Become More Spiritual

Do you sometimes feel like you've lost yourself, or that you're not really yourself at all? Or do you simply want to grow or become who you should be? Here are some tips that may help. Keep in mind that even though these tips are categorized as "spiritual," anyone can apply these, even if you do not consider yourself spiritual.

Apply any of these that you wish. The more, the more "spiritual" you may become. See the Tips and Spiritual Benchmarks below as well.

Steps

  1. Go to a place with no noise at all and sit down. If you can't find a completely quiet place, go where at least it is comforting sounds, and sit down. Consider bringing a notebook or journal.
  2. Start meditating; you can also sit in a yoga position if you would like.
  3. Clear your mind from all thoughts. After clearing your mind, either free-think or else, if you have a topic in mind, focus on that. However, avoid dead end, angering, and solution-less subjects. Focus on subjects where you are certain you can find new ground and progress. Another option is to look into your life, or your inner self, and think about what's going on right now. Anything that will help you focus and see helpful pictures or thoughts. If you want, journal or draw.
  4. Ask yourself why you are feeling the way that you do or why you are feeling so empty. "How can this be a good or bad thing?" "What causes it?" "How can I solve it?" After looking inward, consider your position among others around you. It may be high or equal or low, but don't let that determine whether it is good or bad. Examine each type of situation, each relationship, and decide whether it would be better to be change or be more flexible.
  5. Research the native religions/spiritual beliefs of the people who lived in your country in the past -- check the internet and the library for more information on such old religions for an alternative spiritual view. The spiritual beliefs of your ancestral roots may speak to you about your family history.
  6. List some of your life goals, and celebrate if you have achieved them. Create steps to progress with goals still remaining. Say a prayer. Sing a song. Take a break and hop around a bit.
  7. Planning for next time. Think about what activity or what action(s) you've done recently that helped you feel fulfilled. Was it reading books, or a holy book(s), or taking a walk, meditating, helping people in need, doing yoga...? Plan steps to do something fulfilling in the next few days and weeks. Close with a prayer, a resolution. Consider sharing it with others.
  8. Ask yourself each day before going to bed what you have done to keep your inner self or being healthy or sensitive. Don't only think about your body (though you should do that too), your soul is also important for you. Don't only think about your own concerns, but think about those of others as well.
  9. Additional spiritual goals: grow in vulnerability. (Most, though not all, icons of spirituality possessed this quality.) Grow in shrewdness or wisdom. (These teachers also possessed this!) Explore other belief systems. Develop an open mind in order to develop a closed mind. This means learning ideas and perspectives different from your own so that you can develop your own opinion about them. Sacrifice and accept the sacrifice of others.
  10. Read or Journal further. Doing this even on scratch sheets of paper is fine. Literate people have some amazing gifts--along with responsibilities--the rest of the world is doing without, so take advantage of them. Have a conversation with people who have experiences you want to know more about or who have 'been there.' Discuss or explain spiritual concepts, practices, or inspiring words with someone else in need. Teachers are learners.
  11. Seek out a spiritual group in your environment. Go with a friend. This can be any size group. Have some questions in mind before-hand and ask them at an appropriate time.
  12. Follow your hobbies - Do what you enjoy the most. Avoid what you dislike. Look the world as the platform for presenting your talent, always seek advice and guidance from elders. Enjoy all moments of life.
  13. Practice non-attachment. Try giving things such as clothes that you no longer need or use to those who could really use them. You'll feel much lighter after the experience, freeing you up to live your path even more.



Spiritual Benchmarks

Here are some possible benchmarks and adaptability tests to test your "spiritual" life's ability to handle various opportunities/trials/scenes in life. Could some part of your spirituality do the following...

  • ...be found consistent with various forms of rational investigation.
  • ...make you happy/satisfied in "heaven"?
  • ...help you live well with a romantic partner and family?
  • ...help you live well without a romantic partner and family?
  • ...put some bread on the table and a roof over your head?
  • ...fill the need of a young kid dying and alone in a remote part of a Third World country? (Such kids do exists. You can look it up online.)
  • ...address the needs of others around you?
  • ...address the needs of society at large?
  • ...help change the life of criminals or life-abusers? (Whether you would want it to may be a whole other story.)
  • ...help improve the life of even some of the best people you know?
  • ...allow you to come to know and face your fears head on?
  • ...lead towards a proper use of power, wealth, and success?
  • ...strengthen your understanding of different virtues such as responsibility, excitement, honesty, integrity, respect, etc?
  • ...cause you to do right or good things even when you don't necessarily feel like doing a right or good thing.
  • ...respond, change, or grow satisfactorily in conversations with "more spiritual"-seeming people or various leaders in your community/on the web?
  • ...respond, change, or grow satisfactorily in conversations with people who will disagree with you?
  • ...enable you to put yourself on the line for your friends?

Tips

  • Remember, a healthy soul and mind can help you get a healthier body.
  • As you journal or reflect, you may give thought some of the reasons people want to become more spiritual. Some initiating questions: Do you wonder whether there even is a "spiritual" life? How can it be seen or perceived? Whether or not you have doubts about it, what do you hope to accomplish with it? Or do you want to expand your horizons? Are you concerned about where you want life to head? Do you want to understand someone or grow in a relationship? Are you looking for fulfillment? Are you hurt by a person or some event? Are you empowered or encouraged by some other person or some other event? Do you want to accomplish more? Do you want a sense of inner peace distant from a busy life? Or are you trying to reach Nirvana? On the other hand, maybe you want to face life head on (rather than simply just get a quick get away) and so are looking for energy and/or direction to take care of the needs and aspirations of day-to-day living. Any or all of these reasons can apply to you. Plan to answer a different question each time you go out.
  • Related Phrases. Consider looking into the following topics as well: knowing God or the Oversoul (depending on whether you believe or want to explore the Highest Being as personal or impersonal, etc), relationship building, emotional balance or emotional resilience, discussion groups, discipline, sensitivity, methods of thinking or investigation, being thankful, leadership, wisdom, social skills, servitude or service, courage, love (various types), personal charisma, purity, hard work, energy, doing things the smart way, self-sacrifice, even good old-fashion karate kick-like power, etc.

Warnings

  • Be careful. Spirituality, as does life in general, has responsibilities. Be wary of spiritual abuse. Also watch what you allow yourself to accept: faith is a sense of or a true believing in something you can't see, but this doesn't mean lying to yourself. Acknowledge your doubts, even as you continue to believe, until you gain more experience or thought. Anytime we ask someone to ignore their doubts (though often we just do ourselves) and just blindly believe us, we might be spreading unethical and subtle forms of Recognize-a-Manipulative-or-Controlling-Relationship, that will in some capacity lead to problems down the road. If you are willing to let your spirituality be tested by a variety of situations and thoughts, then you are more likely to become a more seasoned/stronger person and a more humble person. Always give room for mistakes and learning from them.

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