Clusters of calm

When I have a twenty-minute window, usually in the morning but sometimes right before I start on dinner, I will make a cup of tea, grab my knitting, and pull up the Daily Orthodox Scriptures with Fr. Alexis Kouri on Ancient Faith Radio. It’s a gift to myself, combining multiple edifying activities into one enjoyable, very doable practice. There is stillness and rest, the medicinal qualities of the green tea itself, the creativity of the handiwork, and filling my mind with Scripture. I refer to this practice as a calming cluster – an amalgam of connected little rituals that nourish the soul.

To grow spiritually, we need fertile soil. A soul dried out and depleted by anxiety, stress, and neglect can’t receive and nurture seeds of light and goodness. And how easy it is not even to realize our souls have dried out until we are frazzled, exhausted, and hopeless. Incorporating attainable clusters of calm into your intentional living routines is an easy and pleasant way to keep that soil quenched and receptive. The key is attaching new soul-watering practices to already established habits and activities throughout the day. For example, I was already in the habit of listening to Daily Orthodox Scriptures, so I just enriched that habit with tea and knitting. It’s become something I really look forward to!

Take a moment to reflect on your own schedule, identifying potential habits and rhythms for expanding upon. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

Lunch and Gratitude:

We all need to fuel our bodies so we don't run out of steam. Maybe you’ve been focusing on meal prepping and choosing nutrient-rich, whole, unprocessed foods to stay energized. Well done! To turn this habit into a calming cluster, you could commit to sitting down for lunch (instead of eating on the go or while working), praying “The Lord’s Prayer” wholeheartedly, and writing down some blessings in a gratitude journal or notebook while you eat, instead of scrolling on your phone.

Calmer Commutes:

No one enjoys sitting in traffic, but for many of us, driving to work, running errands, and chauffeuring kids to various extracurricular activities are just a part of life. Since we’re already in the car, it’s a great opportunity to transform commuting into a mindfulness exercise for connecting with Christ. At our FWL Retreats, we often hear that finding time for stillness is a real challenge, but practicing stillness during our daily commutes doesn’t require any extra time—just attentiveness and intention. To turn this habit of commuting into a little calming cluster of soul-nourishing rituals, you can add a travel icon to your dashboard or visor, pray the Jesus Prayer, quiet your mind and just listen, or, as one of our members suggests, pray for family, friends, community members, etc., at every red light.  

Restful Wind-downs:

Left to our own impulses, evening wind-downs can be anything but restful. Mindless binge-watching, scrolling, snacking, etc., keeps us up too late, wreaks havoc on our sleep schedule (and mental health), and makes it difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Going to bed (somehow and at some time) is a given, but becoming disciplined about incorporating better rituals into that process can drastically improve your health and well-being. My own calming cluster of bedtime rituals kicks off around 8:00 pm. It includes prayer, diffusing lavender oil, turning off overhead lights, herbal tea, and reading, until I finally drift off between 9:30 and 10:00.

Get creative and excited about the possibilities for making each day sacred and special! A watered soul exudes love and peace, and one healthy choice begets another, and another, and another.