Day 48
When I was studying at university I took a class called wisdom traditions. It covered the main religions of the world. It was a Jesuit university, yet our professor was a Lutheran minister who had a PHD in Shinto, the traditional Japanese state religion.
He was soft spoken due to frail health, but was very compelling in his speech. So much so, that the students class were very quiet in order to hear him. We all seemed to hang silent on his every word. The way about him was gentle and he really seemed to embody wisdom and kindness.
He encouraged us to seek to understand each religion we studied from its’ the point of view; not as an outsider, but as an insider sympathetic to the particular views . One thing he focused on was the precepts that each of the religions had in common. The common themes that seemed to arise across cultures and religions. Although I was not religious at the time, I was happy to learn about them.
One thing hid did recommend was adopting the Jewish tradition of Sabbath. Taking one day a week and making it a special day of rest and spiritual focus. After all, the days and weeks and years will continue to roll by, until they do not for you. Why not take one day a week and refresh, and rest, and re-focus on things outside of the daily struggle of work.
This concept of Sabbath is a habit that comes to us from ancient wisdom. It is one of the ten commandments of Moses.
I tend to work all week at my job and then work all weekend at home. I have never strictly adopted the practice or discipline of a weekly day of rest. However, it is something that I think about and recognize as being of value. It is a habit that has a lot of merit. Part of the rationale is that, in the long run, you will accomplish more in life if you rest one day out of seven. Something to consider.
Ben Wagner (54)
Member 365 Commitment
