Dear Circle of Hope,

Spiritual but not religious. More and more people in our country are finding this statement a description that sits well with their understanding of how they express themselves in the world. Last week I joined close to 200 people from across Australia for a conference focused on creative spiritual care. All in attendance were involved in caring for the spiritual lives of people in our community and this from an array of spaces including aged care, hospitals, prisons, faith communities, armed forces, businesses, universities, service providers and schools. The first person I met and chatted with in the coffee line, which was an important part of the conference, was a Rabbi and although this might sound like the beginnings of a classic joke (You know: a minister, a rabbi and…walked into a pub) it was wonderful to see people from all parts of our community exploring this important work together. There were carers from a range of faith backgrounds and from no faith background. Here was a room full of people who care! This for me was striking and a deep reminder of the desire within people to make a difference in this world by caring for people. We were all reminded of a number of essential things to consider. Australians are a deeply spiritual people and all of us, every single human being, have a spiritual component of who we are. As a result when it comes to care we need to be aware of the holistic nature of people. Care often begins with the physical and mental aspects of a person, but spiritual care can be just as important for people finding themselves in a range of life situations. Effective spiritual care is a meaning making space which can create connection where there is disconnection. 

In recent times, more people from our community have approached me for spiritual support or care. They have no interest in institutional faith or religion but have a deep sense of their spirituality, their spiritual being and a longing to engage on the journey of growth and transformation spiritually. The weight of what we carry, experience and encounter in life can lead us to a place where our spirit needs tending, healing and care. Maybe as a community we all need to become more aware of the spirituality and spiritual needs of those around us. At the conference I mentioned above, I was moved and centred by the opening question: “How is your spirit?” I believe this is a question that can land deeply for us and one we can ask of those around us, as we seek to love and care for everyone in our community. Maybe you could give it a try and ask someone this question today. From this could flow connection and healing. But for now…how is your spirit?

Thank you for being part of our Circle of Hope.

Grace and peace, 

Phil