The Real Me Spiritually
How appropriate is it that April’s focus is spiritual self-care? The time surrounding when Jesus died is sacred to many people, so I figured this month would be perfect for touching on taking care of yourself spiritually. Spiritual self-care is any act you do on a regular basis that connects you to who you really are. Now, when we mean “who you really are,” we mean the person you give to the world, the energy you offer up, the light you shed.
We aren’t always real with ourselves about who we really are or who we want to be. Some of us lie to ourselves, whether positively or negatively, & don’t offer our best selves to the people, places, & things around us. Others of us don’t recognize our true potential & how much we have to offer. I’ve been both of those, especially until I started getting in touch with my spiritual side more aggressively. Let’s get into the goods, shall we?
First Things First, What’s the Difference Between Spiritual & Religious?
The terms “spiritual” & “religious” are sometimes thought to be the same, but they are not always interchangeable. Spiritual can be either or. Religious refers to practices people do to maintain their spiritual self-care. Things like going to church & reading the Bible or other holy texts are religious. It usually involves worshiping something or someone.
As I’ve gotten older & understood more, I’ve become more aware of my connection with God. I grew up in church, but the logical thinker in me used to question the validity of the stories in the Bible. I’d ask for proof that some man didn’t just insert whatever he wanted into it. Between that skepticism & me doing any & everything I wanted, I slipped away from religion.
Fast forward a decade or so, & I became more connected with that Higher Power. I found a pastor I enjoy watching in GA; he really connects scriptures with real-life issues so it’s easy for me to relate & get a lesson from his sermons. I started attending a Bible study & connecting to meetings at a Kingdom Hall because I enjoy learning about God. Prayer & reading devotionals are a major part of my daily routine. I feel connected to God & what He brings to my life, but I’m not religious. There’s no need to put a label on me. I refuse to define myself as anything beyond a lover of God.
Spiritual can involve anything that makes a person feel a sense of sacredness. It doesn’t need to be felt by a group of people either. Something like connecting with nature is an example of spirituality. Whatever makes you feel meaningful & holy & brings you joy can be considered spiritual.
Yoga & meditation have brought that into my life. Those two practices give me a sense of serenity. I can’t meditate without having some nature sound playing while the instructor guides me through the session. Yoga helps me to release some stress & tension in my mind & body. Coupled with my connection with God, I’ve learned to feel much more at peace.
Now That We’ve Gotten the Business Outta the Way…
Maintaining a good spiritual self-care routine has so many benefits. The connection with something greater than yourself goes without speaking. Getting a sense of clarity & comfort, as well as being able to look into yourself, is an added bonus. Here are some of the other reasons to take care of yourself spiritually:
- Improves relationships & connections with others
- Experience more inner peace
- Gain clarity on what makes you happy
- Enhance feelings of oneness & universality
- Diminish feelings of isolation & loneliness
- Deepen relationship with yourself
- Gain a sense of purpose & meaning
- Focus on your own or universal wisdom
- Reminder of what’s good in the world
Some groups have conducted studies on the benefits of spiritual self-care too. They’ve found the following:
- People who meditate have increased activity in a “feel-good” area of the brain
- People with strong religious beliefs recovered faster from heart surgery than people with weaker faith
- People who didn’t attend religious services died significantly younger than those who attended more than once a week.
Adding a bit of spiritual food to my daily routine definitely has added value to my life! Reading something Bible-based is the first thing I do when I open my eyes every day. The emails, texts, phone calls, & social media notifications get in where they fit in afterwards. Being able to meditate before praying & going to bed helps me relax & free my mind from the day’s mess. I added yoga back into the mix twice a week so I can stretch & feel a little more centered again. This week, I even started a 5-minute meditation during my lunch break at work.
Don’t get me wrong, my attitude can still be on rude sometimes. Shoot, this morning I had a serious case of the grumps. But having the opportunity to do my lunchtime meditation on my Calm app brought me back together. I could feel the tension in my body, so I knew it was time for a spiritual timeout. Listen to your body, folks! It’ll let you know when it’s time to regroup.
https://oregoncounseling.com/article/self-care-series-part-3-spiritual-self-care/
https://initsseason.com/spiritual-health-and-wellness/
Self-care starts from the inside out, so make an effort to start off by taking care of yourself spiritually. Whether you plan on going to church on Sunday or sitting in a quiet spot in nature, check in with yourself & put a plan in place. Your mind, body, & spirit will thank you!
