Where does that energy go?
How are we all connected?
I started to feel a desire to connect with something greater than myself.
But I felt lostlike I didn’t have the language for what I was seeking.
I was shy and fumbling in my search for what I now recognize as a spiritual practice.
Here are eight simple steps that helped me gradually build my own spiritual practice over time.
I hope they can do the same for you.
Don’t worry, establishing a spiritual practice doesn’t mean you have to startcarrying crystalsorchanting mantrasright away.
The first step is simply acknowledging that you want to become more spiritual in the first place.
Read everything you’ve got the option to get your hands on.
Start with something likeSoulcraftby Bill Plotkin orCare of the Soulby Thomas Moore.
Both of them are great primers on fostering sacredness in everyday life.
Listen to lectures, like John Searle’s TED Talk “Our Shared Condition.”
Feed your inquisitiveness, and remember that knowledge and curiosity are the cornerstones of any truly rich spiritual journey.
Be still every day.
Our connection to spirit, the universe, or whatever you prefer to call it, is primarily afeltexperience.
All it takes is 15 minutes a day.
If that seems daunting, start with a guided meditation.
There are tons of free apps and recordings available online.
Find one you like, and commit to following it once a day.
Don’t neglect your body.
Approach your practice with playfulness.
You may believe that a spiritual practice must be solemn and seriousit’s anything but!
So approach your budding practice with a light heart.
Laugh at yourself, laugh at your teachers, laugh at the sheer silliness that is the human experience.
Want to speed things up?Ask for signs.
One of my favorite practices is to write the universe a letter.
Request help with whatever you are struggling with and thank her for her guidance.
Stay open, and you will begin to feel subtle course corrections as you travel through life.
Connect with your tribe.
I used to believe that spirituality was a solitary endeavor.
I could not have been more wrong.
If you want to feel your practice really take shape,get together with other seekers.
Attend workshops, classes, and retreats.
Join an online community, or host an informal gathering of other people on their journeys.
There’s an energetic resonance that only comes from being part of a group.
You alone get to choose what works for you, and there are no hard-and-fast rules.
Cherry-pick from any discipline, idea, or philosophy that speaks to you.
Try everything and trust your gut.
Whatever fuels your interest, resonates with your heart, and feeds your soul…do that!
