When discussing the topic of self-care, the conversation usually focuses on the physical, mental and emotional self-care all of which are very important to everyone’s overall well-being. That said, many believe that your spiritual self also needs a little love to help you feel grounded, connected to something larger than yourself, to tap into a sense of purpose, and to help you to navigate the curves that life throws at you (here’s looking at you, 2020). ).
According to Kendra Austina collective healer and tarot card reader for The unity of the soul, a virtual embrace of wellness, all self-care is essentially spiritual self-care. “Since spirituality is not about the external but rather about honoring exactly who and what we are, all versions of honoring ourselves, mind, body and soul, are spiritual self-care” she says. For example, Austin shares, spiritual self-care can be taking care of your physical body because it is the vessel for your soul, just like praying because you want your dreams to come true, or fixing boundaries to recognize your power and use it effectively.
Meghan Rose, spiritual advisor and tarot card reader, says spiritual self-care comes down to mindfulness practices that allow you to connect with your higher self – the most authentic, aligned part of you – and hear your inner voice and what it tells you it needs. . From there, Rose says, the self-care part comes into play as you take action to satisfy the needs of your spiritual body.
As with all types of self-care, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Some practices and rituals will work better for others. To give you a little inspiration, Austin and Rose share seven spiritual practices and rituals for caring for your spiritual self below.
7 Ways to Practice Spiritual Self-Care
Meditate
According to experts, meditation, whether guided (via a meditation app or YouTube video) or self-guided, is one of the best ways to nourish your spiritual self. “Meditation is the practice of focusing the mind on a particular thought or object in order to bring awareness and gain mental clarity,” explains Rose. She adds that there is no right or wrong way of meditating and any activities that put your mind in a state of flow, like painting or cooking, also help achieve clarity. Austin recommends not being strict about how you meditate because it defeats the purpose of the practice.
Walk
If sitting during a meditation isn’t your vibe, Austin says you can also reap the spiritual benefits of meditation by take a walk – think of it as active meditation. “Connecting with our bodies is an integral part of spirituality,” she says, and a walk can help ground you in your body. Additionally, she says, allowing your mind and body to wander and simply experience walking without intention or destination can help you hear your intuition better.
Practice yoga
Yoga is good for sweating and working out, but it’s also a great spiritual practice that brings the mind, body, and spirit together. “Moving the body through a yoga flow allows you to develop the dedication, clarity, awareness and self-regulation that can follow you off your mat,” says Rose. “It gives us mastery over our thoughts, a deeply grounded understanding of our body, and alignment with our truth.”
Logging
Keeping a journal is known for its mental health benefits, but it is also an excellent spiritual practice. Rose says that journaling helps us release and work through thoughts and emotions that we don’t feel comfortable expressing with others and provides a space to validate and express these innermost feelings, which is essential for spiritual growth. As with all spiritual rituals, how journaling is entirely up to you and what makes you feel good. As a starting point, Rose suggests writing down the things you are grateful for, what you want to manifest in your life, love letters to yourself, or a list of pros and cons of upcoming decisions.
Working with tarot cards
Tarot, Rose says, is a tool that helps us find clarity and cultivate a connection with our intuition. “(The cards) represent your subconscious archetypal thoughts and feelings,” she says. “There are endless possibilities for using maps to understand your past, present and future.” To begin your own tarot practice, Austin suggests finding a deck with illustrations that speak to you, then drawing a few cards daily and using your intuition to write your own interpretations of the cards based on the images. Rose adds that booking a private session with a tarot reader is another way to receive insight into tarot and help you connect with your spiritual self.
Align with the moon cycle
The Moon’s gravitational pull and its different phases affect us humans here on Earth, Rose explains. To create more flow in our lives, she suggests aligning your spiritual care rituals with the cycle of the moon, particularly the new and full moon. During the new moon, she advises writing a list of things you want to incorporate into your life during the next lunar cycle, which lasts 28 days. To harness the power of the full moon, Rose’s advice is to recognize people, habits, thoughts, doubts, judgments or fears that you are ready to let go of and write them down, beginning with the words “I released “.
Find a community
As you begin to lean more into spiritual practices, Austin says you’ll likely feel called to spend more time alone to become more familiar with your own energy. As you progress in your spiritual practice, she emphasizes the importance of finding community, whether that be spirit guides, healers, or other like-minded people speaking the same spiritual language . Having a community helps support you on your spiritual journey, but also provides an opportunity to put into practice what you have learned. “The whole point of spirituality is to find compassion for others in the human experience,” Austin explains. “It’s essential to reach outward and incorporate these practices of tenderness toward the people around you.”
