Spirituality is one of the many elements important for good health. But does anyone really know what it means to be spiritual? In today’s article, you will learn what spirituality is, why it’s important, and how you can start to create a spiritual practice in your own life.
The basics of being spiritual
According to the dictionary, being spiritual is the quality relating to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature. That’s quite vague isn’t it? You probably already knew it had to do with souls or spirits but what does that actually mean for you? Let’s take a look at what spirituality isn’t before we go any further.
What spirituality isn’t
A lot of people think being spiritual is the same as being religious, but in reality they are two different concepts that often overlap. The quality of being religious or following a religion has to do with devotion and worship. While devotion and worship can be a part of your spiritual practice, they aren’t necessarily the centerpiece.
Sometimes people may think being spiritual is all about meditation and being in the lotus position with your fingers crossed for hours upon hours; that isn’t quite right either. The thing with spirituality is that, a lot like food, everyone has their own bio-individual needs. What works for one person might not work for another. It’s up to you to find out what spirituality means to you and how you can incorporate it into your own life.
What spirituality is
No matter what your spiritual beliefs or practices, spirituality should bring about a sense of peace and knowing that everything is going to be ok no matter what. It’s the knowing that the good, the bad, and the ugly are all part of your divine journey. Being spiritual is often about placing your trust in the universe or universal intelligence (you could also call this God, Buddha, etc).
Why does have a spiritual belief and practice matter though?
Why it’s important to be spiritual
A lot like working on building a stronger mind, working on your spiritual beliefs and practices helps you to stay more focused, centered, and sometimes even more energized throughout the day.
I used to be a really shy kid all the way up until my freshman year of college (2 years ago), which is when I really started to develop my spirituality. Every single day, I would be so nervous to go and meet new people in my residence hall that I would literally meditate for 5-10 minutes before going anywhere or doing anything. I just need it so badly to relax and get comfortable with myself. Ever since I developed that practice, my social anxiety started to disappear and now I have a routine meditation practice each day that helps me stay grounded and calm. Only in really stressful situations do I need to take a moment to just focus on my breathe.
When I place my trust in the universe, it’s like taking all of the worry off of my shoulders. Whatever is going to happen, is going to happen, and it’s going to happen for a reason. Even if it may not feel like it at the time, everything is happening in a divine, spiritual order.
For me, having a spiritual belief and practices (meditation in this instance), kept me feeling safe, secure, and confident in myself and my abilities. Think about what it could do for you? No matter what, having some sort of spiritual belief, a trust in something beyond yourself, will completely transform how you show up in your life and respond to the events happening around you.
Find your reasons to become spiritual
The first step to becoming spiritual is to find your reasons. You cannot stick with something if you don’t know why you are doing it or if you don’t care about it. Take some time to think about why you want to be spiritual. Do you want to lose social anxiety like me? Or Do you want to feel grounded, centered, and feel the weight of controlling your life everyday lift off of your shoulders? Maybe you just want to explore more in this area of your life. Or maybe it’s because you want to feel like a part of some cause or greater being. Whatever it is, you’ve got to find your reasons so that you can stick with the spiritual practices you might choose to incorporate into your own life.
Developing your spiritual practices
Once you have your reasons, you can start taking little tiny baby steps to developing your spiritual practices. A lot of people think of meditation as something only monks do in the lotus position, but like spirituality, meditation can take a lot of different forms. Taking a walk in nature, giving yourself a bath with essential oils, and even exercise can be considered meditation. It’s about being present and in tune with yourself and your surroundings.
Meditation is probably my number one piece of advice to become more spiritual or find what you believe in. You can start with as little as 30 seconds a day. Then you can work up to 1 minute, then 2 minutes, 5 minutes, and so on. I’ve found that for me, 10-15 minutes is really all that I need to stay grounded and centered. Just remember to start small and work from there.
Exploring spiritual beliefs and practices
I would also recommend you start exploring different avenues to express and tune into your spirituality. Do some research on different forms of yoga, different belief systems, chakras, and whatever you come across. Keep your mind open to the possibilities and open to experiencing new things. The best way to explore your spirituality is to try things; it’s the only way to learn what you like and dislike.
When you do find what you like, you will definitely know it. There is a seriously strong power to spiritual practices that work for you. When I was meditating for 30 minutes to an hour daily last year, I reached the point where I felt such connection, such a depth, and such an out-of-body feeling every time I was doing it. This year, I did a Wim Hof event with intense breath work and auditory sounds and that has been the only other time I’ve experienced such feelings. There’s just a beauty and intensity to practices that align with who you are.
Ideas for your spiritual practice
It’s super important to find what works for you. Meditation is a common practice, but there are so many more! Here’s a few ideas to get you started:
- Prayer
- Expressing gratitude
- Reiki
- Yoga
- Chakra healing
- Tai Chi or Qigong
- Energy healing crystals
- Repeating mantras
- Nature walks
- Journaling
- Taking time to space-out with no technology around
No matter what you choose, you’ll find that these practices bring about a sense of joy, peace, and energy to your life!
Wrap-Up
Spirituality is such an important area to health and often times when we focus on our spiritual beliefs, we become more in tune with ourselves, our dreams, and our aspirations. Spiritual practices and beliefs form the foundation upon which your life purpose and mission are born and they provide you with the guidance you need all along the way. Make an intention this week to take some time to focus on your spirituality; spend some time in solitude or in nature thinking about these things. Do your own research. Most importantly, go with the flow of the universe.
What are your spiritual beliefs?
Do you have any good spiritual practices?
Let me know in the comments below.
