People would have great, life-changing experiences at Clear Sky, but they would ultimately struggle to recreate this powerful container for themselves in their daily lives, we kept hearing.
This makes sense. We can only spend so much time in retreat after all; the majority of our time is spent engaging in daily tasks, along with the inescapable busyness and distractions. And this is where we lose momentum and lose sight of our spiritual goals, despite our best efforts.
To address the question, "How do we help individuals maintain a nutritious guided meditations in their day-to-day life?" we began what would eventually become an 18-month initiative in 2015.
Through this effort, we developed the idea of a "spiritual container," which we refer to as five principles that might help people feel the support of a retreat centre. In order to contain the magical discovery we refer to as our spiritual life, we have taken what works at Clear Sky and in our lives away from Clear Sky and have shared it here:
Our Five Principles for Creating a Strong Container for Mindfulness in our Modern World
1. Honor your space
Have you ever paid attention to how you feel when you go into a gorgeous, roomy, and well-maintained environment? Imagine the serenity and sense of open space you feel in a lovely Zen garden. Your mind naturally gravitates toward calmness, curiosity, and delight, and this is not by coincidence. You can actually sense the vitality of attention to detail in that "ooh" moment. Your explorations and practise will have a solid foundation if you can figure out how to make this for yourself.
2. Structure and routine are your friends
With carefully chosen frameworks and routines, you have a lot of creative freedom and can develop new, useful habits. Even while structure and routines can seem like a restriction on our freedom and creativity, a healthy outer framework offers a container for ongoing breakthrough. Structure and routines, which are truly your allies, provide you the power to stop behaviours that are keeping you from clarity and joy.
3. Conversations shape the space where we meet
The space we share with others is significantly impacted by what we say or don't say. Do we listen and provide a secure environment where others can speak openly from the heart, or do we speak too much? Do our words promote dialogue and open-minded research or do they shut off discussion by adamantly defending preconceived notions? When our voices of compassion must be heard, do we speak, or do we remain silent? We may co-create a loving, honest, and open container for profound connections to arise by speaking with awareness and competence and by being mindful of our impact on the environment.
4. Cleaning up big areas of your life frees up energy
The energy that might otherwise be trapped in tension or lost through distraction is released in great numbers each time you bring outer clarity to a significant area of your life.
For instance, improving your food routine releases energy. Energy is released when obstacles related to money are removed. Energy is released when you learn to prioritise and effectively manage your time, including time for play. Finding your own life's mission and gaining clarity about why you are here releases energy. You build a sturdy container for bringing awareness & presence to every moment by providing clarity to these fundamental areas of your life.
5. It’s easier with others
That whole illusion of freedom is just that. Your practise space becomes more loving, robust, and rich when you share it with others. You require the openness and encouragement of dependable spiritual friends, particularly when making significant changes in your life. When you don't want to practise, community gives you the strength to do it. You become more deeply joyful and vibrant as a result of sharing knowledge. You can identify and develop your personal vision with the aid of compassionate criticism. The shared vision and encouragement of others bring you through when you need the strength to face your shadow.