Spiritual Self-Care
Before looking at spiritual practices that will help you on the enlightenment path, your first task is to carve out time for yourself.
Think about how to live at a slower pace, and make time to nurture yourself each day.
Then, we can take a look at how to fill it with self-care.
Self-Care Tips
According to Fred Bryant and Joseph Veroff, authors of Savoring: A New Model of Positive Experience, savoring intensifies and lengthens positive emotions. Research suggests that those positive feelings elicited by savoring protect against the negative effects of poor health by reducing stress and increasing optimism. Practicing savoring also leads to more life satisfaction, stronger relationships and better performance. - TheHealthSessions.com
The best tip I could give you, from my own experience, would be to prioritize rest and self-care each day.
For years, my intuitive guidance practically yelled at me to slow down, rest more and take better care of myself, but I really struggled to put it into place. I was interested in all of those practices and would try them, only to revert back to my type-A, self-pressured busyness.
It wasn't until I began to understand that surrendering to a slower pace was meant to be central to my daily experience that I began to make changes and take the time I needed for myself. As I began to slow down and focus on self-care and rest, I realized that that struggle had really been about resistance, and what I needed was surrender and acceptance.
And as a woman coping with chronic fatigue syndrome, I realized that my illness was meant to be an initiation into a spiritual awakening process. All my busy work had kept me from being aware of that, much less being open to it.
Finally, I caught on and became willing to surrender to the process and my spiritual practices became the best part of my day and my life.
Does my story resonate with you? Are you stuck on the to-do list treadmill?
For years, my intuitive guidance practically yelled at me to slow down, rest more and take better care of myself, but I really struggled to put it into place. I was interested in all of those practices and would try them, only to revert back to my type-A, self-pressured busyness.
It wasn't until I began to understand that surrendering to a slower pace was meant to be central to my daily experience that I began to make changes and take the time I needed for myself. As I began to slow down and focus on self-care and rest, I realized that that struggle had really been about resistance, and what I needed was surrender and acceptance.
And as a woman coping with chronic fatigue syndrome, I realized that my illness was meant to be an initiation into a spiritual awakening process. All my busy work had kept me from being aware of that, much less being open to it.
Finally, I caught on and became willing to surrender to the process and my spiritual practices became the best part of my day and my life.
Does my story resonate with you? Are you stuck on the to-do list treadmill?
Spiritual Self-Care Practices
Seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself can result in increased positive emotions. Transcendent moments are filled with peace, awe, and contentment. Love yourself enough to attempt to find moments of transcendent emotions daily.
- Kelly Miller, PositivePsychology.com
Daily spiritual practices have been found to reduce stress, and to help regulate the nervous system. But they also can be a powerful support for the spiritual awakening process. Look at the chart below to find contemplative practices you may want to try.
Higher levels of psychological resilience, positive emotions, and improved immune response have all been linked with spirituality.
- PositivePsychology.com
