by Laura Beth Caldwell

Created on: January 19, 2009   Last Updated: January 26, 2009

Today's tumultuous economy, which has left so many people without a job, without a home and essentially without hope, has also robbed countless souls of spiritual peace. This peace that comes from spiritual balance in our lives is fundamental for surviving the economic hardships that befall us.

Stress is undoubtedly the first offspring of economic hardship. We are all aware of the many negative impacts stress can have on our physical well-being. Heart disease, stroke, and obesity which in turn lead to countless other health risks, all have a deteriorating effect on our bodies. Likewise spiritual unrest, which is also brought on by stress, can lead to the deteriorating of our spirits. It is when our spirit is defeated that we begin to feel hopelessness. This hopeless feeling is brought on by the sibling of stress- depression.

When spiritual peace is absent in our lives we start to worry more. It becomes more difficult for us to stay focused on our work, our goals, our relationships- even our spirituality. We lack the spiritual balance needed to sustain us during difficult economic times. Without a sense of spiritual peace it becomes nearly impossible to focus on the things we need to accomplish and the decisions we need to make in order to survive the faltering economy. It is a sound mind, which is the result of spiritual balance, that will preserve us through economic turmoil.

Regaining spiritual peace begins with isolating our minds and spirits from the realm of the negative by learning to accept circumstances that are beyond our control, and by having the spiritual balance to make sound decisions which will in turn move us towards positive circumstances. This spiritual isolation, or sanctuary, is achieved through various methods including meditation, quiet reflection, and prayer. It is a spiritual cleansing that needs to be performed daily in order to achieve and maintain spiritual peace. In addition to this spiritual cleansing, we need to look at circumstances that drain our spiritual energy and thereby rob us of spiritual peace.

Meditation can take several forms depending on individual spirituality and pscychic ability, but essentially it is a quieting of the mind and body which allows the spirit to be rejuvenated. Proper meditation should seek to bring the mind in harmony with the body, thereby enabling one to make clearer decisions while remaining at peace with elements beyond their control. Meditation can be done in a private or group setting in which the

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