For those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, the idea of an outside figure controlling everything may seem hard to believe or even patronizing. Instead, they tend to look inwards, seeking answers to their problems within themselves. While they may use external tools, self-reflection is an essential part of their journey.
There are no one-size-fits-all best practices when it comes to spiritual health. While there are some popular and well-researched techniques, they may not be the right fit for everyone. It’s important to continue seeking and learning, finding what works best for you.
Here are 3 practices that many find helpful: mantras, manual journaling, and meditation. Mantras involve turning negative thoughts into positive ones, while journaling provides an opportunity to organize and reflect on your thoughts. Meditation can have numerous benefits, such as reducing stress and increasing productivity.
Committing to your spiritual health is an everyday practice. You can intensify it and recommit to it by going on a spiritual retreat at Pali Retreats, but you have to put in the work, whether you’re on our campus or on your couch.
Committing to Your Spiritual Health
There are no best practices when it comes to spiritual health. And if that sounds contradictory to the title of this article, it should. There are only the “most researched” and “most popular” practices when it comes to spiritual health. These are things that so many people do on a daily basis that there’s enough evidence to advise others to do the same.
But that doesn’t mean that they’re going to be the right techniques for you. You should try them, of course, because you’ll never know if you don’t – but don’t take this advice as the be-all-end-all.
One part of your spiritual journey is to be constantly seeking and learning, however that looks for you (like maybe by going on a Spiritual Retreat at Pali).
The suggestions below are things that help us and many people on our team, as well as millions of people all over the world. Here are three practices we love – we call them the three m’s of mindfulness. They are mantras, manual journaling, and meditation.
Mantras: They’re Not as Silly as They Feel
Here’s a good experiment to figure out where you are in terms of positive thinking and creating the kind of thoughts you want to have. For three days, pay attention to and count the number of times you find yourself complaining.
That could be complaining about the bus being late, someone being annoying, that you don’t like the weather, or something as small as your coffee being too hot to drink. Download a tally app on your phone and make a mark every time you catch yourself in a complaint.
Don’t worry if you don’t record everything. It’ll get easier to realize you’re doing it the second and the third day. At the end of three days, take a look at how many complaints you made. Was it a lot?
It probably is. It’s not uncommon for people who do this experiment to notice 50-100 (though, please don’t set that as your threshold) complaining thoughts a day. That’s a lot of negativity you’re affirming in your life, with your own brain!
And those negative thoughts do nothing for you. So after the three days, try to think about what your most common complaints were. Then reword them into something positive, and when you notice yourself complaining, replace the complaint with your positive mantra.
You’ll be shocked at how quickly this changes your mood, your productivity, and your life!
Mindful Movement
Mindful Movement is a powerful tool for enhancing your overall wellness and creating a deeper connection between your mind and body. Through intentional movement, you can bring awareness to the present moment and tap into the body. Many wellness retreats offer a range of mindful movement practices, from yoga to tai chi to dance. These practices allow you to explore different forms of movement and discover what feels good for your body.
Yoga is one of the most popular mindful movement practices and has been shown to have tons of benefits for both physical and mental health. Yogis (anyone who is enjoying the practice of yoga) will move their bodies through a series of poses, focusing on breath and the sensations in their body. This helps to cultivate a sense of inner peace and relaxation, while also building strength, flexibility, and balance. Many yoga classes also incorporate mindfulness meditation, which can help to further deepen your connection to the body and self.
Tai chi is another form of mindful movement involving slow, flowing movements that are designed to promote balance, strength, and flexibility. Like yoga, tai chi also incorporates breathwork and mindfulness meditation, making it a powerful tool for reducing stress and improving overall wellness. Many wellness retreats offer tai chi classes as a way to help participants connect with their bodies and cultivate a deeper sense of inner peace and relaxation.
Meditation
Slowing your brain down and being in your body for as little as five minutes a day can prolong your life. There are multiple studies proving the benefits of meditation, tens of which are available for free, in their entirety, on the internet.
And while most of us want to meditate or get better at it, it’s one of the most frustrating skills to learn.
If you’ve never meditated before or find you need help, download a guided meditation app. Headspace is a great app, though it does charge a monthly fee. If you’re more into the free thing, try the app Stop, Breathe, & Think.
It not only has guided meditations, but also a check-in tool that will help you realize what you’re feeling, where in your body you’re feeling it, and when. For the best results (especially if you’re new to all this!), set an alarm on your phone twice a day and check-in, then do a quick meditation.
Your mind will clear, you’ll understand your emotions better, and you’ll be more productive overall – just from committing to yourself for five to ten minutes a day!
Come Attend a Spiritual Retreat
Are you in search of a deeper spiritual connection but feeling lost in everyday life? Pali Spiritual Retreats can help you recommit to your spiritual practices and reconnect with yourself. From serene meditation retreats to invigorating yoga getaways, our beautiful mountain campus offers the perfect escape. Visit our site to discover the transformative experience that awaits you.