8 Ways Illness Can Be a Spiritual Practice
Though illness can be scary and unpleasant, there are spiritual gifts to be found in it.
By Toni Weingarten
Most people think of illness as inconvenient at best, tragic at worst. We focus on what we are not doing: our normal daily routines, work, outings with friends, being physically active, time with family. Yes, illness is a time-out from our normal lives of health and activity, but it needn't be time 'lost.' Illness can be a fertile time if you can focus your attention away from what you do not have, and focus on what it offers in abundance.
Even if your illness is one from which you may not recover, making it a spiritual practice will imbue your journey with rich rewards. Here are eight ways to turn physical infirmity into a sacred time of life.
Toni Weingarten is a spiritual director, and has completed a one-year hospital chaplaincy training. She lives near San Francisco and writes on faith, spirit, and religion. Visit her online at ToniWeingarten.com.