Religious Zen

Let’s face it, day to day life can feel meaningless.

For the majority of people, this includes the rat race routine of getting up and dragging themselves out of bed, going to work long hours at a job they probably don’t really want, and then coming home and doing household chores before crashing into bed because there is not enough time left for themselves, or so they think.

Most people feel as if they have no time left over for themselves after a full day of work, house chores, and family obligations, much less to take on a new project or hobby! What I’m saying here doesn’t have to be BIG. It can start out as something small, or as large as you’d like it. It’s up to you.

What I propose here is not a life altering change, but simple additions to one’s life. While I am all for getting a job that a person really connects with rather than one they don’t want, sometimes that is just not practical for the average person with real responsibilities. Instead, here are 5 relatively simple ways to add more meaning to your life, despite it’s more mundane moments.

1. Supplement your job with a labor of love .

Are you stuck in a repetitive, stressful, meaningless job that only succeeds in making somebody else rich? Is there something that you’d rather be doing? Something you’re passionate about? Go ahead and get involved with it, then!

If you have a passion for, say, saving animals, but are stuck in that 8 hour grind simply make some time on a day off and volunteer at a local animal shelter or veterinarians office. Working hard to help improve the life of those animals will increase the quality of your own life.

Doing what you really enjoy- even if you aren’t getting paid for it- can help fulfill you as a person in ways that are hard to describe. No matter how hum-drum the job, making time to work on a labor of love in your spare time will transform your life. It can make even the most mundane life more meaningful.

Have you ever wanted to save lives? You don’t need to quit your job! Schedule time regularly every few months to donate blood, or volunteer at a soup kitchen. Whatever it is you choose, do it regularly and make it your focus.

Eventually, you could be so good at it that you do end up making a living off of it. While money usually is never the number one goal for something so deep to somebody, it is definitely a means to be free to do even more work that they truly love.

2. Make after work a restful, yet active, experience.

For many years I would come home from work or school and simply crash. That was it. I would make my way to a comfy couch, bed, or computer and vegetate there until it was time to go to sleep and repeat the process again the next day. Over time, I began to feel regret for wasting so much time doing something that wasn’t contributing to anything but myself. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when one should rest, even for several days to recoup! There is a balance to it all, though.

Instead of coming home and crashing like many are apt to do, do something that is more than sitting and watching TV. Play a board game with your spouse or children for example. Go for a walk outdoors if you are lucky to live in a peaceful neighborhood, or go for a leisurely stroll in the park. It doesn’t have to take all afternoon, evening, or morning, a good 5 minute stretch is enough for a start.

You could also take up meditation, which is good for many things! Yoga is one offshoot of this which is also part exercise! One does not need to be religious in order to meditate. You can do a Google search and find out a plethora of reading materials on the subject.

Overall, doing something just a tad more active then you regularly do will increase your health and make you stronger. The human body is amazing at adapting and getting tougher, so push it, even if it is just a stroll in the park at a time. Do it often, and you’ll find that this has made your life all the more meaningful.

3. Get alone, connect with a deeper self.

Despite friend, family, and coworker obligations as well as the endless amount of things that bombards a person on a daily basis that need done, it is vital to schedule time for yourself. Being alone to reflect is some of the best moments that I have had in my entire life. It is where I have achieved some of my best self-improvement.

Getting alone is one step, and is easy for some, nearly impossible for others. If you have a room in your home where you can go, great! If not, there are thousands of parks around, or even a quiet place in a parking lot if need be. The point is: just get alone.

Meditation is a great way to get yourself in-tune with a deeper self once you are alone, as I suggested in the last point. If meditation isn’t your thing, then do something that is life-affirming to you, but keep it simple. I enjoy reading a good book, whether it is a novel or non-fiction reading. There is a great sense of accomplishment in reading a 700 page epic story!

Praying is another way to get alone and in touch with a deeper self. Whatever deity you may worship or feel connected to, no one can deny at least the psychological aspects of prayer. It increases your brain functioning and gives a decided sense of hope to even the most down and out. If your synagogue, mosque, church, coven space, etc. has open altar times where you can worship privately, consider doing so.

Another favorite of mine for getting alone is driving out into the countryside. For me, it is only a short drive out of my city and I am riding by long farms, endless trees, and rivers. I love driving around at night, too, with some good music on. There is something spiritual about driving- just driving- with no particular place to go. It gives you a sense of freedom that you can choose your own path. You can decide exactly where you want to go, and only you have the final say in it. For me, that is very powerful!

4. Find a meaningful hobby.

This is similar to my first point, and while it can be described as a hobby, this point is something a little less involving. I like to think of a hobby as something you lose money at, whereas a business is something you make money at. A hobby, then is something to spend money on! Why is this fulfilling? It’s hard to say, as hobbies vary as much as the individual.

I suggest a hobby as an alternative to watching TV or being on the computer all day long. Many men enjoy making things with their hands, and may take up carpentry or model airplanes. I know many women who love scrapbooking, and it’s not so bad as a family past time, either!

There are thousands of things to devote a little time and money towards, so find something that works for you. A collection is also a good way to start. Either way, let it be something that fulfills you and gives your life more meaning.

5. Spread life wherever you go.

One of the goals for my household that my wife and I have is, “Spread life wherever we go.” I admit that we’ve done our fair share of bug spraying here, but for the most part we want to leave beauty and living things instead of using up the environment and leaving a nasty scar on our territory. There are endless rows of houses that put out harmful things into the environment, destroy their local habitats, and give no thought to anything they harm. We have vowed to do our part to reverse that process. One of those ways is, simply, not letting our house turn into a slum. That helps spread life!

Another way we choose to do it is by growing things. There are many ways to do this. One of those ways is growing a garden. My wife has been wanting to get into herbs for awhile now, so we are beginning a garden! Even if you do not have a backyard, growing herbs is very easy. All you need are some pots and a good window with plenty of sunlight, and you’re golden!

We also want to plant trees. We take great joy in knowing they will grow along with us in the coming years. After awhile they will be towering around our home, giving us shelter and shade. There is something noble about an old tree swaying gracefully in the wind. A lot can be learned from even the simplest things in nature.

Think about what you can do in your local area. Maybe you would rather adopt an animal? Maybe beginning a rescue shelter in your house. Keep it simple, though! One animal at a time is enough to do your part to begin with. Taking in a sick creature and helping it get back into a healthy state is a beautiful thing. It’s the idea of devoting yourself to an innocent being, and expecting little in return that is wonderful. If more people thought this way about other people, the world would be a much better place. Again, like all these points I’ve made, this will help make your life more meaningful.

This is not an end all-be-all list.

There are a countless number of things to be doing to make your life more enjoyable, and to alleviate the rat-race syndrome. I do not have all the answers and would never pretend like I know it all! If you can think of something better, do it! The idea here is not that these 5 things are the only way, they are just several ways that I have found that give my life more meaning. What works for you?

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