Soul Sanctuary: Nurturing the Essence Within 🤲🏽🙏🏽

Sanctuary (noun): protection or a safe place; a place where birds or animals can live & be protected; the most holy part of a religious building. When you think of the word “sanctuary,” what comes to mind? For me, it’s peace, safety, a happy place. So when I say “soul sanctuary,” I’m referring to the place that feeds & replenishes your soul & puts it at peace. 😌

Since we’re all individuals, we each have our own methods of refilling in our soul sanctuaries. While one person might think going to church & praying is all they need, another may be able to recharge with a quick meditation session or chakra realignment. ⛪️🧘🏽‍♀️ Regardless of what you use, we all need to feed our souls so we can do more than survive; so we can THRIVE! 

My Soul Sanctuary Toolbox 🧰

Spirituality Through Religion 🛐

I like variety. I’ve always lived by the saying “there’s more than one way to skin a cat,” so I definitely believe in almost anything can be used to maintain my soul. As I’ve gotten older, my relationship with God & hunger to know more about Him have increased majorly. Where I used to question things in the Bible out of skepticism, I now read deeper & research more. Not to mention, I’ve seen how He’s worked in my life & those of many people around me, so I know He’s real. 💯

     Because of this stronger relationship & newfound interest, I take more time to dedicate to my spiritual well-being through religion. I start every morning with 4 different Christian-based apps, each with a devotional or short Bible passage & message. I make it a priority to pray more often, focusing more on giving thanks than asking for something to occur. 🛐 No more “now I lay me down to sleep” from childhood; I have whole conversations with the Man Upstairs. Ending my day by reading at least 1 chapter of the Bible is one of my goals this year. I’m making pretty good progress & seeing a whole other side of Christian history.

     My relationship with God inspired me to create a spiritual journal. 🕊️📓 Everyone can use some uplifting at any time. Being able to pick up a journal & flip it open to see an affirmation, a scripture or inspirational writing prompt, areas to log prayers & gratitude, & a place to remind me of the prayers God already answered puts you in a different frame of mind, no matter what kind of mood you’re in. Intentional Journals are to help elevate your life, so I had to put a spiritual spin on our usual year-long journals. Soulful Serenity is just another tool to help navigate this crazy life we live.

Spirituality Through Meditation 🧎🏽‍♀️

I’m fairly new to meditation, especially because my mind is always on 1000. 🤔💨What I’ve found is I do better with shorter guided meditations instead of the silent ones without directions. It’s just not possible for me to listen to a sound (or nothing at all) & not have a wandering mind. Give me a good 10 seconds, & ya girl is in another place. 🚀

     Meditation does feed my soul though. It helps my mind to pause & allow some calmness into my life for a few minutes. ⏸️ When you feel like you’re constantly on the go, taking a few minutes out of your busy day to disconnect from the world & reconnect to yourself does your entire being some good.

Spirituality Through Yoga 🧘🏽‍♀️

I don’t usually look at yoga as being a spiritual practice, even though it’s considered one. It allows me to stretch, wind down, & become a little more present & grounded. I do 2 short sessions every day; 5 minutes when I first get out of bed & 15-30 minutes right before bed. 

     Even though I don’t necessarily feel a spiritual connection when I practice yoga, I do feel calmer & more centered after a session. My sessions are usually a slow flow for relaxation, stress, bedtime, or sore muscles. 🤯🥱 In that sense, it feels more physical & mental work than anything else. It stretches & strengthens my muscles & also clears my mind while I’m locked into focusing on the serene music & instructor’s voice. I guess in that way it’s spiritual because it calms my spirit.

Spirituality Through Nature 🌿

Depending on the location, nature does the trick for me spiritually. I’m not talking going hiking through a lot of trees & running up on snakes. I’m talking looking around & expressing gratitude for the beauty of the Earth. 🌍 When I’m sitting on a beach & watching the sun reflect off the water, I’m instantly in chill mode. 🌊 When I’m riding through the mountains or sitting on a cabin porch, admiring how tall some of those trees are & seeing snow-capped mountain tops is fascinating. 🏔️ And honey, life on an island…speechless! 😍

     God’s creations are unbelievable! A lot of times we take our surroundings for granted. We don’t really think about how all of the natural beauty came to be. When you get that quiet time to tap into your senses outside, it does something wonderful to your soul. I can go from a grump to a sweetie pie by sitting silently & enjoying a view. 😤🥹Instant attitude adjustment!

My Soul Sanctuary Whys ❓❔

Everything you do should have a purpose, preferably a positive one. The purpose keeps you motivated to keep going when you’re feeling discouraged. Your spirit is your foundation for your entire self. There’s not much that it doesn’t impact in some way. Don’t believe me? Take a look:

• Physical 🫀: When your spirit is more positive, you can feel it physically. I can say I feel less stressed, less anxious, & more optimistic when I take care of my spiritual self-care.
• Mental & Psychological 🤯: Taking care of your spirit gives you more peace & calmness in your life. Right after I’ve been spiritually fed, I feel so light & positive. That frame of mind keeps my depression & anxiety from intensifying.
• Practical 📈: When your spirit grows, you grow. You grow closer to that spiritual power. You feel like your life has more meaning. You strive to move towards doing the right thing more often. I feel like I’m unstoppable at times.
• Social 👯‍♀️: Having a positive spirit makes you more compassionate to others. You value people more. Giving back to the community makes you feel fulfilled. My relationships with the people I really love are my #1 priority. That faith has shown me how to give grace…or just hush up.
• Financial 🤑: You’ve got to have faith in your finances for them to grow. Money can turn you into a monster. However, a good spirit brings blessings, whether you’re the giver or recipient. Praying is the only way I’ve made it through some of my financial whoas, & it’s the reason I have no problem with helping others (if they don’t wear out their welcome with too many favors or no reciprocity).   
• Professional 👩🏽‍💻: Faith can drive your career so far. When you’re grateful for your job regardless of how much you don’t like the work or your coworkers, it’s builds you spiritually. When you’re more focused on fulfillment than finances, it makes it so much easier to go to work. It can be the driving force your career. 
• Emotional 😭: A good spiritual cleansing can do so much for your emotional well-being. That feeling of calmness can lead you down a road of happiness. It definitely does for me. I find myself being able to get whatever off my chest & feel renewed instead of allowing the negativity to fester & overtake me.
• Environmental 🏡: Making sure you’re in the right place can happen, as long as you recognize how your spirit brought you to that place. All you have to do is look at your surroundings & give thanks. Don’t pass up on the free beauty around you!

     You have to make an effort to keep your spirit in line. Embrace the power that’s greater than your own. Open your mind to new ideas. And while doing this all, don’t forget to give thanks for all that you see, hear, smell, touch, & taste. It’ll refill your soul easily. 🙏🏽