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Living a spiritual life may heal mind, body, and soul. This is because connecting to a higher power may instill a sense of purpose, gratitude, and hope. Along with these positive feelings, embracing a spiritual practice may help improve mental and physical health.
More fluid than religious practices, spirituality is a connection to a higher power and involves a search for meaning, explains PsychCentral. Although it is not necessarily connected to religion, it can be part of a religious practice in the form of prayer, meditation, and chants.
There are many avenues to living a spiritual life as this connection is very personal and differs for each person. Here are five activities that nurture spirituality, inner peace, improve health, and decrease stress.
Practice mindfulness
Mindfulness, according to The Wellness Corner, is a great spiritual practice as it calms the mind and body. It also reduces stress and quells negative thoughts and emotions. Added to a spiritual practice, mindfulness is present in yoga, deep breathing exercises, and meditation.
Develop a sense of belonging
Being part of a social network of like-minded people helps one better cope with hardships like stress, explains The Wellness Corner. This sense of belonging can lead to higher self esteem and better resilience when the going gets tough.
Join a club, do a favorite hobby with a group who also share this passion, or go to a religious gathering. Simply being with others has proven to raise one’s spirit!
Connect to nature
Nature is an important ingredient when it comes to developing spirituality. Simply being outside among trees, birds, and flowers provides a sense of grounding and calm, explains The Wellness Corner. In turn, this feeling may reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and improve one’s sense of well-being.
A spiritual connection can be experienced by taking a walk outside or having quiet time alone, suggests WebMD. While outside, practicing mindfulness will further enhance feelings of calmness, peace, and hope.
Practice forgiveness
Having compassion and forgiveness is a spiritual practice that actually relieves stress, according to PsychCentral. A research article published in Social Work and Health Care found that those who practiced forgiveness towards themselves and others coped better when exposed to trauma.
Embracing forgiveness means letting go of resentment, releasing negative emotions, and opening the way to leading a meaningful life. As a spiritual practice, it involves inner work including acceptance, release, and liberation. Try journaling, meditating, or gratitude exercises.
Be creative
Creativity is both a beautiful and direct route to spirituality. This is because the soul is the source of creative thoughts, according to Raising Self Awareness. So working on that creative project may actually build spirituality.
Be it painting, music, writing, or any other creative pursuit, one is connecting to an inner source that is the soul. This practice can impart a deeper connection and understanding of self, plus it enables the imagination to thrive!
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