An easy and straightforward guide to developing a spiritual practice
Regardless of religious or non-religious affiliations and backgrounds, most people feel called sometime in their life to cultivate a more profound sense of understanding of life and themselves in a quest towards developing a spiritual practice. Interestingly enough, this deeper meaning helps us form connections with others, eases stress in troubled times, and can even increase the body’s immune response.
A way to facilitate this deeper meaning is through beginning or developing a spiritual practice.
But many people don’t understand how to get there. Even with all the good intentions, there are many false starts in the journey.
It may be the busyness of life, fear of facing what might be on the other side of change, or past experiences or conditioning about religion that is holding you are your clients back.
Maybe it is as simple as wanting the benefits and insight of an established spiritual practice immediately, but without putting the consistent long-term work in.
But it is truly worth developing a spiritual practice?
Implementing a spiritual practice allows us to transcend the everyday gunk that clogs up our lives and connecting with ourselves first, so we can genuinely connect with others. This is about understanding yourself and others better.
How do you implement a spiritual practice into a busy life?
It’s simple, really. The secret to maintaining your growth is creating daily spiritual practice, is, you guessed it…consistent practice. Making it a routine.
So, how do you start to develop a spiritual practice? Easy, here are some steps you can take.
1. Choose your spiritual practice
There is no rush to fully adopt a new set of beliefs overnight, just because you are seeking to understand yourself and life better. Start small and experiment with developing a spiritual practice.
You should make a list of practices that you can see yourself doing consistently. Meditate for 5-10 minutes, a set of yoga postures for 5 minutes, read for 10 minutes from a soulful and nourishing book, a gratitude list, or breathwork.
Consider picking more than one practice and making it an individualized routine that flows over say 15-30 minutes.
2. Make the time to develop your spiritual practice
Once you have committed to a practice or a group of practices (which can be changed in the future or further expanded upon), fit them into your day.
Make them work for you. These daily practices are best experienced at the start of the day, but some are better suited at the end of the day.
It’s essential to be honest about how much time you can realistically spend on your new practice. Don’t commit to 30 minutes in the morning for a combination of meditation, journaling, and breathwork if you are not willing to wake up 30 minutes earlier to fit it in if that is your only option.
3. Create a Space for your spiritual practice
Choose a space where you live to turn into a sacred area. It can be anywhere and doesn’t have to be in a particular room.
The size of the space doesn’t matter. It is about what you attribute to the area. It should feel comfortable and be aesthetically pleasing. Use pillows, artwork, essential oils, books, or sacred objects to bring this feeling to your space.
The crucial aspect of this is creating something enjoy being present in, every day. Somewhere that is inviting and comfortable. You can infuse your energy into and know that whenever you enter the space, it is safe for you to do your work.
4. Begin your spiritual practice
Now you begin. This is a journey to deepen your path within. It isn’t a time to overthink or worry that you are doing it incorrectly. Patience and compassion are needed, just like you would be with a child learning a new skill.
If you find your mind wandering, that is OK. Let go of the thought thread and come back to being focused on what you are doing.
It’s important not to rush the process. This is your sacred time, so ensure you make this process comfortable, so it will be an easy routine to implement daily.
5. Expand Your Spiriual Practice
When you get into a consistent groove with your routine, stop, and reflect on where you are and how you would like to expand your practice. Some questions you can ask yourself could include,
- How do I feel when I do this practice?
- What parts of my practice do I thoroughly enjoy?
- Is there something missing that I could add to enhance this practice?
- What am I finding difficult? Is there a way to overcome this difficulty?
- Am I living with self-integrity and showing up every day?
Self-reflection is a great way to boost your ritual and its impact. If you have perfected the morning routine, maybe you want to implement a short night-time routine. Or adding a routine to the middle of the day so you can find some space and solitude when it is most needed.
You will see growth in all areas of life as your daily practice expands. You and your clients will attract an abundance of wonderful experiences, be calmer and more thoughtful in your choices, have deeper relationships, and have an overall vibrancy for your life.
