Fine Dining Spirituality

Instant Gratification

We live in a world of instant gratification. Almost anything you want can be delivered to our doorstep within days, often within hours. Fast food restaurants surround us, and a wait of even ten minutes feels unacceptable. The time it takes to down that fast food meal is likely under 30 minutes from when you decided to purchase it. And then your glycemic index rises, you feel satisfied and yes, even a little productive because you saved all that time not cooking, savoring, or cleaning up. The rise of the glycemic index is addictive, satisfying for a short time, then quickly crashing into regret. Indulge too often, and over time, fast food damages your health, often permanently.

Fast-Food Spirituality

Many people expect spiritual healing to bring instant gratification as well. We run to someone who says they will heal us, and we expect there is no effort on our part. We hire someone to touch us, or wave crystals over us, or even say a prayer, hoping that we heal instantaneously. Then we continue doing the same things we’ve always done. We refuse to put much effort into healing ourselves and prefer to shell out money instead of disrupting our over-scheduled life. I call this Fast-Food Spirituality. It feels good in the moment, but the feeling quickly fades, and we go looking for our next fix.

There’s nothing wrong with eating fast food occasionally. And being curious and open about experiences, including spiritual experiences, is wonderful. It’s the addiction to feelings of euphoria or self-validation (or self-loathing) that becomes a problem. Life has ups and downs, but nourishment can be gained from all experiences, if we slow down and take the time to digest them.

Fine Dining Spirituality

A healthy spiritual journey is analogous to fine dining. It is an infinite number of courses, served up when the previous course is finished. When we are young, we may not like the courses presented to us. I don’t like the look of that food! Too much spice! Some courses may even be a little too chewy. But as we receive each new course, we understand it is nourishment and perhaps our palate matured a little. We may even find the succulent morsel hiding inside the shell we struggled to crack open.

Savor Each Mouthful

To appreciate fine dining, we must open our senses and become present to each dish.  Notice the presentation, textures, quality of ingredients, and flavors. We may find subtle blends of herbs or big, bold spices. Savor each mouthful.

A spiritual journey also invites us to open ourselves to the Divine, to stay present to emotions, situations, and subtle messages. Spiritual practices are important for tuning into the gentle whispers of the Divine, and to gain clarity.  This is where a spiritual director may introduce new practices, point out symbols, and name emotions to chew on or savor a little longer.

Digest Each Course

And after each course is completed, we pause to digest and contemplate. Sometimes we may want a little palate cleanser to reset our taste buds for what’s to come next. We acknowledge and give thanks for the end of one course while anticipating the next. There’s no rush to start the next course as we stay open to the experience we just completed.

The spiritual journey also requires frequent digestion as we incorporate new understanding and experiences into our lives. Spiritual digestion is called discernment, and it guides our actions and direction. A spiritual director assists with discernment by revealing key ingredients you may not have noticed, or by pointing out the chocolate that rolled under your plate. Your spiritual director may also gently tell you that there is gravy on your shirt.

Nourishment for a Lifetime

If your spiritual journey is a fast-food binge, you will never find satisfaction and may jump from one sugar rush after another. Mindfully digest the courses before you. Make time for a walk, or journal, or rest before eating again. Even nourishing food can cause bloat if we eat too much or too quickly.

Claim your place at the table of spiritual fine dining. Savor one course at-a-time. Whether you are enjoying your first course, or dessert, a certified spiritual director will guide you through each course to avoid dis-ease.

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