The topic of spirituality is abstract and can be quite ambiguous. Broadly speaking, spirituality can refer to the manner in which we seek, discover, and express meaning and purpose in our lives. Having a spiritual practice can be a very important component of our health and happiness. A spiritual practice can help us have a broader perspective on our life, even when things are unknown or scary.
But what is spiritual practice? How can it help me? It's important to understand what a spiritual practice actually is. While naming various types of spiritual practices doesn’t really answer the question of what a spiritual practice actually is, we can look deeper at the meaning behind the words, perhaps drawing significance from synonyms.
A spiritual practice or spiritual discipline (often including spiritual exercises) is the regular or full-time performance of actions and activities undertaken for the purpose of inducing spiritual experiences and cultivating spiritual development. A common metaphor used in the spiritual traditions of the world's great religions is that of walking a path. Therefore, a spiritual practice moves a person along a path towards a goal. The goal is variously referred to as salvation, liberation or union (with God).
It’s likely we all first encountered the word practice in childhood, when we practiced sports to become better athletes or piano each day to prepare for the big recital. No wonder people struggle with the idea of spiritual practices when practice in our culture is a means toward achieving a goal. While routine is at the root of all practice, spiritual practice is not about perfection.
The spiritual journey is a never-ending pilgrimage-a continuous cycle of departure, arrival, and return. What invites you to return and remember?
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For some, spirituality is a way of experiencing interconnectedness with the universe, nature, or the people around them. For others, it can be an inner exploration to answer questions like: Who am I? Why am I here? As with everything we teach at IIN, there is bio-individuality when it comes to spirituality. One person’s definition of spirituality - and their actual spiritual practice - will look different from another’s.
Regardless of how we define spirituality, it is important to know that for some programs, “Your spiritual practice” is not associated with religion. Following a recent injury or new diagnosis, engaging in spiritual practice can offer solace to individuals seeking to regain a sense of balance in their lives.
The Essence of Spiritual Practices
Spiritual practices have always been at the heart and soul of the world's religions, and they are also key elements of today's less organized spirituality movements. Spiritual practices are specific activities you do to deepen your relationships with the sacred and the world around you. Practices help you connect to God (or whatever name you use to describe that "something more" beyond yourself). They enable you to become actively engaged with your inner or "true" self - the depth of your being.
Practices are usually very concrete and practical. They specify just how you can walk your talk. Sometimes before you can act, however, you may need to clarify your values and beliefs. Asking and living with questions is a kind of practice.
A spiritual practice does not have to be hard. It rewards presence, not effort. Some practices do yield an outcome, but many are done simply for their own sake. And practice does not make perfect. Don't expect to overcome all your weaknesses and fix all your problems. Practice is a process, and it changes over time.
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Practices do not have to be complicated. Consider how many of the ritual exercises of the world’s religions are simple: lighting a candle, eating a piece of bread, bowing. And don’t disdain the use of your mind. Naming, remembering, watching, identifying, imagining, questioning - these are honored elements of the spiritual life.
You will find many practices for your spiritual journey. Browse through a toolkit of more than 260 classic and informal practices inspired by all the religious and spiritual traditions. As you explore the resources for your spiritual journey, you will notice that all the content is coded to indicate a "Main Practice" and "Other Practices" it illustrates or is related to.
Key Aspects of Spiritual Disciplines
According to Don Whitney, the spiritual disciplines are those practices found in Scripture that promote spiritual growth among believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ. They are habits of devotion, habits of experiential Christianity that have been practiced by God’s people since biblical times.
Here are six key aspects of spiritual disciplines:
- Personal and Interpersonal: The Bible prescribes both personal and interpersonal spiritual disciplines. We are to practice both because Jesus practiced both and because the Bible prescribes both of those for us.
- Activities, Not Attitudes: Spiritual disciplines are things you do. They are not character qualities. They are not graces. They are not the fruit of the Spirit.
- Biblically Taught or Modeled: These are practices taught or modeled in the Bible.
- Sufficient for Experiencing God: Those found in Scripture are sufficient for knowing and experiencing God and for growing in Christlikeness.
- Derived from the Gospel: Rightly practiced, the spiritual disciplines take us deeper into the glories of the gospel of Jesus Christ, not away from it.
- Means, Not Ends: The purpose of practicing the disciplines is godliness.
Different Frameworks for Spiritual Practices
A vast ocean of practices exists in this world. From the viewpoint of the ancient traditions, this small self is ultimately considered a false self. In psychology, related terms include Higher Self, True Self, Authentic Self, or Inner Self.
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When an exoteric religion is taken at face value, its stories and teachings are generally assimilated only on a conceptual or intellectual level (based on hearsay or dogma). In contrast, with spiritual practices, the intention is to realize the meaning of these teachings (or potentially invalidate them) through one’s direct experience. In this way, spiritual practices can provide a means for “phenomenological research” without preconceived notions, thereby transcending hearsay and beliefs.
Any such framework provides a “holistic view” for how to approach various methods. Taoism provides a simpler framework with its Three Treasures model.
