50 Elaborations on 50 Ways to Live Spiritually Well
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21. Breathe deeply. I cannot emphasize this enough. Beyond refreshing your mood, deeper breathing will give you more energy, help the body eliminate waste, increase metabolism, improve circulation and muscle/joint health, regulate blood sugar levels, and contribute to a better night’s sleep! Deep, abdominal breathing communicates to your mind that you are safe and relaxed. Inspired?
22. Find your purpose. With unique talents and skills, you are capable of service, contribution, and making a positive impact on the world around (and within) you. It feels wonderful to know you are being useful, in ways large and small.
23. Practice Yoga. The term “yoga” applies to anything that integrates the body and mind with awareness. There are many specific types of yoga taught here in the west: Hatha, Bikram, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Kundalini are some of the more popular ones. While each has a particular focus, all emphasize the breath. From one-handed inversions and baffling stretchy postures to mantras and mudras (hand postures) that stimulate the meridians of the body, yoga has shown itself to be quite invigorating.
24. Cultivate mindfulness. When you are being mindful, you observe your thoughts/feelings with acceptance, and without attachment. It’s a way to tune in with your inner dynamics and strengthen awareness of patterns that may no longer serve you—empowering you to release them. I intentionally “mind my manners” while I am doing routine activities like washing the dishes, brushing my teeth, driving, or walking. I also find it helpful to focus on mindfulness when experiencing stress. When I am mindful of my thoughts (“I can’t do this, it’s too hard”), I don’t have to identify with them. I can simply hear them, and then let them pass. It’s a miraculous mechanism.
25. Meditate. Ah…sitting in stillness, increasing powers of concentration. It allows for better focus throughout the day, reduces stress, and gives you more control over how you respond to the various stimuli presented to you by the world at large. You can focus on the breath or a particular image or a particular feeling, you can practice visualizations or systematic relaxation of the body. You can set aside time every morning or you can take mini-mediation moments throughout the day.
26. Forgive. When you hold something negative against somebody else, you’re effectively holding yourself hostage. You are beholden to a grudge. Your happiness should never depend on what others do, or why they do it. When you forgive, you set yourself free. Say, “I forgive you,” to somebody who has angered you, and see what happens. Hint: it sets of an energetic chain reaction you can see and feel.
27. Set a daily intention. It gives shape and purpose to your day as a unique entity unto itself. My intention for today is to trust my instincts. My intention yesterday was to relax, and I did a fantastic job of lying on the couch reading popular fiction. Set an intention that is specific to your goals and watch it work!
28. Connect with loved ones. They are your greatest wealth. A phone call, a card, an e-mail, a visit, a meal, a hug—these seemingly small gestures carry great weight. Lay it on ‘em.
29. Develop your compassion. Honor and value every human being, all the plants and animals, and the earth itself. It makes life so much richer when you have a sense of connection. As Thomas Merton says, “Compassion is the keen awareness of the interdependence of all things.” So what if you cannot personally fly to a third world country and feed the poor? You can practice compassion wherever you are, simply by holding it in your heart.
30. Heal bad habits. Take steps—however small—toward healing the habits that drain you of vital energy and resources. What makes many of our habits so hard to break is that we are surrounded by the very triggers that drive us to them. We struggle with incessant inertia; years of conditioning. Changing these patterns is not easy, but it’s more than worth it. Pay attention to what you’re doing/saying/thinking and determine whether it is sustainable. The bottom line is that you’re all you’ve got. Don’t hurt yourself.
Look out for the next installment!
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