Becoming More Spiritual – It’s A Journey

With everything that is going on with the world today (the Queen (ref); the continuing struggle for the BLM movement, and our ridiculous political situation at the moment, I have been contemplating spirituality. I am a very positive person and try to find the positive in every situation, but I tell ya, that is getting tougher to do! There is not a single way to be more spiritual. It presents itself in a myriad of ways. And it will very much depend on your perspective, and what you want to get out of it. Spirituality is deeply personal and will change person to person. There aren’t classes (well, there are, but it might not be formal training as you know it), there isn’t a single belief system (there are many), and you don’t need a church to be spiritual either.

Spirituality comes to us when we get reflective, and intentional, seeking more understanding and trying to take and share more positivity with the world around us. So how can you make a conscious effort to be more spiritual, how can you find out what you believe in and what you don’t, and what means something to you and what doesn’t?

There are some steps to becoming a happier, more spiritual person, that is something I am working on now. You’ll have to take your own journey and find which one suits you when you’re ready, but here are some areas/activities to consider. I'm sharing them because they are things I have come across and while most don't work for me, they might work for you. Variety is the spice of life after all, and one of the reasons I love traveling and meeting people from different cultures and creeds!

The 555 Method

I like this one and it is pretty simple. Mindfulness can be an incredible way to start your day in the morning. In fact, mindfulness is weaved throughout the tapestry of spirituality. The 555 method, created by Uma Beepat involves spending five minutes in meditation, followed by five minutes stretching, and then five minutes mentally preparing yourself for the day. That simple 15 minutes can change your whole day because you have taken the time to release all of the tension within your joints and thought about the day ahead.

You could add another 5-15 minutes journaling right after you complete the 555 and before you start your day. Jot down what you want for the day and then in the evening go back and see how you did. Trust me, it's probably better than watching the news these days!

Gratitude

And speaking of journaling, this might be jumping into the deep end for some people, but we manifest what we put out into the world, which means if you focus on the negative aspects of your life, you’re more likely to have more negative aspects happen. (This is a guiding principle in my life, and I have written about the pursuit of happiness before. If you focus on what you are grateful for you will always look for more things to be thankful for and the things that bring you joy.

Gratitude plays a big part in your spiritual well-being. The easiest way to start being grateful is to start a gratitude journal, something that you can fill in each day to remind you of the good that you are surrounded by. Because even on the worst day there is something good. It doesn't have to be an expensive journal, a 99 cent school notebook will suffice, it is more about what you put inside than what the actual journal looks like!

Explore

This journey is a time to explore how you feel about different things. You can start collecting crystals and essential oils, start reading tarot cards, or even seek out spiritual and psychic readings (trust me, I have friends and family members who swear by them!). Try to look more in-depth about what you believe and what you think affects your everyday life. Seek out others who are on the same spiritual journey, Social media can be a great place to find a wide range of inspiration and imagery around spirituality but be cautious, about who you engage with and their intentions.

Envy

Selfishness and spirituality don’t go together. You cannot be envious of others and still be on a path to enlightenment. Do things like congratulating people on their success, instead of wishing their success with yours. Although envy is pretty typical in terms of human emotion, you must fight to transform this into something positive and kind.

Moments

Every day is filled with 1 million tiny moments. And if you’re not taking the time to enjoy them, you’ll miss everything. It is time to slow down and see what you notice. Think about when you’re here, see, smell. I have always had a philosophy of one day at a time, but it seems now more than ever when we are literally forced to remain cautiously indoors, there is no better time to implement this particular aspect of spirituality.

Sure, it might be easier to do this when you are walking in the woods, or by the beach. But once you get into the practice of it, you can do it around your home, I promise! It will increase your overall ability to enjoy the simple things in life, and seek to find happiness in everything. That sense of connectivity puts you in tune with the things around you, is spirituality (at least in my experience).

Meditation

You will be hard-pressed to find any article about spirituality that does not cover meditation. Both prayer and meditation have one thing in common; it is opening the door for a greater sense of connection to whatever it is you want to be connected to. The Trekkie in me always admired the Vulcan ability, no need for, meditation! 

For some people who want to practice their spirituality every day, they set aside time to meditate. This is something I have yet to do in my life, It is very difficult to quiet my mind except when I am reading a book. I know that it is essential to set a specific intention before meditating and you should clear your mind, but thus far, I have failed!

There are some really cool mobile phone apps that can help with a meditation journey, and I am exploring them at the moment.

Belief

When you believe in something that is bigger than just yourself, or the human race, that can be a game-changer. This does not mean that you need to be religious, simply believing in something divine will strengthen your spirituality. And over time this will improve your relationship with yourself and the world around you. I believe in The Universe, that everything happens for a reason and that there is no such thing as fate, however, those are my personal beliefs that serve me, for others, it may be their religion and that is okay.

Instincts

They say that when you have a bad feeling about something, it is the universe telling you that it is not the right path for you. Spiritual people understand the value of their gut to make an informed decision. It is extremely accurate and tells us what feels good and what does it. When we ignore it and ask our brains to make a decision we may regret it later. Listen to your gut. If it’s telling you the situation is not good for you, it is time to leave, or perhaps it is telling you it’s time to go on an adventure. Listen and learn.

Patience

You do not need salt lamps, yoga pants, and a range of essential oils to become more spiritual – really, all you need is time. Although if they help you on your journey, then go for it! It is more about taking opportunities to embrace it with both hands. Sometimes we are presented with an opportunity that requires patience. For example, when traffic is bad, and you have somewhere to be, it can be tempting to get aggressive and get angry. Instead, you can commit to having patience. And understanding that that is part of your journey today.

Becoming more spiritual is a journey, and it is a personal one at that. You have to decide what it is that you believe and what it is that you want. There are many resources online, in books, and on mobile apps to help you from learning different forms of meditation and mindfulness to astrology to understanding the different chakras. Pick your poison and start your journey today. At the moment, it is one of the things keeping me sane!

How about you? Have you been on a spiritual journey using any of the above methods? Are you considering getting started? Do share!

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