Types of Spiritual Practices
Many spiritual practices can trigger altered or “higher” states of consciousness. These altered states can be revelatory and insightful. Over time, your perception of reality changes. You react differently to outside and internal stimuli. You see things differently.
Doing so helps reduce a large number of practices into a manageable set of types:
- Meditative practices and disciplines comprise a vast category within the Wisdom traditions. Meditation is a practice that cultivates one’s attention and focus.
- Energetic practices generally help relax and open the body, allowing its natural vital energy to flow freely. Examples of energetic practices include specific types of breathwork, movements, postures, and hand mudras.
- Nature-inspired practices enable individuals to transcend their small self (ego) and connect with the natural world. Examples of nature-based exercises include sun gazing and grounding techniques.
- Virtually all the Wisdom Traditions also use sound-based spiritual practices.
- The goal of service-oriented spiritual practices is to take action without egoic intent (personal gain) or attachment to the outcome.
- The ancient traditions, as well as the New Age, also offer a wide range of occult practices. Divination practices were common in ancient traditions.
Seven Chakras of the Human Body
There are literally thousands of Taoist spiritual practices. The number of so-called “New Age” practices is considerable. Also, many of its practices are cautioned against in ancient traditions for specific reasons. So-called secular spiritual practices comprise basically the practices highlighted above. For example, practicing mindfulness meditation or Qigong does not require a belief system or mythological framework.
Spiritual Practices in Different Religions and Traditions
Spiritual practice is manifested differently across various religions and traditions. Here are some examples:
- Judaism: Jewish spiritual practices may include prayer (including the Shema and Amidah), reciting blessings, Jewish meditation, Torah study, following dietary laws of kashrut, observing Shabbat, fasting, practices of teshuvah, giving tzedakah, and performing deeds of loving-kindness.
- Christianity: In Christianity, spiritual disciplines may include prayer, fasting, reading through the Christian Bible along with a daily devotional, frequent church attendance, constant partaking of the sacraments, such as the Eucharist, careful observance of the Lord's Day, making a Christian pilgrimage to the Holy Land, and Christian meditation or contemplative prayer.
- Islam: Spiritual practice in Islam is practiced within salat (ritual prayer) during which Muslims subdue all thoughts and concentrate solely on Allah, also through other forms of worship activities like fasting, and Hajj.
- Buddhism: In Theravada Buddhism, the generic term for spiritual cultivation is bhavana. The Pali word "yoga", central to many early Buddhist texts, has been often translated as "Spiritual Practice".
- Hinduism: In Hinduism, the practice of cultivating spirituality is known as sādhanā. Japa, the silent or audible repetition of a mantra and Puja are common Hindu spiritual practices.
- Baháʼí Faith: Prayer in the Baháʼí Faith refers to two distinct concepts: obligatory prayer and devotional prayer (general prayer).
Practical Tips for Cultivating a Spiritual Practice
You may find yourself gravitating to specific practices and methods. It’s easy to lose focus on your practice, especially in the beginning.
Here are some practical tips:
- Spend time alone each day doing nothing.
- Move your body. Physical exercise is a great way to merge our body, mind, and spirit. Try yoga, tai chi, hiking, or bike riding.
- Intentionally breathe. Take a moment each day to stop whatever you’re doing and simply breathe.
- Join a group. Enjoy exploring interconnectedness and a sense of higher purpose with others in your community.
- Set an intention. Before you get started with your day, take a few minutes to set an intention.
- Upon awakening every morning, seek out a place in your home where there is stillness and silence and meditate for about 5-15 minutes (start with one minute if five minutes is too long).
- Set up your daily mantra (a saying that keeps you grounded in your spiritual practice) to use whenever you fall back into an emotion (fear, anger, jealousy, etc.).
- For example, start by practicing breathwork for only 60 seconds. Meditate for only two to five minutes. A 2-minute meditation may initially feel like a lifetime.
- Be patient with your daily practice. It’s a process. Set an initial goal of practicing each day, ideally at a specific time that’s convenient for you.
- Consider setting aside a specific area in your home for practicing.
- Practices can become stale over time. If they become like some other chore, the process will become mechanical and lifeless. To prevent this from happening, build resolve, conviction, and faith in practice itself.
Remember that the focus of spiritual practice is that ‘outflow equals inflow.’ The more you give to others, the more you receive in return.
How Do You Get Started With Spirituality? | Sadhguru
| Religion/Tradition | Spiritual Practices |
|---|---|
| Judaism | Prayer, reciting blessings, Jewish meditation, Torah study, observing Shabbat, fasting, giving tzedakah |
| Christianity | Prayer, fasting, Bible reading, church attendance, partaking of sacraments, Christian meditation |
| Islam | Salat (ritual prayer), fasting, Hajj |
| Buddhism | Bhavana (spiritual cultivation), meditation |
| Hinduism | Sādhanā, Japa, Puja |
| Baháʼí Faith | Obligatory prayer, devotional prayer |