It is a widespread misunderstandingthat in order to be spiritual, you need to be religious, but this isn’t necessarily the case. There are many ways you can incorporate more spirituality into your life. Religion does, however, play a huge part in spiritualityto help you find your inner calm and put your trust in something greater to help get through difficult periods of life. Some people find their sense of spirituality by attending church on a weekly basis, while others rely on carrying out mindfulness and meditation to feel connected; it all depends on what works for you.
Here are a few ideas to help you embrace spirituality in your life:
- Embrace your feelings
One of the key aspects of becoming more spiritual is understanding and paying attention to your feelings – even when they may be uncomfortable. If you wish to feel much more in tune with your body and mind, don’t close yourself off to negative emotions because you don’t want to face them and resort to finding unhealthy coping mechanisms to help cover up how you’re feeling inside. Allow yourself to feel the raw emotion and don’t be afraid to feel pain, or you’ll find it difficult to find that sense of inner peace.
- Join a prayer group
If you feel you’d become more spiritual by being in the company of others, another option to consider is joining a prayer group. The Cenacle Sisters are just one example of a group who surrender their whole lives to God through prayer, community work, and spiritual ministry. However, it is all about finding a group that is in keeping with your missions and goals. Prayer groups give you the chance to confide in others in the circle and talk about your faith on a more public level.
- Learn to forgive
A major factor of spiritual growth is learning to forgive others when they have done wrong against you. Many people struggle to do so, as the pain caused can be so great that letting go almost feels like the past no longer matters. However, holding these negative feelings close only affects you and your mental state and not the individual in the wrong, so learning to let go will give you that inner peace. Write a list of all those who have hurt you in the past and make the pledge that now is the time to release the emotions and forgive each one. After doing so, you’ll find that a huge weight has been lifted off your shoulders.
- Spend more time with nature
When life gets too much and you feel slightly out of control, there is nothing better than finding the time to go outdoors and enjoy the beauty of nature. Learning to appreciate the smaller things in life such as the birds singing, the gentle breeze and the flora and fauna,not only improves your health and wellbeing but can bring you back down to earth and focus on what really matters.