From time to time, we all get caught up and preoccupied with the petty concerns of everyday life. We worry about making it to work on time, and handling that big project we’ve been assigned, we worry about the shape we’re in, and about the economy, and so on.
But when jarring and terrible happens — like a near death experience — all of that “extremely important” stuff quickly falls by the wayside and we begin to refocus our attention on the things that really.
For those of us who are religious, or who are non-denominationally spiritual, these “more important” things typically involve considerations of big questions like the meaning of life, and the meaning of our lives in particular, and whether we’re living in alignment with our ideals and values.
Here are some ways you can deepen your spirituality without having to wait for a catastrophic upheaval in your life.
Go on a religious retreat
Getting away from the stresses and concerns of mundane lives, and putting ourselves in an environment which centers explicitly around spiritual concerns, is an excellent way of deepening our connection to our spirituality.
Whether you’re interested in attending Christian retreat centers, or intensive meditation retreats, turning your spirituality from the kind of thing you engage with for a few minutes each day, or for a few hours each Sunday, can be an incredibly beneficial way of getting some perspective and getting back in touch with what truly matters to you.
Depending on the structure of the retreat you’ve chosen, it might also include a degree of spiritual counselling, workshops, and seminars to help you to get a new perspective on issues that might have been troubling you for some time.
Practice gratitude throughout the day
A major part of feeling spiritually fulfilled is to adopt a position of gratitude towards the blessings you enjoy in your life.
While this is often easier said than done, particularly if you’ve been through personal tragedies and hardships, there will always be things in your life that you’re glad to have, or that you would at least be sorry to lose.
Whether you say prayers of thanks, or simply keep a gratitude journal and write down one or two things a day that you feel grateful to have, reminding yourself to appreciate the things you do have is a great way of making your entire perception of life all the more positive.
Reflect on how you can apply your principles more effectively to your life
All forms of spirituality have, at their core, principles or ideals for behaviour which you are likely not a perfect embodiment of at all times, simply because you’re human and are prone to making mistakes, experiencing bouts of weakness and stupidity, and having bad days from time to time.
Reflecting on your spiritual values and asking yourself, honestly, how well you’re applying them to your life, is a great step to finding areas of weakness and inconsistency in your character, so that these can be addressed.
Always ask yourself, in any given situation, what you could do to apply your principles more effectively and earnestly.
I’m a 20-something stay-at-home mother and wife. I have an amazing husband, a beautiful daughter, two loving dogs, and a lazy cat. I wouldn’t change my life for anything! I love to read, listen to music, cook and blog!
[…] Spirituality means to consider something bigger than yourself. It means learning how to love yourself and others. Speaking to a psychic, for example, can help you to find the right path and learn more about yourself. You can speak to psychics offering different skills on a medium chat site. Alternatively, many spiritual people meditate. This helps them to clear their mind, set goals and understand what is most important to them. […]