Take care of your spirit and everything else will take care of itself
‘The soul always knows what to do to heal itself;
the challenge is to silence the mind’ Caroline Myss
Deep within us is a knowing, an urgency to connect, a feeling of oneness that cannot be explained in head terms. We look for our answers from others, from outside of ourselves while the essential elements for renewal lie within waiting for us to connect. How we connect is a very individual choice. Whatever the choice it is a matter of connecting with heart energy with passion and commitment for learning, healing, sharing, loving and living. That is where developing a daily spiritual practice comes in. A spiritual practice doesn’t have to mean that you sit for hours meditating or chanting Om! It can be a few short minutes every day where you put you at the top of your to do list. Remember it’s something to be enjoyed not endured! Developing a daily practice can have huge beneficial effects on all aspects of your life. It can improve physical, emotional and mental health. It can increase self-esteem and confidence. It helps you to relax.
Developing a spiritual practice that works for you:
The idea of a daily spiritual practice is to take time out, a time to connect with your inner or spiritual self. This can be through meditation, journaling, breath work, yoga or prayer – the choice is yours. Find something that suits you. You may have to experiment with different practices to find what works for you. You can decide on what type of practice suits you, based on your lifestyle, work habits, family situation, and available time. The best time to devote to your spiritual practice is first thing in the morning. Having a morning routine can set your whole day up to run more smoothly. First thing every morning I set aside 15-20 minutes to close my eyes with the intention of connecting with my inner self. It’s my time to relax and go within. I began this practice over a year ago.
Benefits:
I have found that when I take time out in the morning my whole day seems to flow much more easily. I feel more organised and I have a more positive outlook. I have also discovered that ideas flow more easily to me. I don’t worry like I used to and I have found that the little things that might have irritated me before either bother me less, or no longer bother me at all. I have begun to feel a deep calmness within, that I had never experienced before meditation. During meditation I still experience thoughts flying through my mind but I have learned to just allow them to flow right on through as if they literally float in one ear and out the other! If you are finding it difficult to meditate then try a guided meditation cd, journaling, yoga, or prayer. Experiment with what suits you best.
Your spiritual practice should help you to:
- Align yourself with something great– get connected with your inner self, bringing greater self-awareness & encouraging personal growth.
- Allow you to step back and allow ideas to flow -sometimes we can get in our own way with our thoughts.
- Act – by aligning with your spirit and allowing ideas to flow you will now begin to take inspired action.
Self-Awareness & Self-Growth
Over time you will begin to awaken to a new way of thinking and feeling. You will begin to be more self-aware. Becoming self-aware is the first step in taking control of our lives. You practice will give you greater clarity in your life. Having that clarity about who you are and what you want (and why you want it) empowers you to grow in self-awareness, better understand why you feel what you feel and why you behave as you do. That understanding then gives you the opportunity and freedom to change those things you’d like to change about yourself and create the life you want. Without fully knowing who you are, self-acceptance and change become impossible. Having self-awareness allows you to see where your thoughts and emotions are taking you.
Remember the thing that stops you from doing your spiritual practice is the very thing that will be cleared up by the spiritual practice. Do your practice even when you’re busy – in fact, especially when you are busy. Your spiritual practice will help you to deal with everyday mundane tasks with more ease. Problems lessen, solutions will appear, and the path runs more smoothly.