Our Spiritual Health

Spiritual wellness has a huge impact on our physical health and life and impacts the decision we make, our values and behavior.

Most of us associate spirituality with religion and worship, and consider spiritual wellness to be largely irrelevant to everyday life. If you figure among this group give it a rethink. Spirituality is the way you find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace in your life. Spiritual wellness encompasses the meaning we attach to life and the purpose we hold for our lives; peace and harmony within ourselves; the capacity to show love, compassion, forgiveness and empathy; and our attitude towards other living beings and the universe. Obviously then, spiritual wellness impacts most of the decisions we make in life, our values, and behavior.

Some people find spirituality through religion. Some find it through music, art or a connection with nature. Others find it through values and principles.

No one really knows for sure how spirituality is related to health. However, it seems the body, mind and spirit are connected. The health of any one of these elements seems to affect the health of the others.

Some research shows that things such as positive beliefs, comfort and strength gained from religion, meditation and prayer can contribute to healing and a sense of well-being. Improving your spiritual health may not cure an illness, but it may help you feel better, prevent some health problems and help you cope with illness, stress or death.

When families face tough situations, including health problems, sound spiritual health can help them fight feelings of helplessness, restore meaning and order to life situations, and promote regaining a sense of control. For some families, spirituality can be a powerful and important source of strength.

While positive spiritual health enables a person to take the ups and downs of life in stride and look onwards rather than backwards, at the organic level, it helps us cope with stress, which in turn empowers us against infections and psychosomatic disorders. Positive spiritual health keeps our minds relaxed and our systems functioning well.

Enlightenment comes at a price these days and some may say it’s not for everyone. Meditation centers, yoga teachers or spiritual retreats – these are luxuries that not all can afford.

The guidance you receive from someone who has dedicated his or her life to spirituality will help you stay focused but, will it be anything more than an inspiration. A few classes or a course is not the answer. The burning desire to know the truth takes you far in your journey to achieve freedom from life’s illusions. The best teacher you can have is ‘You’ and you certainly don’t need a guru to be happier and healthier.

People are strapped for time and work-related stress affects their health. They look for ways to beat this stress. Meditation is often recommended as a powerful tool for personal growth and development. But, it’s the price that one has to pay that becomes a roadblock for some. It’s fun to be part of a group, and collective effort can bring results, but it does not mean you have to opt for these pricey options.

Spiritual happiness and health can be achieved without stepping out of your abode. You can train your mind and dig deep into your thoughts by understanding yourself. Use your imagination and find ways to use your home as your training ground. Create a space that is quiet, and is devoid of distractions and noise. In silence your soul finds the path in a clearer light, and things that elude you become crystal clear. Meditate, read, visualize, or practice yoga. Do whatever it is that you can do to attain peace and relax your body and mind. Soul searching begins when you are in a questioning frame of mind. Like Swami Vivekananda once said, “You have to grow from the inside out. None can teach you, none can make you spiritual. There is no other teacher but your own soul.”

If you want to improve your spiritual health, you may want to try the following ideas. However, remember that everyone is different, so what works for others may not work for you. Do what is comfortable for you.

·         Identify the things in your life that give you a sense of inner peace, comfort, strength, love and connection.

·         Set aside time every day to do the things that help you spiritually. These may include doing community service or volunteer work, praying, meditating, singing devotional songs, reading inspirational books, taking nature walks, having quiet time for thinking, doing yoga, playing a sport or attending religious services.