How to Become More Spiritual?

Recently I was asked “how do I become more spiritual?” When she asked me this question I had to pause and really think about it. How does one become more spiritual? In essence, being human, alone, is a spiritual endeavor. My natural reply was for her to tell me more, as in what did the term ‘spiritual’ mean to her and what direction was she trying to go with the question itself. As I think back upon our conversation and my candid response. I realize that a better reply to her inquiry would have been to probe her with the question, “well, how connected are you with yourself?”

​With that, I could help her gather focused intention around the term ‘spirituality’ itself. You see, when people hear that word, they each have a different thought about what they think it may mean. Most may have a general idea that it is something of the metaphysical or implies something of the spirit, but I have found that there is truly little consensus around what it really MEANS. Reflect on the question yourself, what is spirituality to you? 
    To return to point, my purpose here is not to break down the meaning of spirituality in hopes to define it for the world, no. My purpose is to bring back that original question that I was asked and take a closer look at it. “How do I become more spiritual?” If you have come with that same question, I offer you some reflection questions for you to answer in hopes that by answering these questions you will be able to redefine your understanding of spirituality and perhaps have an answer to your question that is more specific to your level of need. 

1. Let’s go to that first question I discussed earlier-how connected are you with yourself? As you go to answer this question, think about your self-awareness and your ability to recognize your feelings and emotions at any given point in time. Do you have internal struggles that you need to work through? Sometimes circumstances in our lives draw a lot of energy away from our ability to be aware of ourselves. Some days I find myself in the repetitive process of being a mom, I feel more like a robot and less like a human. When we are self-aware, it helps to align our chakras and to pull us into an even tone with the energy around us.  

1. With this next question, I challenge you to pause throughout the day to reflect. If you find yourself drifting away in the moment, how do you shift your focus and intentions so that you are more in the here-and-now? This one is a hard one because the conscious human mind, alone, doesn’t have the capacity to be alert to everything around us all of the time, it would be overwhelming for our senses. Also, our thoughts can carry us far away from where we are in the present, where our spirit lies. Abraham Maslow, an American psychologist who developed what we as teachers call Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, once wrote, “The ability to be in the present moment is a major component of mental wellness.” I spend more time on this one because this is central to all things spiritual. If it is something you know you need to work towards, this alone will be your first step to help you transform your spiritual connection. 

1. Finally, how connected are you with others? Do you have real-time interactions with people in real-time space? Time is expensive, and how you spend it matters, especially to those that you are trying to maintain relationships with. Hey, I like my technology too, but how balanced are you? When we connect with others, we can recognize our role in their lives, or vice versa, and it gives us better insight into who we are.

In the process of connecting with our spiritual sides and seeking to develop the deeper meaning to life in the present, you may note that much of it is in our own hands. Like anything else, we have to work to have what we want or who we hope to become. 

As you push yourself to be more reflective and aware of your day to day, your spiritual progression will become more obvious over time. You will find you are more mindful of your current state of feelings, you will feel more in tune to your body and its individual needs, you will find ways to live in the moment even in times of chaos, and you will have developed stronger relationships with those around you. Your next step would be to identify what you want to work on specifically to get you started with your spiritual practice. That, my dear friend, we will save for another day. Until then, please share your stories with us! We love to hear about your process and your spiritual progression!

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