by Laura Buchanan, Courtesy of <umc.org>
The term ‘spiritual practice’ doesn’t usually refer to hiking or painting, but these activities can strengthen our faith.
“Creativity as a spiritual practice, for me, is grounded in my understanding of God as Creator,” says Rev. Stephanie Dunn, author of Draw Close: A Creative Companion for Lent. “As children of God, we are always called to be re-creating the world by doing justice, embracing faithful love, and walking humbly with God. Incorporating creativity into your spiritual practices can be a powerful way to engage your life in God, the one who is always creating.
“I believe a good definition of ‘creativity’ is the act of putting something into the world that wasn’t there before. Simply thinking or speaking is a creative act.”
Dunn shared that the prompts in her book have helped people tap into a variety of creative practices. “One person wrote hymns, another colored in a digital coloring book, others wrote poetry or prose, while still more drew, sketched or painted,” she said.
Dunn’s own creative spiritual practice began with a pack of watercolor markers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “After becoming a daily practice to just hone in on skills, I discovered that time that I had set aside to create had become a sacred time, holding individuals in focused prayer,” she said. “In the process, I discovered that what had been ‘just dabbling’ had turned into a practice that was deeply impacting my relationship with God and God’s world.”
Garrett Hammonds, a board member of the Appalachian Trail Chaplain ministry, said: “Being outside helps me to see things with new eyes and focus on what matters. In the quiet of being in the woods, I feel like my mind and my spirit are given a reset”
“It’s okay to feel uncomfortable in the outdoors. That’s part of what’s great about it. Sometimes in reflecting on the good and the challenging parts of being outdoors, I think we can learn a lot about God and ourselves. I didn’t always like hiking. When I was a kid, most of my time hiking with my parents was spent complaining.
“That changed in college when I started to appreciate the peace that comes from being in the woods. If I don’t experience that for a long time, it is hard to keep doing what God has called me to do.”
Whether people have an affinity for the outdoors or not, Hammonds encourages everyone to give it a try. “Just go out there with as few expectations as you can,” he said. “Listen to what you hear and what you don’t hear. Become interested in the small and big details of creation that are on the side of the trails, such as moss, flowers, leaves, trees, clouds and waterfalls, and appreciate the things that you usually might walk right by. I think when you are just out there with yourself, God is going to show up in small and big ways.”
“By prioritizing my yoga and meditation practice, with my intention set on God, I grow closer every time I move and breathe on purpose. These aren’t practices we can do by accident. They take intentionality, and that’s key in any relationship,” said Whitney Simpson, spiritual director and author of Holy Listening with Breath, Body and the Spirit.
“The only way we can feel more comfortable with a spiritual practice is to practice it. These practices have become holy as I set my intention on the one who gives me life and breath each day.”
Trying mediative practices might feel daunting for some, but Simpson said: “When we claim an intention to draw close to our Creator, most any reflective practice can become a holy one. I always encourage people to start where you are rather than setting a lofty goal for what you think a spiritual practice should look like. Prioritize your time with God and see what grows.
“And remember, seasons change, so practices don’t have to always look the same. In this season, I’m finding that a short evening yoga and breath work practice before bed is really important for me to wind down, talk with God and sleep well. Find a practice and a time that works for you and be consistent. Time spent in spiritual connection with God adds up beyond the minutes they are practiced.”
“Getting quiet and learning to be attentive, not merely entertained by music, is a habit requiring discipline,” said Rev. James Howell, author of Unrevealed Until Its Season: A Lenten Journey with Hymns. “Hymns in particular have a wealth of riches in the words, which you only grasp by reading, singing and pondering slowly.
“I underwent a battery of personality tests, such as Myers Briggs, the Enneagram and MMPI, from a nun a couple of decades ago as she was discerning what spirituality really works for me. She said popular devotional books leave me cold and bored. This was true.
“She said the most powerful impact on my type of person, out of all spiritual things one might do, is being part of congregational hymn singing. I love it, and nowhere feel closer to God. It’s hard to find that Monday through Saturday, but I do sit at my piano and play hymns, so there’s another time I lose myself in the music.”
Don’t stop at hymns when embracing music as a spiritual practice. “I’m similarly moved deeply and spiritually when listening to Joni Mitchell, Brandi Carlile, and a bunch of other ‘secular’ singers,” said Howell, “and heck, a Beethoven sonata, a Chopin Etude or something like the Grieg Peer Gynt Suite or the Barber Adagio draws me very close to God.”
