A Rule for My Living

I am an 84-year-old, recently widowed, male. I am in good physical and mental health. I have sufficient financial resources. I need to work for the meaning and purpose which my present work gives me, i.e., spiritual psychotherapist. I am in what the Hindu’s call “the Forest Dweller” stage of development. Forest dwellers “are invited to become mature Elders, Sophias … who turn aging into a natural monastery [i.e., my home = hermitage] in order to carry tensions for the young, offer prophecy to the world, radiate God’s compassion, work at rescuing God from narrowness, bless the young, give God’s smile to the world, give up on fear, and proactively prepare to move to a place beyond the illusion of self-sufficiency.” Rohleiser, Insane for the Light, pg.93. Erick Erickson would label my stage of life as integrity vs. despair, which follows, and continues to involve, generativity vs. stagnation. Integrity means to have lived as God desired for me. Therefore, I have a few rules or guidelines for my living during these times in my life: 1. I will go to bed early and wake up early. 2. I will eat a healthy but simple breakfast, lunch and supper which minimizes salt, sugar, red meat, carbs, etc. I will eat slowly and in moderation. 3. I will read books that are ‘classics’ ex. Merton, Nouwen, Jung, Hillman, Eckhart, Evagrius, Cassian, etc. I desire to read works that challenge my ideas, thoughts, etc. I will purchase books on Kindle, as I am giving away my physical library. 4. I will live simply and not give in to coveting, envy and/or greed. This will involve setting work-home schedules with margins and empty times. I will seek to choose clothing, furniture, etc. that are not made in countries with child/slave labor. 5. I will set aside no less than fifteen minutes each day for mindful silence. 6. I will set aside no less than fifteen minutes each day with pray and praying that the Bible will read me. I believe God’s word is so alive it can find me with guidance and wisdom when I am ready. 7. I will journal daily and my journaling will be a written prayer asking God what shall we do with the opportunities before us as well as what we have done with those opportunities? Note the “we” as I am seeking to practice the presence of God and the “we” helps my attentiveness. 8. I will not do #s 5, 6 and 7 every day of the week otherwise I could develop obsessive compulsive disorder (even God took a break, i.e., sabbath). 9. My Rule of Living is a work in progress so it will change as God grants me new experiences and guidance.