I had a fascinating weekend in New York City. I was the guest of Irwin Kula, selected by Time magazine as one of the top ten most influential rabbis in the US, and Craig Hatkoff, a genuine renaissance man who writes rock operas and bestselling children’s books (among many other talents and careers). The duo is creating a massive multimedia project centering on the topic of spiritual innovation, and has brought me on board to help write the book. I feel so blessed to be a part of this exciting project.
But what I wanted to share today in terms of Living Well was this. Irwin and Craig’s key question about any given spiritual practice is, “Does it work for you?” The only real “rule” is that you don’t negatively impact anyone else when you do it.
In other words, you might go to church, synagogue, temple, or yoga in order to connect with a community of like-minded people. You might say your prayers, or light a candle every night, or sit and watch the sunset in order to feel a moment of calm and peace. You might work at a homeless shelter, join a beach clean-up, or volunteer at your child’s school in order to make the world a better place. It doesn’t matter so much what you do, or even whether it fits neatly within the confines of one religion or another—unless that is important to you. What matters is: does it get the job done?
I invite you to consider… What makes you feel connected? What gives your life meaning? What restores your hope? What comforts you when you are down? What works for you?
(Originally posted to Stanford’s Living Well blog.)
