A faith-based, research-informed, practical approach
to finding resilience and connection
to finding resilience and connection
We live in turbulent times. In many ways it feels as though we went to sleep one night and woke up the next morning in a world we don't recognize.
There’s plenty to be afraid of and plenty to be angry about. Yet the panic and hostility we read about and sometimes feel only make things worse.
Jesus knew that. In times as painful and uncertain as our own he reminded us to love God with everything we’ve got and our neighbors as ourselves. He encouraged us to be spiritually resilient: to keep a positive spirit and a sense of purpose and meaning even when the sky turns dark. He told us not to worry, to be people of gratitude, hope and compassion.
But how do we get there? How can we close the gap between where we are and where God calls us to be? How do we protect ourselves from the eroding power of anxiety and resentment? How can we open ourselves to grace with as much skill as we can muster? All too often our white-knuckled attempts to "be better" fall short.
The Spiritual Resilience Project blends current scientific research on the human brain with traditional spiritual wisdom about the world and our place in it. Though these pages will feel most comfortable to people who believe in or are searching for God or a Higher Power, the core principles are universal. This is a faith-based, research-informed approach to developing practical habits shown to improve wellbeing, reduce anxiety and depression and - with God's grace - help us become closer to the persons we were created to be.
Welcome video
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How we're doing this...
1) The About page will give you a quick overview of our approach to spiritual resilience.
2) The Course provides lessons on how to deepen your own resilience. Simply click on lessons in the sidebar to work your way through.
3) Each Spiritual Practice session will have a handout you can download and print with a quick summary, a description of recommended actions and space for you to jot down a commitment.
4) I encourage you to give yourself a chance to actually work with a practice before moving on to the next.
5) Change can be hard even when we know it's in our best interests. Making an achievable, solid commitment, and sharing your experiences regularly with others, can make the difference between being stuck and actually finding deeper resilience.
6) A more formal online course is in the works. If you'd like to be notified when it becomes available, send a message via the contact page and type "Update" into the message box.
We don't need a lot of theory to start, just a desire and a commitment to show up.
Ram Dass said, "In the end, we are all just walking one another home."
I look forward to walking with you.
Note: Throughout history humans have divided ourselves along religious lines. We tend to quickly pigeonhole one another based on our theology or lack thereof. Though our differences are real and important, spiritual resilience work is more like a wellness program than a Scripture class. I write from my own Christian perspective, but this approach is adaptable to other faith traditions as well as to a secular perspective. I invite you to translate these pages into your own spiritual framework, taking what’s useful and leaving the rest.
Photo credits: Top, ©iStockphoto, AHarti; Next, Perriscope, Flickr