Spiritual wellness acknowledges our search for deeper meaning in life. When we're spiritually healthy, we feel more connected to not only a higher power, but to those around us. We have more clarity when it comes to making everyday choices, and our actions become more consistent with our beliefs and values.
We believe your whole health requires care and attention for not only your physical body but also your mind and spirit. The benefits of spiritual well-being are numerous - from more compassionate relationships to a deeper sense of inner peace - but how do we get there?
From Chaos to Clarity: A Contemplative Practice
Hectic days filled with long to-do lists leave us little room for downtime and reflection. No matter our environment, our minds are constantly buzzing with thoughts and responsibilities. As we move from one task to the next, we can become consumed by the craziness of our lives, and we begin to lose sight of what we're most passionate about.
Without a clear sense of direction, you might slip into feelings of apathy and hopelessness. So how do we refocus and prepare for future challenges with courage? How do we handle daily ups and downs with calm optimism?
If we slow down, reflect, re-energize and cultivate purpose in our life, we rediscover our why. Many spiritual practices have a long history of using inward reflection to increase spiritual connection, compassion, empathy and attention.
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Reading and reflection:
Select a daily reading book - the Bible, a book of quotes, daily devotionals - whichever meets your needs best. Take your time to try to connect with the words and reflect on them. It might help to read the passage several times. To get in the right mindset quickly, it helps to make this part of your everyday routine and do it at the same time and place each day.
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Prayer:
Praying helps us stay connected to and rooted in our faith. Through prayer, we are able to dive deeper into what we may have been put on this earth to do. Not only does prayer help us develop skills like gratitude and compassion, it can also be a calming source, a way to fully relax by handing our worries to God and trust that he will always come through.
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Meditation:
Meditating provides us with a sense of a greater self. Through meditation practices, we're able to view ourselves from the inside out. Meditating creates space for reflection and self-awareness. When we meditate, even if it's for 10 minutes, we harness our thoughts and often walk away feeling calmer and ready to take on whatever comes our way.
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Keeping a journal:
Journaling can help bring us into a state of mindfulness. Past frustrations and future worries lose their edge in the present moment. Journaling can also help us recognize unhealthy habits or feelings we may be holding onto. An honest journaling session can be especially cathartic during a challenging time, allowing you to fully process and release your feelings.
From Clarity to Purpose
Pause for a minute to take a bird's eye view of your life. You've grown and changed so much over the years, but are you the best version of yourself?
If the answer is no, don't worry - each of us is a work in progress. But it takes work to stay on the journey of self-improvement.
By periodically stepping away to reflect, you're better able to tap into your deepest potential. You become aware of the choices you're making in every moment, and how those choices shape who you are and affect those around you.
Cultivating a sense of self can both ground and inspire you to become who you were meant to be: your best and truest self.
Your spiritual health is so important to your whole health. Spiritual practices of prayer, reflection and mindfulness not only make us feel better - and sometimes even heal faster - they help us become better people. Whether you have a deeply personal spiritual practice or have never
