“Discipline means to prevent everything in your life from being filled up. Discipline means that somewhere you’re not occupied, and certainly not preoccupied. In the spiritual life, discipline means to create that space in which something can happen that you hadn’t planned or counted on.” – Henri Nouwen
Discipline, especially in the 20th century, got a bad rap. The word seemed to remind people of rigid, prim people who always wanted to follow the rules, and who had no imagination. It was a way of life that some eschewed because they believed it limited their freedom and enjoyment of life.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The Cambridge English Dictionary, however, provides further definition of what I believe Henri Nouwen, the renowned Catholic priest, meant: “The ability to control yourself or other people, even in difficult situations.”
I think that Nouwen was trying to tell us that for our lives to be satisfying, rewarding and to make a difference, we must set aside moments of rest and reflection. Those people who feel that they have to fill up every second of their lives have no peace; everything and everyone makes a demand on them. He is suggesting that we set aside times when we are not overwhelmed, and he calls to us to be present and not distracted as often as we might tend to be. Especially in our spiritual lives, we benefit from creating room for the unexpected, the holy, and for peace.
Our own discipline also empowers us to bring people together in orderly ways. Our very being sends the message to others that we have what it takes to organize, manage, inspire and lead.
All of these aspects of discipline will not happen on their own; life claims too much of our time. When we practice discipline, however, there are openings for the unexpected to show up, for creativity to arise, and for freedom to thrive.
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