These days, spirituality is something we're hearing more and more about. If you're like most people, you might not be quite sure what that word actually means. It's probably because there has been quite an evolution of the practice in the last several decades.
In years past, the term spirituality referred specifically to practicing conventional religions. Any time a person would speak of being a spiritual person, you could pretty much guarantee they meant they were devout in practicing some sort of formal religion.
In modern times, the term spirituality has a much more fluid meaning. It can refer to any type of process of growth with a goal of attaining a higher level of consciousness.
All types of spiritual activity enable people to move along their path of becoming their personal best version of themselves so they can to focus their intentions on living a much more purposeful lifestyle. The types of helpful activity may include yoga, meditation, esoteric study, channeling, collecting crystals, spending time in nature and related practices.
The Vital Nature of Spirituality
The nature of spirituality itself brings a sense of connectedness to the world around you, which is something far too many feel sense of lack in their lives. By engaging in these forms of activities, you will have the ability to become more centered you in your life's purpose. This can give you the momentum you need to move down the right fork in your personal life path.
Being more spiritual can help all of us to better appreciate the present moment while noticing the immense beauty that surrounds us in the physical world. You can experience a spiritual moment anywhere at anytime. It's all a state of mind.
Even something as simple as finding joy in a young child's uncontrollable giggle could be considered a spiritual moment since taking notice of it leads you to experience intense feelings that simply go further than the mundane or the every day experience.
It's far too easy to get lost in the daily grind of simply trying to survive. Taking up a spiritual practice can enable you to have the courage to take your life from one that's just getting by to one that is thriving.
How to Embrace Your Personal Spirituality
We'll keep talking about how you can become more spiritual in your personal life in the coming months. We'll go more in depth in the future. For now, I'd like to offer you a few ideas on some ways that you can start embracing a higher level of spirituality today.
One of the simplest ways is for you to block out some time for yourself each day. If this practice seems like it might be too difficult or too selfish (it's not, by the way), you can start by setting aside a little bit of time a few days each week to devote to your own needs, like your spiritual practice.
Taking time to practice self care, reading a good book, taking part in your favorite hobby or taking a class to develop a new interest are some things you can do to help you feel refreshed. It's important to nurture you needs and make yourself a priority! You'll find it's also very rewarding in a spiritual way to do good deeds unprompted for others.
These good deeds can be things that are as simple as visiting with an elderly neighbor who doesn't have family that lives nearby. Or it can be something much more in depth like organizing a full-on volunteer campaign that will help a local organization. When you do work for those souls who are less fortunate, you are again making a connection that transcends the typical everyday interaction.
Another easy step to take is to simply practice gratitude each and every day. Make a list of what you have that's good in your life and give thanks to the universe for providing for your needs. This one simple act of gratitude shows your appreciation to the universe so that you may continue to receive good fortune.
Don't stop with these suggestions though. There are so many more ways that you can become more spiritual in your everyday life. Listen to your intuition and get started.
Aren't Spirituality and Religion the Same?
The simple answer is no. While these words were used interchangeably at one point in history, there has been a huge divergence between religion and spirituality as more people wake up. They truly are two separate things.
You could consider spirituality to be an aspect that falls under the overarching umbrella of religion. It could be said to be one part of what constitutes a full religious practice. However, religion itself refers to a very formal and organized group or study that revolves around a common belief system, with a focus on one deity or multiple deities.
The intent of a religion is to spread the common set of beliefs teachings across the world that will live on for generations. Spirituality, on the other hand, is something that's more focused on each individual person. It refers to the way that a particular person views their own belief system and how they pursue the meaning of life.
I hope that by now you now feel more confident that you understand of the overall concept of spirituality. It's a very broad term that encompasses quite a large spectrum of practices. Ultimately, what is truly important is what spirituality means to you.
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