Finding Balance: The Holistic Benefits of a Spiritual Practice (2024)
Introduction
Those who are familiar with my website will know that my headline is “Life is about finding your balance, come along the journey with me.” - this quote is important to me as it is grounded in the concept of living a balanced life. Modern life, at times, can be overwhelming and stressful, leading to feelings of imbalance and dissatisfaction.
Last year resulted in some extraordinary experiences during my grief, trauma, and search toward making sense of ‘life’ and ‘death’ and I began to turn to unconventional ways of improving my well-being. Spirituality has been a powerful presence in my life since and has helped restore balance and promote holistic well-being.
The quote below really resonates with me - it is unsure where it originated, as it has been cited in the work of many, for example, Stephen R Covey (Seven Habits of Highly Effective People), Wayne W Dyer, best-selling author, and speaker on spirituality, mindfulness, and personal growth and French philosopher and priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin.
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
Spirituality and religion are often described as two different viewpoints. Religious people will most likely say they are spiritual, whereas people who describe themselves as spiritual will sometimes say they are not religious. In my experience, spirituality has been a very personal inward journey that has helped me change my perspective on life, and the recognition of a guiding universe, or higher power. In my experience, the biggest shift has been the draw and appreciation of nature.
Indigenous People and Connection to Earth
It is difficult to deny that before the advancement of human evolution, humans lived in a world very much connected to nature, and the planets. Many ancient archaeological sites support this, for example, the pyramids, not only in Egypt but worldwide, and closer to home Stonehenge, where people gather at times of the solstice.
Then there are the Indigenous people who still live connected to their surroundings, greatly respecting what they take. They live in respect of their surroundings.
Image with thanks to Unsplash - Piotr Usewicz @pusewicz
I sense there was a very different relationship between people and Earth in times gone by. In pockets this still exists, however, along the way, we’ve all gotten so busy, that we’ve lost some of the basics here. By basics, I mean the interconnectedness of everything and the power nature holds.
The connection between nature and spirituality is profound and complex. Nature serves as a powerful catalyst for spiritual experiences by enabling mindfulness, and awe (think sunsets and sunrises), so let's try and bring in some science here too.
Interconnectedness with Nature
Research suggests that spending time in nature can foster a sense of interconnectedness and oneness with the universe. A study published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that individuals who spent time in natural settings had an increased feeling of being part of something larger than themselves.
It is the antidote to stress, depression, and anxiety, research confirms that being in nature lowers levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, and helps to reduce anxiety. Being in nature improves mood and increases the feelings associated with happiness because natural environments activate our parasympathetic nervous systems, promoting relaxation and recovery.
Natural environments increase levels of serotonin – our happiness hormones and reduce the activity of the prefrontal cortex, which is associated with negative thoughts.
Nature restores attention and improves cognition function allowing the brain to recover from mental fatigue.
In many cultural practices – rituals, and traditions are often centred around nature, for example, many Indigenous cultures use water, fire, earth, and air in their rituals, frequently symbolising purification, renewal, and the circle of life.
Symbolism in nature often holds a spiritual significance, trees, mountains, and rivers, as an example, the ‘tree of life’ motif is found in numerous spiritual and religious traditions.
When we slow down and think about this connection, we can improve our well-being, nurture a new appreciation for nature, and connect on a deeper level not only to nature but to ourselves and each other, in a more profound way.
The Mind-Body-Spirit Connection
A balanced spiritual practice can lead to mental clarity, emotional resilience, physical health, and a deeper sense of peace.
Image with thanks to Unsplash - Mohamad Nohassi @coopery
Thinking about some of the wellness and fitness trends at the moment:
Optimising our circadian rhythms by exposing our skin to sunlight early in the mornings - a connection to sunrise and sunset.
Cold water activities, for example, cold water plunging and open water swimming – think Wim Hof.
Breathwork – who would have thought we’d have lost the ability to breathe to its maximum potential?
Meditation – this topic area is huge and over time I will explore this in more detail. I will focus on the type of meditative practices that enable profound changes in our brain waves and cells that produce massive positive change.
Mindfulness helps calm the mind, reduces anxiety, and fosters a more positive outlook on life.
All of the above are grounded historically in some form of spiritual practice because they enhance the sensation and feeling that we are connected more deeply to ourselves, each other, and nature than we realise. Spirituality provides a sense of purpose, hope inner strength and it brings us back to our authentic selves, widens our horizons, expands our realms of possibilities, and provides a sense of purpose and belief in the miracle of human potential.
What spiritual practices do you turn to or do regularly as part of your well-being? Do leave me a message as I enjoy reading, and connecting with readers and I always respond.
Namaste,
Jackie