Spiritual Malaise

I define spiritual malaise as a very personal type of burnout that robs us of the energy we need to pursue the lifestyle we desire. It’s not a grounded feeling or phenomenon, but rather a deep sense of uneasiness and frustration with daily life characterized by a lack of self-connection and engagement. It’s more ambiguous than depression and less fretful than anxiety. It does not declare itself or spread rapidly, it sits, like smog, degrading the oxygen around it. In one sense it’s the malaise of the modern age. With so many daily distractions, from cell phones to job competition, to family and relationship demands, we barely have enough time to consider the things that make life worthwhile.

Adding to this malaise is the current governmental and geopolitical climate. At a time when anxiety is high and politics are at an all-time low, it’s hard not to feel the grass that was once greener has turned brown with pessimism. If you listen to the pundits you can get a sense of what we’re faced with daily; ecological destruction is at our doorstep, we’re ten years behind having any chance of combatting global warming, tweets are the undoing of American democracy, Russian hacks will certainly “rig” the next election and if you’re not anxious enough just wait until they test your drinking water. No wonder anxiety disorders are on the rise. To ward off the forces of destruction we go to yoga, take a mindfulness class, download headspace, get back to nature and squeeze as much gluten as we can out of our diet to stay ahead of the shit storm that awaits us. Yet we cannot get away from what ails us. We can’t yoga it out of us, we can’t sit quietly until it dissipates and we can’t find spiritual renewal in a book (though it never hurts to try). These pursuits are most beneficial when we use them to clear our mind, set our intention and form a better connection with ourselves. If only seen as activities that provide moments of temporary relief in our hectic day then our attempts to counteract the negative forces around us can actually be a spiritual escape as much as a solution.

This all sounds so dour, doesn’t it? That’s why a spiritual perspective is important. We have to believe that what we’re doing in our life is meaningful, no matter the external forces. We are our own barometer of what is good and bad for us. We don’t have to make a difference in the world to make a difference in our own lives. In fact, some say that a personal difference can make a larger difference by being additive to the whole. That’s why the antidote to spiritual malaise isn’t necessarily bold action; it’s a more subtle consideration of the things that we are avoiding. It’s a subtle solution to a subtle problem with a big payoff. We must look the things that we feel are beyond the scope of our power squarely in the eye and say that it’s unacceptable. We can’t be lazy about it because spiritual malaise feeds on inactivity and resignation. The less we do the less we want to do. Even a small gesture of honesty and action can combat spiritual malaise.

We all know what we’re avoiding. For instance, if your relationship is suffering then go to therapy rather than fighting until you reach exhaustion. If you’re unhappy at work then go on job interviews. It will open up other possibilities for you even if the timing to change jobs isn’t just right. If you’re bored then do something that you’ve been putting off. If you’re angry about the political system then volunteer for your favorite candidate, either locally or globally. In other words, do something. Not something someone else tells you to do but something that comes from your own inner voice. That’s where your vital connection to Self resides. That’s your spiritual connection. Spiritual malaise comes from not listening to your inner voice. Take a moment to identify “the things” you need to do and take action, one small step at a time. At the end of the day the solution is not complex, it simply lies within.

Five Minute Articles For Your ConsiderationNov 5th, 201917 comments