What are your spiritual practices?
I realize maybe I'm touching a third rail here, but I don't mean this to be political or even religious in the traditional sense.
I want to talk about spirituality as a pillar of a holistic health approach - the concept that your health does not refer to just your physical body, but your mental, social and spiritual life too.
Let's begin with a definition.
Spiritual health = Your belief system. I'm talking about your connection to the world/universe, whether that be with God, with others or nature in general.
Admittedly, it's difficult to come up with an all-encompassing definition for spiritual health because it's different for everyone. It's not about one religion or another, but rather about your personal context for life. Where do you find your purpose?
I am a Christian - I believe in Jesus Christ and a God that loves all people. My personal outlook on spiritual health means a lifelong practice of trying (key word trying) to be more like Christ.
Christianity is obviously, a worldwide established religion. But for me, my religion is not like my 9-to-5, or a quirky one-dimensional aspect of who I am.
It is who I am.
My beliefs inform how I relate to the world around me.
Obviously, this does not make me perfect, as I believe my God is perfect.
It certainly does not make me better than anyone. Far from it.
Rather, it gives my life meaning and context.
This is why I believe spiritual health is so important. If my spiritual health suffers (which it does sometimes!) then so does my mental and even physical health.
There are scientific studies to support this theory.
For example, studies have shown that spiritual beliefs/practices have positive effects on cancer patients' ability to cope with disease and face death.*
A study of heart transplant patients showed that those who participated in religious activities and said their beliefs were important complied better with follow-up treatment, had improved physical functioning at the 12-month follow-up visit, had higher levels of self-esteem, and had less anxiety and fewer health worries.**
A cardiologist at the Harvard School of Medicine conducted a study to determine if meditation had beneficial health effects. His findings actually concluded that meditation was beneficial for the treatment of all kinds of health issues, including: chronic pain, insomnia, anxiety, hostility, depression, PMS and infertility. It was even a useful adjunct in the treatment of cancer and HIV patients.***
My own spiritual practices:
1. Devotions and prayer. This stems from my personal belief that reading the Bible and spending time talking to my God is part of my ability to grow spiritually. If I believe in the power of prayer, then I need to take time out of my day to practice it. If I know you, I have prayed for you because I love you. This is my form of meditation.
2. Involvement in a like-minded community. This stems from my personal belief that as a Christian, I should be part of the body of a church - not just as an attendee but as a member that contributes to and gets nurtured by the community. Community is important, wherever you find it.
3. Volunteer work and donations. This stems from my personal belief that we have a responsibility to use our God-given resources (for me, this means time and money) in a way that benefits others. One of my favorite ways to do this in recent years is volunteering for Habitat for Humanities builds. If you have the time and resources, I recommend it.
4. Environmental consciousness. This stems from my personal belief that we humans were given stewardship over this Earth, and we have a responsibility to take care of it. Obviously this can mean many different things for different people. For me, it means trying to shrink our carbon footprint by reducing plastic use and eating less meat. This may sound strange as a spiritual thing, however it is a way we practice what we believe in our household. It's part of our way of connecting to our world and being responsible for it, however tiny our actions may be.
5. Working out. Yes, really. This stems from my personal belief that our bodies are gifts and like I say all the time...we were meant to move. By which I mean, I believe we were created to move. Again, this will look different for different people. I like heavy weights and yoga. You may enjoy Crossfit, or a simple walk out in nature. For me, it is a form of worship.
Articles to consider:
Is Physical Health a Spiritual Issue?
Deepak Chopra: The coronavirus and the need for spiritual well-being
Research citations:
*Roberts JA, Brown D, Elkins T, Larson DB. Factors influencing views of patients with gynecologic cancer about end-of-life decisions. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1997
**Harris RC, Dew MA, Lee A, Amaya M, Buches L, Reetz D, Coleman C. The role of religion in heart-transplant recipients' long-term health and well-being. Journal of Religion and Health. 1995)
***Benson H. The Relaxation Response. reissue ed. New York: Avon; 1990.