Dear Khaj #01: "Spirit-Nourishing"

 

Dear Khaj,

I'm starting this series of notes to you because I thought I should put down in writing the most valuable and helpful lessons of life that I'd like to pass on to the people dearest to my heart, the top two of whom are you and DDR. Hopefully, these lessons will also help many others. I will keep each note brief, no more than an easy 3~4 minute read. I hope that you will take time to more slowly ponder over and cherish the lessons though.

A Testament

Sometime ago I had an epiphany while observing MO., our dog. I read that the average lifespan of a dog is around 12 years. And then I thought about my present age and was thunderstruck at this: The time when I will continue to be most productive actually coincides with MO's lifespan. That's not too long, I felt keenly. This motivated me to start this project. Please read it as something like a testament from me to you so that when I'm no longer around, you can still continue to hear my voice. I hope to continue it regularly: I'll aim for at least one short note every week.

So, let me start!

Spirit-Nourishing

Some of the most treasured memories of my entire 50-some years of life (I would rate this category of experiences up there in the top three even!) are the moments when you and I spent doing together what we came to call "Spirit-Nourishing." We did that often in your younger days either by going to church or by doing some exercises here at home in order to--what we called--"nourish our spirits."

"Spirit"

First of all, I came to refer to our exercises as "spirit-nourishing." "Spirit" has many meanings but what I mean when I say "spirit nourishing" is: to nourish/to take care of the most important and deepest part of yourself--the part where you find life and energy; the part that gives you the drive to fulfill your purpose; the part that also holds love, joy, meaning, and peace. This most important part of yourself is also known as your core. It's what Thich Nhat Hanh-sensei (and the Buddha) refer to as "your true self/your true home." It's called by other names such as: mind, soul, centre, spirituality, etc.

Why You Need to Nourish Your Spirit

You have to take care of your "spirit" (your mind, your "true self", your core, your soul or whatever you want to call it) because it is the absolutely crucial key to living a life full of purpose and genuine happiness. If you neglect your spirit, you will slide into meaninglessness, depression, or what is often referred to nowadays as "mental-health issues."  Only when your spirit is healthy, flourishing, and vibrant can you make the world a better place. Instead, if your spirit is in a bad shape, you will make the world a worse place, not because you're bad (No one is!), but because your spirit is hurting. 

The Main Point [TMP]

Spirit-Nourishing is Like Water: We Need It to Live!

As I mentioned, "spirit" is deeply linked with "mind." A few days ago, I came upon words that struck me deeply. A meditation teacher said: "Our mind is the part of us that we use the most, but the one that we take the least care of!" That is just so true. The reason why so many of us have mental-health issues is because we think that taking care of our minds (what you and I call "spirit-nourishing") is not so important, just an "optional" activity. Well, it's not! It's like water: Just as we (the physical part of us) cannot survive without water, our spirit/mind (the part that is most used and most valuable) won't survive without spirit-nourishing.

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Let's all resolve to take good care of our spirits (our minds) today and every single day! (More concrete things to come in later notes!)

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