Practicing Eco-Spirituality

Eco-Spirituality is easy: Put down your phone and go outside.

Many people today are on their phones constantly, walking on the sidewalk, grocery shopping or even when crossing a street. Need a quick answer? Check in with Siri! Our lives are filled with distractions, news, background music and even texting during meals.

Could boredom be a reason for such behavior? I challenge all of us to “Take on Boredom this Spring” by setting smartphones and computers aside to help us de-clutter our minds and spend time alone in quiet receptivity. Stillness and less distractions are needed for inner strength to lead us forward. Bravely, risk boredom and find ‘device free’ time each day. Spring is a wonderful time to do this, and this spring in particular as we worry about our country and our Earth. Turn off the phone and focus on Spring and nature’s beauty.

We are an essential part of creation along with all non-human animals, all plants, and non-living entities that grace planet Earth. Rejoicing in the beauty around us is eco-spirituality, that is, teaching us about life and how to live it sustainably. Perhaps we need to alter our thinking, revise the old paradigms and celebrate Earth as our common home. This ecological examen may help us. When was the last time you really set aside time to take a walk, inhale fresh air, feel the wind and smell the fragrance of a flower? (When is the last time you did this without using your phone or camera once?)

Ask yourself: Where did I really feel God’s presence today? When have I seen people taking care of Earth? When did I see real beauty in a tree, grass, or flower? How do I feel energized after a nature encounter? This, my friends, is your eco-spirituality.

Leave the computer and phone alone for a little while and allow yourself to enter a new type of boredom this spring. Sit with the quiet and wait for your inner wisdom to come into your consciousness. Try this! Worry less and let peace follow this Spring!

Sr. Rosine Sobczak OSF
President S.A.V.E.

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