Jul/090
Dealing with a dry spell
I found this article on 9 Tips for Spiritual Dry Spells by Jennifer Fulwiler. As you would expect, it contains advice for prayer, the sacraments, and reading inspiring books. It also has some not-so-common and insightful advice like finding a spiritual director and taking the time to recharge.
Interestingly enough, I read this at a time I have a bookshelf full of unread books on various religious topics from Amazon.com. I have reminders in my calendar to go to confession and daily mass (which I still don't attend, even with the reminders). And despite my best intentions, I have absolutely no ability to pray. For whatever reason I can't remember to do it, and when I am in a position to remember to do it, I do it poorly. Perhaps awkward is a better description than poor, but either way it doesn't feel right.
I like the idea of a spiritual director. I use to have one of those. I was very close to a priest. We were friends first, which made it easy to take advice when it was given. It also gave the relationship a deeper level of sincerity when he counseled me on questions of faith. I have a couple of people in my life currently who I would possibly view as "spiritual directors." But it's nothing formal, and I'm likely not brave enough to ask for that kind of help.
I have been trying to take some time to recharge. I've let my commitments tail off, so I now have more free time than I've had since high-school. But I don't feel recharged by it. I just feel... I don't know, lazy or unfocused. I suspect I'm not doing it right. I know what recharges me, and I'm doing a lot of that (reading, writing, working out again, etc...), but it doesn't work like it use to.
We'll... perhaps I'll work up the courage to ask for a director. It can't hurt, and it's good advice. If I take that step, perhaps the other steps will be easier.
