember to do it!) is to try and really focus on what I am doing NOW, at least two or three times a day. For example - if I am doing the washing up; to focus on the feel of the hot water on my hands, the plates and cups - are they smooth or rough? What does the washing up liquid smell like? Can I hear the bubbles popping? Or when I am walking the kids to / from school: what is the weather like? What can I hear / see / smell? What do my feet feel like on the ground? Can I hear my breath and my heartbeat as I walk?

It's something that's both very simple and very difficult to do, but I find that bringing myself back to 'here and now' really helps me to 'find my way back to my heart', as you put it.

Good luck, I hope you find your way :)

thankyou for all your lovely comments, i love hearing of mrs wesley covering herself with apron to pray... and yes, becoming present with what is, NOW, also a way to connect with the sacred...

more more more please!!! help this weary soul xxx

bump!

one one hand, i see what you mean - equate it to Mary and Martha and sitting and listening to the word instead of being busy with life.

on the other hand, it is hard to find time to do it.
I think the only way you can do it really is to make time.

what about after the kids have gone to bed? just 5 minutes on your own.
Men manage it by going to the toilet - i'm sure you could manage it by sitting in a non-busy room on your own for 5 minutes.
it doesn't have to be a long period of time.

I love what MRsCadwallader said :) Such a wonderful perceptions. I love this. I like to smell in the air and look at clouds and all of that stuff.

Read Finding Sanctuary by Abbot Christopher Jamison. It gives a very clear picture of how to make a time for peace and prayer within family life. It's very easy to read and very inspiring.

thankyou for comments, i will look for 'finding sanctuary' that sounds lovely,

yes, it is ultimately about carving out those few prayerful minutes....

more please!

ok, for me the dc's school is close to a church. I try to pop in there for a few minutes after morning drop-off. clears my busy head enough to feel i've actually prayed. Another mum said they 'offer up' the time dedicated to praying. So that ten minutes (or whatever) is set aside as sacred, dedicated to God and important to Him even if she doesn't finish a prayer, hasn't sensed God's presence, or even managed to keep her thoughts on lifting up her heart in prayer.

like masuki i'd like to hear what works for others

Masuki i am going through the same because i am finding it difficult to balance motherhood and my relationship with God, then i heard someone preach that quiet time with God does not mean closing yourself in your room only, it can be when you are shopping, jogging, making dinner, showering, anything done with God in mind is quiet time, after that i relaxed, realised that God is with me no matter what, we don't stop being in a relationship with him because we get busy, He knows, and i say the same to you, every activity done with God in mind is sometimes all we can do.

It gets to a place where when i am watching tv, i go Lord, what do you think of that? i talk to Him all the time because i am tired of praying the same prayer over and over, if i said the same words or started a conversation with my DH the same He would think i am mad, so i figured when i give DD a bath, while she is playing, i sit there with her and go, Lord, she is so beautiful, thank you fro trusting me enough to give her to me, sorry, i could go on,
i don't think i made any sense there.