Awakening Your Spiritual Side

When you spend so much of you daily existence focused on checking items off your list or running from this errand to that obligation, it can be easy to lose track of your spiritual connections. When you lose that connection to your spiritual side, you may feel discontent, a little lost or a profound sense of sadness. These feelings are your sign that it’s time to awaken your spirituality and connection to the Divine.

It may seem overwhelming at first to get in touch with your spiritual side, but it is well worth the effort. Many studies have shown that being in touch with your individual spirituality may lead to marked increases in happiness, well being and survival rates. If you don’t know where to start on your exploration, here are some questions to ask yourself. Take the time to answer them honestly and deeply to see where it takes you. Remember, this is your personal journey and there are no wrong answers.

What inspires me?

Where are you when you feel the greatest sense of peace and connection to the Earth? Do you find solace in mountain hikes, walks along the shore or while wandering city streets? Do you take comfort in reading inspiring books or creating a piece of artwork? Identify the places and activities that bring you a sense of peace, calm and connectedness. Use these as a starting place for exploring your spiritual side.

What is my spiritual history?

Take a look back at your spiritual journey and identify the times that you felt most connected with your spiritual side and what was happening in your life when you felt disconnected. What steps can you take to recreate the circumstances of being connected? Do you feel inspired to attend a worship service or would you rather pursue a more individual spiritual path? Whether you return to your past or leave it in the past and blaze a new path, you need to understand how spiritual history impacts your journey.

What has transformed me?

What are the defining events in your life? Don’t neglect to look at the seemingly insignificant moments that may have the biggest impact on how you perceive the world around you. Were there any historical or personal moments that resonated with you and stirred up a side of you that you didn’t know existed? Much like what inspires you, the events that have transformed you may hold important clues that will help you awaken your spiritual side.

What are my struggles?

As painful as it might be, there will come a time in your spiritual journey when you need to take a long, hard and honest look at your struggles. While it’s good to be inspired and at peace, it’s very often our struggles that reveal the work that we really need to do to connect with our spirituality. Identifying your struggles is the first step to changing behaviors that push you away from your spiritual side.

The beauty of reconnecting with your spirituality is that it is an individual and unique journey that can bring you great satisfaction. It won’t cure all of your ills, but will give you inner strength as you encounter life’s many challenges.