Unfortunately, I probably do not have the answer to this question. However, it is something SpirHealth.com will begin to explore and eventually define, at least for ourselves.

My initial instinct was to assume that Spiritual Health can be achieved. And, it sounded like something I would really like to achieve. But, there I go again, adding a new goal to my endless ToDo list – “achieve spiritual health.”

I turned to the internet, for better or worse, to see how others have defined this concept. And, I soon realized that spiritual health is something to practice not to achieve. Much like pursuing bodily health and fitness, it’s an ongoing practice, a lifestyle. After losing 15 pounds, it’s not too uncommon to gain the weight back. Some days I’ll eat well and exercise. Other days I will turn lazy and eat poorly. I’d assume one’s state of spiritual health fluctuates in the same way.

I eventually found a nice and short article describing one woman’s thoughts about Spiritual Health. Kara Bauer says that to her, spiritual health is:

• Peacefulness
• Presence
• Simplicity
• Acceptance
• Compassion
• and Self Awareness.

Kara’s article is also titled “What is Spiritual Health”. Give it a read and let us know qualities define Spiritual Health for you. For me, Kara’s idea of being present struck me the most. I’ll leave you with her words.

A spiritually healthy person is very in tune with the present moment and doesn’t live in the past or in the future, but instead fully accepts the current moment as the only “real” moment in which to experience life. When someone is present, they are able to experience their senses in ways they otherwise wouldn’t, resulting in clarity and fresh thinking. (click here to read more of Kara’s Article on Spiritual Health)

Thomas Merton spent his early years without the constant presence of loving parents. In his years as a young man he embraced the street life of New York city with all of its detours from God. Finally, he sensed the void, found Him, converted to Catholicism and became a Trappist monk. Tom became one of the great minds of Catholic literature in mid twentieth century America, writing many works reflective of God’s attempt to speak to us over the noise of our times.His Prayer of Trust reflects his journey and really, all of us trying to do the right thing.

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope that I have that desire in all I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.And I know that if I do this, you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore, I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me toface my perils alone.”  -Thomas Merton