Finding a Personal Formula for FAITH

Within the complexity of the human experience, its profound challenges, surprises, and joys big and small, there weaves a bright golden thread—a powerful source of creativity and joy for every human being. Cultivating a spiritual connection has been shown to bring a deep resonance and meaning to all we do and are as individuals and members of our many diverse communities. Whether you call it God, a Higher Power, the Universe, Mother Earth, Buddha, or any other term that reflects a deep and abiding connection to something greater than yourself, the golden thread of Faith can knit us together into a shimmering whole.

Throughout history, humans have expressed the richness of spiritual creativity in human existence through art, music, poetry, dance, and other forms of inspirational and intellectual manifestation. People find their way to personal faith and spirituality through many channels. Mentors, teachers, therapists, spiritual and religious leaders, and recovery professionals are but some of the guides supporting us toward finding our own "practice" for developing a personal relationship to divine—or sublime—power.

This rich tradition of spiritual creativity may feel at odds with modern, busy life, but it is anything but. "Neurotheology"—the multidisciplinary study of the intersection between religion and brain sciences—reveals that human beings are as hardwired for hope and faith as for conflict and competition. Prayer and meditation change how we feel—and may change how our brains work.

When we concentrate on the potential of hope, hope becomes a habit, and that habit eventually becomes a lifestyle steeped in faith. While taking time out of our busy lives to stay spiritually in tune is challenging in this age of constant distraction, instant gratification, and digital malaise, the rewards are profound.

I know this firsthand. In my darkest days of addiction and emotional turmoil, then following a dramatic divorce, I fought my way back to a relationship with the divine. I prioritized time outside in nature and let the wondrous skies and wild pastures of my family's ranch deliver me back to myself. I befriended my frazzled nervous system and learned to create safe, authentic connections with others.

Most importantly for me, I awoke in the still hours of the morning to read spiritual texts by candlelight and let these quiet spaces of contemplation and reflection (before the sleepy tumble of my three young children brought me back to bookbags and breakfast) led me to a personal and loving relationship with Christ. Slowly, painstakingly, I wove these glimmers of hope and tiny golden threads of joy together into a deep and abiding faith that supports and sustains me to this day.

Maintaining inner balance and peace through faithful connection with a power greater than oneself—whatever that power is—allows us to be who and how we want to be in every arena of our lives, be it family, relationships, or work.

SilverBell Global's upcoming invitation-only retreat, East Meets West & Beyond: Divine Humans in Nature, is crafted for this exact exploration: a week-long transcendent journey from our busy, thinking minds to the inner silence of reflection and awareness. Along with expert practitioners and best-in-class clinicians, we'll share transcendent learning and growth on the sacred grounds of Castle Ashby, the ancestral home of Lord and Lady Northampton. Together, we'll explore pathways to personal/spiritual faith and discover how to expand this transformative experience into our busy lives and the world—"Beyond" what we think we know about ourselves, our lives, and our collective future.

".. let the immeasurable come. Let the unknowable touch the buckle of my spine. Let the wind turn in the trees, and the mystery hidden in the dirt swing through the air." ~ Mary Oliver, Little Summer Poem Touching The Subject Of Faith