It isn’t by getting out of the world that we become enlightened, but by getting into the world…by getting so tuned in that we can ride the waves of our existence and never get tossed because we become the waves.
Ken Kesey
Hey, Lovelies.
Today I want to remind you of the importance of having a regular spiritual practice to nurture and guide you during these unusual and stressful times. We’re living with instability, and that isn’t going to change any time soon. Now, more than ever, we need practical spirituality.
What do I mean by that?
There’s not much point in having a spiritual practice that has nothing to do with your daily life, and which provides no real support, guidance or comfort. Those are the kinds of things might have their place when we are NOT in crisis, and can explore ideas because we have the luxury of safety, security, abundance and certainty. But now? We need to do all we can to give ourselves a platform of calm, wisdom and grace in the face of hardship.
So, it’s time to lean in to the practices that DO support, comfort and guide us. Things that help us to become a better version of ourselves.
For you that might be meditation, tending a garden, yoga, a daily walk, or regular journalling. It might be daily gratitude, weekend paddle-boarding, surfing or hiking (yes, this kind of stuff can be a spiritual practice if it encourages calm, mindfulness and relaxation), doing a weekly planning session, writing or making art, pulling a guiding card and reflecting on the wisdom it shows you, spending more time in nature, or doing breathwork each morning. Creating space in your routine for these things, and then doing them often so that they become habits or rituals, will strengthen your ability to cope with stress, increase intuition and self-trust, ground you in yourself, and give you more emotional resilience.
I also love the teachings of the Stoics for giving me inspiration to live a better life, as well as helping me face life’s challenges.
If you had a regular practice that you let go, it’s time to get back on board with it. If you’ve always wanted to start, there’s no time like the present. By embracing practical spirituality you will be supporting yourself AND flowing a more positive and stable vibration out into the world, and we need as much of that as we can get!
I’d love to hear what your favourite practical spiritual practices are, and how they help you. Let me know in the comments below, or over on Facebook. Your comments might inspire someone else to try them, and that would be wonderful!
Sending you love, peace and a sense of purpose, Nicole xx
PS – Need help with practical spirituality? Come join me in my membership group. Details here.
Nicole, I love reading your insights and blogs.
They nearly always strike a chord with me.
Having read today’s one, I thought I’d log
My recent penchant for poetry.
It came upon me, quite suddenly,
Not long after this virus came
It never came to my mind to write, previously,
But it’s here now, long may it remain.
I’m writing about all sorts of things
Like the weather, pets, nature, I guess,life
What I’m finding is, for me, it brings
A break from all the trouble and strife.
Sometimes the tone is mild and meek.
Other times, I’m having a strop!
But those are usually ‘tongue in cheek’,
And they stop my head going ‘pop’.
To anyone who’s read this rhyme
I hope that you’ve enjoyed it.
Nicole, thank you for your insight and time,
On me, you’ve made a big hit!
I always find joy and the feeling so many posts are written just for me even though they are not
Lovely post 🙂 I think having practical spiritual practices is so important to maintaining my mental health – thanks for sharing!
Jenna ♥
Stay in touch? Life of an Earth Muffin
Hi Nicole ~ thank you for this lovely post. I so look forward to all your posts … you write them in such a manner that I feel as if we’re chatting over a cuppa. You are a natural born writer 🙂 Your posts are always inspiring and offer great spiritual wisdom. Besides that, they bring a warmth to my soul. Thank you for that. You are such an incredibly unique soul and bless you for making all your followers feel happier & more peaceful after reading your comforting posts. It’s like crawling under your comfy, familiar duvet with a cup of tea and a good book that you can’t wait to read another chapter from. Wishing you a wonderful week and bright blessings of improved & stable health (you’re always in my prayers in terms of your health). Bundles of love across the miles from South Africa, Sue xx