Developing Spiritual Resilience

Spiritual Resilience

We live in and are part of an evolving Cosmos. In addition, modern discoveries and technologies are constantly changing. Consequently, modern psychology places places an increasing emphasis on the need for us to develop , what it terms, emotional resilience. But what does the term 'resilience' mean ? . The Oxford English Dictionary gives us two definitions that  suggest an ability or quality that assists us in riding the storms or waves of life:

1.                  the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity

2.                  the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness.

However, I prefer the analogy of the following Japanese Proverb   The winds may fell the massive oak, but young  bamboo, bent even to the ground, will spring upright after the passage of the storm. 

So in psychology, the term ( Emotional) Resilience refers to an inherent ability that allows us to adapt and respond to stressful and potentially traumatic situations or crisis. The possession of Resilience allows us , like young bamboo, to bend with the storms of life and winds of change and yet return to a steady centre. Or in other words, as so ably put by Sister Ishpriya, attain and maintain the ability to remain in 'the eye of the storm'  

Now we are more than just our emotions, we are, so to speak,  PIES people That is we  have physical, intellectual emotional and social aspects to our being.  Unfortunately, our body begins to wear out as we grow old but our intellectual and emotional abilities can remain quite high much longer. Modern neuro-science now tells us that we can continue to grow and alter our brain - this is referred to ass neuro-plasticity. Therefore we need to develop resilience in all these areas.. Most importantly, the spirit never dies and both outlasts and transcends the body-psyche. Consequently, it is inportant  that Spiritual Travellers focus on the area of Spiritual Resilience.

Further reflections in this series  will begin to focus on ten important aspects or pointers that can assist us in developing, attaining and maintaining a healthy Spriitual Resilience.