Spiritual Friendship

Written by: Annie Hutton
November 1, 2007

I would like to explore with you a different concept of friendship on the path to spiritual bliss. I propose that the two most important friendships are the ones you have with yourself and God.

It is not easy to be friendly towards others if you are not in a friendly space already. But how do you become friends with yourself? Acceptance is the first step – warts and all! None of us is perfect; all of us have faults but also unique gifts to offer the world.

OK, let’s assume for now that the faults have been identified and we will spend the rest of our lives trying to prove we are worthy of God’s faith in us. So then, let’s tap into our gifts. The simplest way I know is suggested by Thich Nhat Hanh in “Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life”. He says “Every morning, when we wake up, we have twenty-four brand new hours to live.…. We have the capacity to live in a way that these twenty-four hours will bring peace, joy, and happiness to ourselves and others.”

I love his next (simple and practical) suggestion! Every morning when you wake up, remember to smile. Until it becomes second nature, hang something near the bed as a reminder. Even a hint of a smile, a half smile is enough to relax all the muscles of your face. It shows others and most importantly yourself, that you are your own best friend! It shows that you are basking in God’s grace. Carry it all day. Remember, feeling follows action, so don’t wait until you feel like smiling.

I have been practising this smiling thing for some time now and I have never seen anything so simple work such a treat! It doesn’t need to be a huge grin to convey that you are in a friendly and contented space, and that all are welcome to join you there! Just a half smile will elicit a smiling response from others 99% of the time. Smile at shop assistants, colleagues and family members and notice how they respond to you. Please don’t take it personally when the 1% don’t respond in kind. This is about your own friendship with yourself. Others are more than welcome to partake of that warm feeling, but if they don’t, mentally wish them well on their path today without attaching to their outcome.

Of course, the best friend any of us will ever have is our Higher Source. We have all felt alone or unhappy at times. These are the times when it is most important to remember that we are never alone. Remember to ask God for help and guidance when you can’t quite get that little smile back.

This month give the half smile a go – every day. Use some kind of reminder or trigger so as not to forget and see what magic you can wreak!

Love, peace and wisdom

Annie Hutton shares ways to find your bliss in the every day | http://www.thecalmspace.com/about#annie

Comments

One Response to “Spiritual Friendship”

  1. MarjorieNo Gravatar on November 2nd, 2007 2:55 pm

    I smile EVERY morning too Annie - when my 2 cats wake me up :)

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