Spiritual practice can help you cope with the stresses of modern life by allowing you to connect deeply with what you value, what brings you joy, and what truly matters in this world through human experience. But, how do we develop a spiritual practice that is right for us and will improve the meaning of life? Read on to learn more.
What Is Spirituality?
For some people spirituality is about connecting with God or the divine. For others it has nothing at all to do with religion—they may not believe in any higher power but they experience something greater than themselves on a regular basis. Some people see their connection with nature as spiritual, while many just see it as part of their life and living environment.
Who knows what kind of relationship you have with what you consider to be spiritual? It's what makes your heart sing. It's what gives your life meaning. It's what makes your world go round.
There are different types of spirituality, with the three major ones being meditation practices, yoga and religious involvement. Spiritual experiences bring about an all-encompassing positive emotion that affects mental, physical, emotional and spiritual health. Simply put, it's a mystical experience that results in a better quality of life.
Why Have a Spiritual Practice?
Spiritual practice of any kind takes commitment, energy and focus, but the results can be worth it. Short term gratification does occur, but most of the benefit happens over time, as the spiritual practice becomes a part of our lives. But why should we undertake a spiritual practice in the first place?
Most people see themselves as being composed of a body, mind and spirit that we collectively identify as being "ourselves" or "me". This "me" is partly under our control and partly automatic. Which part we control and which part operates autonomously, we often cannot see. Also, the way that we see the world is limited to the six senses – hearing, sight, smell, taste, touch, and the mind itself. These senses are the guidelines to all of our experiences. Much of the suffering that we live through in our lives is based on the fact that we cannot fully understand "ourselves" or "me".
By developing a spiritual practice, and making it a part of our daily lives, the understanding of ourselves will grow and we are better able to control the senses and our awareness of them. By doing this, we learn how suffering is created and we will experience greater freedom and joy. Essentially, we are creating a foundation on which we can build a new perspective of who we are. Rather than focusing on ourselves as separated and isolated individuals, we learn that we are all interconnected and interdependent.
Looking Inside Yourself to Create a Spiritual Practice
When developing a spiritual practice, you need to look inside yourself – taking the time and energy to discover as much as we can about ourselves as people. This is an involved process that requires us to look deeper than just our likes and dislikes.
It is important to keep in mind what you are hoping to get out of your personal experience from your spiritual journey. This will help determine what kind of path will work best for you, what type of tools or practices might not align with who you are and what you hope to achieve through having a spiritual practice.
Look at yourself non-judgementally and with love, compassion and equanimity. You also need to be ready to incorporate it into your daily life. You can set aside time in your day for your spiritual practice, but ideally, it should become intertwined with all aspects of your life.
Methods of Spiritual Practice
Meditation is a great form of spiritual practice that can be done anytime, anywhere. Mindfulness meditation is one of the most popular forms of meditation that you can do anytime and anywhere. You can do it while you're bathing, eating or just doing the dishes. It can be as simple or as complicated as you are willing to make it, and even ten minutes a day of simple self-reflection can be extremely useful.
As well as meditation, daily readings are a good idea. This can be a text of your choosing, as long as you find it personally fulfilling. A book of affirmations, a holy text, sacred writings…whatever you choose, the aim is to choose a book that uplifts you, inspires you and, indeed, even changes you.
Keeping a gratitude journal is also an effective way of cultivating positive emotions since it teaches you to be grateful for all of life's blessings, big and small. Set a time every day to scribble at least three things that you are thankful for.
Another way to boost your spirit and live a meaningful life is to volunteer your time and services to help people in your community with their problems. It not only connects you with others, but it also allows you to discover your life's purpose.
Whatever you get into, your spiritual beliefs should guide your practice, which should provide you comfort and uplift you while also supporting your physical and mental health.
Because a spiritual practice needs to be done consistently, it may be helpful to dedicate a space in your home that is conducive to inner reflection and relaxation. Some people find it helpful to create an altar or other sacred space, which creates a vibration of peace and harmony, as well as providing a physical reminder of the sacredness of their daily practices.
Source: QuickSeries
Don't Feel Overwhelmed by Your Spiritual Practice
To avoid feeling overwhelmed by your practice, it is important to do what you can, and not feel overwhelmed. Start with what is manageable to you and then gradually add more. It is also important to be creative. Allow your own creativity to find a place that communicates a sense of something "more". Do not settle for the ordinary. Finally, be committed to your practice. It is not something that you can pick up and put down when you choose. Be willing to sit quietly and allow your mind to let go of thoughts.
If you find yourself struggling with a certain type of practice, or it has reduced your life satisfaction instead of increasing it, don't worry. In this case, think of something simple… something as simple as taking a walk after dinner each night. Maybe it's what works for you, or what made sense in your life that week or month. What is important is finding what resonates with what you are trying to achieve and what feels like an authentic expression of who you are... not what someone else says should work for you.
Making the best of your life requires developing a spiritual practice. Starting a daily practice that is consistent with your spiritual beliefs will lead to a meaningful life, whether you wish to feel closer to a higher power or God, achieve mental health balance, understand what occurs after death or discover your purpose in life.
Originally published on Aug 29, 2008
