Do you have moments in your life when you feel as if you are on top of the world? Like nothing could bring you down, no matter what. And then do you have other moments in your life where you feel like everything is tumbling upside down and nothing feels right anymore? The difference in these situations is spiritual fuel.
Spiritual exhaustion due to lack of spiritual fuel and spiritual aspiration is what causes these blah moments. These moments where your hobbies, your interests, your favorite snacks, and people, they all don’t hold any meaning for you anymore. They bore you, rather than inspire you or make you happy. It feels like you will never be happy again.
What Can You Use As Spiritual Fuel?
I am constantly watching myself to ensure that I don’t fall into the trap of spiritual exhaustion or boredom. When it does happen, which it inevitably will, I know that I need to up the ante on my spiritual fuel. What I use as spiritual fuel might not be the same for you. But it’s always good to know what others are using, so you can feel inspired.
The following are some things I use as spiritual fuel:
- Time spent in nature (lush green places always bounce me up)
- Reading spiritual texts
- Doing hatha yoga or meditating
- Dancing by myself to the music I love
- Cooking and eating delicious spicy foods
- Finding a new favorite place to eat or spend time in (an aesthetically pleasing cafe for one)
- Moving to a new country and feeling at home instantly
- Meeting a new friend who inspires me and comforts me
- Being creative (writing, vlogging, painting, anything)
- Reading a favorite manga over again or watching a TV show again
- Feeling powerful and beautiful in my body (like I’m created in God’s image and he loves me)
- Wanting to shout out loud that I love this world and my life
- Feeling like I did my best today and falling asleep with a sense of peace
This is not an exhaustive list, to be sure. What happens to me when I feel down is that I just go through the list and try as many things on it as possible. Eventually, something clicks and I feel a bit better. And I just keep going with it, until I feel completely whole again.
Experiment with Different Spiritual Fuels to See What Jibes with You
Don’t give up hope. Hopefulness is a superpower – it’s what distinguishes humans from the rest of the world. We have hope, even in the face of ultimate and powerful despair. We might be in the worse of situations, but we can still muster up hope.
When you are down and out, consider experimenting with what works as spiritual fuel for you. Don’t lose hope if you can’t find anything even after the 20th try. It’s about not giving up hope. Just keep at it.
Something will eventually click. I assure you. I have been in those dark places as well. It’s hard to pull ourselves out of it. I know!
God’s Rooting For You
But remember that God is out there (or the divine creator) and he’s rooting for you. He wants you to come out of your funk because when you are in this funk, you are separate from God and everyone and everything around you. A butterfly might come flitting down to sit on your hand, and you will just brush it away, as it were not a miracle.
You lose your sense of wonder and joy. Feel like everything in the world is out to get you. Think that the world hates you and God is punishing you. It’s not true. It might feel like it’s true, but it’s not.
This separation could be considered a test or it could be an invitation from the dark forces. Whatever it is, it needs to be killed as soon as possible. You are not separate. In fact, you are part of the whole and the whole is part of you. You are the creator and you are the created. You are one with the world and the world is one with you.
Spiritual fuel can help you get back to this sense of wholeness. It’s where we would ideally spend the majority of our time.
What Causes You to Get Into a Funk? Avoid It.
Do you know that an animal will quickly avoid something if it hurts them? But humans, despite being 100 times smarter, will keep throwing themselves into the deep end of things, hurting themselves over again. Why do we do this?
It’s called learned helplessness, and it can be debilitating. I’m not saying that you should snap out of it. That’s not useful.
But it’s important to realize that in a majority of cases, we have more control than we realize. Why do you keep hanging out with that person who depresses you? Seriously, why do you keep going to that event that makes you hate yourself? Why do you keep going on social media when it devalues you?
Are you a glutton for punishment? Are you happy playing that victim role? Do you wish to suffer? Do you want to be a martyr?
If not, then learn that there is another way. Try another path. Don’t walk down the same path again. Avoid that hole in the road.
Find Your Perfect Spiritual Fuel and Use It Daily (if Possible)
If you knew something results in perfect health for you, wouldn’t you use it daily? Then why don’t you do the same with your perfect spiritual fuel? Why are you only using it in states of despair and desperation?
Once you find your perfect spiritual fuel, use it daily! As much as you can. Don’t avoid it, even for a day. Don’t be lazy about it. It’s much easier to maintain spiritual momentum, rather than to start, stop, and start again. As the law says, it’s much easier to keep an item in motion, than to move an object from a state of rest (I paraphrase).
Keep yourself in motion. Don’t let yourself get into a state of rest (that doesn’t mean that you can’t rest, but most spiritual fuel doesn’t involve extreme motion).
What do you think? What do you use as spiritual fuel? Share with us in the comments below.
