Developing your spiritual practices is essential if you wish to stay connected to living a healthy, authentic, and spiritually aligned life.
Simply said, a daily spiritual practice is something that you do every day in service of your spiritual evolution and commitment. Keeping you focused on what is truly important.
What are examples of spiritual practices?
A practice is a daily ritual or routine that you commit to doing with presence, respect, and a posture of genuine devotion.
Some cultures (such as Bali) have devotional practices embedded in daily life. Our culture definitely does not, so we have to individually bring this commitment into our lives more deliberately.
Examples of a daily spiritual practice include:
– Lighting a candle to represent your intention to honour the divine each day
– Having a morning playlist of songs that spark your spirit or nourish your soul: you can sing along, dance, or just listen with joy in your heart.
– Having a daily and authentic meditation practice and/or other practice that involves a period of listening in stillness—in a special place in your home or in nature
– Setting your intention, or focus, for the day with your cacao brew or other nourishing drink prepared mindfully
– Practicing chi gong, tai chi, or other forms of active movement meditation that have a focus on presence and subtle energy
– Keeping a gratitude journal and writing three things you are genuinely grateful for in it at the end of every day
– Reading a particular poem or piece of writing each day that connects you with your spirit
5 Tips for bringing in a new sustaining spiritual practice
If you are wanting to bring in a new ritual or recommit to one you know is supportive for you, then here are 5 tips we have found to be effective:
1. Set yourself up for the long game : The research is now showing that in order to make a new habit or ritual really lock in (so that it feels weirder not to do it than to do it), you have to do it consistently for a minimum of 6 months.
Not the 3, 4, or 6 weeks often espoused.
What this means practically is: pick something that is simple and do-able long-term.
The format of the ritual or length of time may evolve (like my evening stretching routine has), but set your mind from the start that this is something you plan to do for the rest of your life!
2. Only focus on bringing in ONE long-term new ritual or habit every 9–12 months or so
You want the change to be sustained and for you to actually reap the rewards of your consistent commitment.
Of course you will have other short-term projects, but if this is something really important, let it remain the priority for an extended period.
3. Be consistent. Do the ritual every day (or a minimum of six days per week), ideally at around the same time, so that your mind can’t start creating loopholes that mean you lose your momentum.
4. Let your family (or those you are living with) know how important this change is to you before you even start
Let them know your plan and ask for their support to implement it.
Make sure that the way you are structuring it takes into account the household dynamic and routine (you don’t want to be pumping out phat devotional tunes at 4 a.m. if the rest of the house is sleeping!)
If you have children, be prepared that there may be tantrums and interruptions initially as you re-set boundaries.
Stay with it.
They may not like it, but they will adjust.
5. Focus on quality . Don’t let the practice become rote; really bring full mindfulness every time and remind yourself what you are doing and why.
Write something out that reminds you.
Make it sacred and authentic.
