Spiritual Practices Permission Slip

Thanks to LeaderWise’s Mary Kay DuChene for sharing this Great Idea!

Resilience is a buzzword these days – and developing it has become an essential tool for every spiritual leader – clergy or lay, paid or volunteer. It’s essential not just for leading congregations or faith groups, but for personal well-being.

As a leader of resilience workshops and retreats, Mary Kay DuChene encourages participants to develop spiritual practices that will enhance resilience – and unpacks the reasons we should build these practices into our work days. She offers a specific list of ideas – and a permission slip!

Read her entire post here.

Find further encouragement and permission in our Contemplative Practices: Sabbath & Rest lib guide.

It’s amazing how one of DuChene’s suggestions can lead to or build on another: getting outside and practicing gratitude can help us get good sleep; acknowledging decision fatigue and can help us avoid toxic situations; etc. The point being: taking one small step toward developing a spiritual practice almost invariable enables taking a next step.

You can find additional resources for beginning a contemplative practice in our Contemplative Practices: Introductions or our Leader Renewal lib guides; we share seasonal options specific to Advent & Christmas and Lent & Easter; or follow DuChene’s suggestions about nature, art, and creative options with Contemplative Arts. You might also enjoy our weekly recorded contemplative practice, Midweek Retreat.

One or two small steps toward a contemplative moment / spiritual practice will avail you of a deeper and deeper well of spiritual fortitude, patience (with yourself and others), and even joy. We cannot encourage spiritual practices enough – in “normal” days, and especially in the midst of global pandemics and war.

If you haven’t already begun a spiritual practice, now is the time: you have our permission!