We recently finished football season in Texas — a highly revered time for many. I was a cheerleader in high school, and we oversaw promoting school spirit. It got me thinking about the deeper meaning of “spirit.”
What emotions do we experience when watching a football game (or any other competitive sport)? The goal is the touchdown, and, along the way, there is anticipation, excitement, and multiple obstacles. Players need to dodge, run, catch, defend, sometimes get knocked down hard, and sometimes display what looks like a miraculous feat for the human body. You have a group of people working together, a team: Coaches, teammates, and doctors.
Perhaps we all have specific roles we play for each other in this game of life.
When the team is “in the flow,” it can look almost effortless. But when they are argumentative and resistant, it can become an intense struggle. And we can feel all of it. Our anticipation and excitement rise with each down and with each catch as we get closer to the goal.
We clap, encourage, and, even during a setback, cheer our team on. When the touchdown happens, we jump up, hands in the air, cheer, hug, and high-five each other and even strangers. The vibe is high, and we feel alive.
Maybe it’s no coincidence Sunday is football day.
Take a moment to embody what that feels like. If you can’t describe it in words, close your eyes and feel the emotion, the bodily sensations, and even the thoughts running through your head when your vibration is so high it feels as though you cannot contain it.
“Spiritual” Is Thrown Around a Lot
Does it mean kneeling with your hands folded in a prayer? Does it mean following the rules of religion or going to church on Sunday? Does it mean meditating every day or going on a retreat?
Not necessarily.
So What Does Being Spiritual Mean?
Being spiritual means, we live fully awake and alive: Aware of, interested in, responsive to, and having meaning and purpose.
When we are spiritually grounded, as we open our eyes in the morning, our anticipation and excitement rise, realizing the infinite potential of the next 24 hours. Every experience, person, and situation presents us with an opportunity for our soul to grow. We go with the flow and encourage ourselves and others during a challenge or setback. If we fall or get tackled, we help each other and shake it off with the hope that the next moment, the following interaction could be the pass that moves us closer to what the Spirit of the Universe has in store for us that day.
Even more so, when we are spiritually grounded, we are aware of and accept the setback as the contrasting experience. Contrasting experiences are never “bad,” but they are necessary. We must experience cold to understand hot, down to understand up, dark to understand light, the here to understand there. Even if we aren’t exactly sure of the meaning, we believe our soul knows its journey and is always on the path meant for us. We even begin to find gratitude for the contrast!
Being spiritually grounded means, we can shake off negative comments or thoughts because we are interested in aligning with our Greater Purpose. We see others as fellow souls/teammates/players/teachers/coaches, all who have a meaningful and purposeful place in our lives. We don’t live our lives constantly on the defensive.
Being spiritual implies the daily experiences of inner peace, unconditional love, joy, creativity, hope, service, unity, and playfulness.
Ask yourself: How spiritually grounded are you?
