"In Search of Serenity: Taking a Spiritual Time-Out" by Terry Gips

In Search of Serenity: Taking a Spiritual Time-Out
by Terry Gips

Our rapidly evolving 24/7 world is filled with exciting breakthroughs and opportunities. But, as things speed up, are you working longer hours and still falling behind? Do you have more information but less clarity? Do you sometimes feel overwhelmed and burnt-out?

Here's one surprising solution that has transformed my life and may help you find inner peace -- the ancient concept of the Sabbath: a day of rest and renewal. Its essence is revealed in this story.

Once upon a time, a man and a woman decided to have a contest to see who could chop most wood in eight hours. The man, who was extremely strong, chopped without stopping. The woman took a break every hour.

And yet, when the time was up, it was clear that the woman had chopped more wood. The man was stunned. "How is that possible?" he asked. "I chopped continuously for eight hours, but you took breaks."

"Simple," she said. "I sharpened my axe."

That's what the Sabbath is all about -- taking time to sharpen one's axe -- mind, body and soul.

As someone who has long been interested in personal growth, health, spirituality and sustainability, I recognized the need for such a break (brake) in my own life. I saw many accomplished, hard-working people who seemed centered and composed amidst extremely busy lives. What was their secret?

Some took a day off as a time to read, reflect and relax. Others broke their normal weekly routine to go to the Synagogue, Church, Mosque or monastery to pray, meditate, study and connect with their community.

Although I saw the benefits of such activities and knew that keeping the Sabbath was the fourth of the Ten Commandments ("Six days shall you labor and do all your work..."), it seemed old-fashioned and a drag. Just a bunch of negative rules telling me what I couldn't do -- don't drive, spend money, cook, turn on or off lights, play sports or work.

I had a simple solution: ignore it. As the head of an active and growing nonprofit -- the Alliance for Sustainability -- I had a busy schedule. I simply didn't have time for the Sabbath. Instead, I used it to do my errands after a busy week, and catch up with work.

And then two events radically changed my perspective.

First, I heard a wise Rabbi (happily name Irvin Wise) teach that one of the most important thing one could do in the world was to observe the Sabbath.

Later, at a conference on Judaism and the environment, I wandered over to a table filled with Jewish books for sale. Almost tongue-in-cheek, I asked, "Is there a short book here that would fundamentally change my life?"

To my astonishment, the bookseller said "yes" and handed me a copy of Abraham Joshua Heschel's The Sabbath. From the moment I stared reading it, my feelings about the Sabbath changed completely, 180 degrees. I finally got its true essence.

What did Heschel say that affected me so deeply? His book is filled with insights -- but here is just one of the ideas that touched me.

"The meaning of the Sabbath is to celebrate time rather than space. Six days a week we live under the tyranny of things of space; on the Sabbath we try to become attuned to holiness in time. It is a day on which we are called upon to share in what is eternal in time, to turn from the results of creation to the mystery of creation, from the world of creation to the creation of the world."

With this new understanding, I came to realize that the Sabbath is not a prison: it is a liberation. I was set free of my own mind. Such a deal: take a break from work and get a taste of the eternal!

Since then, the Sabbath has become a total joy -- my day of appreciation, rejuvenation and complete freedom from big deadlines, to-do lists and social demands. It is my sacred space to do the things that have the most meaning and vitality for me.

You don't have to Jewish (or Christian or Buddhist or Native American) to take a time-out from business as usual. You simply have to appreciate that all of us, regardless of creed, can create what Heschel called a "sanctuary in time." A Sabbath.

How do you do it? Here are some suggestions.

Conduct an experiment: don't work or think about work for part of a day. Or go all the way and consider a work- and errand-free day as a present to yourself.
Make an agreement with your partner to set aside a special, sacred time for intimacy.
Consider creating your own personal retreat, a time for relaxing, meditation, spiritual exploration, reading, yoga, or a walk in nature.

I hope these ideas will support you in taking a break for the rest of your life. May the Peace of the Sabbath be with you: Shabbat Shalom.