As a product if a religious education I was introduced early to the idea of daily spiritual reading and one of my recent sessions led me to The Sermon on the Mount by Emmet Fox. Described by some as as “scientist, philosopher and spiritual leader,” Fox wrote his take on divine wisdom in the1930’s. As I read along it became crystal clear to me that spiritual happiness – life living excellence – is largely the result of habit. We become what we do consistently. It was also clear that many of my thoughts and actions were based on what the pros call cognitive distortions. Further, I was given a name for my central weakness: catastrophizing.
It is catastrophizing that leads to anxiety and depression and fundamental disconnection with life’s joys. For me, the parking will always be tough, the check will never be in the mail, there will never be enough…and so on. The perception that the cosmos is out to get you is sick with ego and wrong thinking and ironically there is an element of self annihilation that swirls around as well. An egomaniac with an inferiority complex influenced by sloppy perception and flawed thinking. How do we stop this automatic negativity?
There are many theories including chanting, yoga and cognitive behavioral therapy but every solution requires the ability to recognize your distortions for what they are. Challenging our own thinking is a skill that has consistently eroded in our culture over time. The explosion of conspiracy theories and alternative facts that dominate our lives do not help much. As we try to right size our fears and tremblings more grist is shoved into our mindmill by the minute …it is hard to create space.
I think I will try to develop new habits of mind as a sort of backfire that halts a rolling conflagration. Mantras of positive tone, daily spiritual reading, relying on the power of loved ones will all be helpful techniques. We invest wildly to insure our economic and physical health so it seems logical to invest in our spiritual prosperity in equal measure. After all, as Marianne Williamson said, “the spiritual journey is the unlearning of fear and the acceptance of love.” Who wouldn’t want that?
Let the un-learning begin.
Olio Folio 