Well, here we are. In about a month and a half, I will be back at Franciscan University of Steubenville. My alma mater. The place I vowed I’d never go back to.

Turns out that God isn’t done with me there yet. All the pain, the insanity, the drama… I have to put it all behind and begin building the life God has planned for me as a graduate student in Theology. I’m excited, but very nervous. Please, pray for me.

(Originally published on The Trenchcoat Introspective)

Forms of meditation are present in almost every major religion, and there is a very important reason for that. Silence, and particularly the sort of silence in which you bare your soul to the Creator, is necessary for the development of the Ideal Self. This is for several reasons, but probably the most important is a sense of calm and nourishment that one receives in the act of meditation. It is a state of healing and introspection for the soul, as important a spiritual exercise as core training is a physical exercise.

I use this example deliberately. Since becoming an athlete, I have met a great number of people who put a huge emphasis on their physical health and development. This is a wonderful thing. We should all strive to be as strong and fit as we can be, for our bodies are the vessels through which we reflect the glory of our Creator, the temples within which we worship Him.

It does not, therefore, make sense to neglect the same sort of care and dedication towards the development of the soul, which is the Spark of the Divine within all of us, the Flame in the Temple which sets the altar of our hearts aglow. After all, we are not merely Soul and Mind (as are the Angels), or merely Body and Heart (as are the animals), but all these together. Therefore, we must stretch and strengthen all these parts to better follow the Destined Path.

We strengthen the Body through physical fitness and nourishing foods. We strengthen the Heart by reflection on  our Beloved and performing acts of heroism and kindness. We strengthen the Mind by reading and writing and performing great feats of mathematics. And thus, we must strengthen the Soul by reflecting on the metaphysical and nourishing ourselves with spiritual food.

To neglect any part of this discipline is like building a table with one leg shorter than the others. It may stand relatively well on its own, but the slightest pressure at the wrong angle causes the whole thing to tip.

The Ideal Self has no such weaknesses. The only way to truly become this version of the self is to work hard and develop all areas equally.

And this is why meditation is crucial, even if you aren’t very good at it. The effort is what matters, and you will improve. Just be patient and work hard.

I’ll see you at the gym.