What do we talk about when we talk about wellness?
Taking care of our bodies, sure. And there’s more conversation lately about taking care of our minds, relationships, and social wellbeing. Financial health is another spoke in the wellness wheel.
It’s harder to talk about spiritual health. Even the word spirituality means very different things to different people. With rhetoric in news and social media so divisive, some of it framed as religious imperatives, it’s tricky find inclusive ways to discuss this essential aspect of wellbeing.
Even if we consider ourselves areligious, it’s clear we’re more than our muscles and skin, social and occupational roles, or belongings and bank accounts.
Caring for that transcendent aspect of our nature is essential.
I think a spiritual journey is not so much a journey of discovery. It’s a journey of recovery. It’s a journey of uncovering your own inner nature. It’s already there. –Billy Corgan
Spring, a time of renewal and new growth, is a season of high holy days in many religious traditions. Passover, Easter, Ramadan and Ostara, to name a few, are days of reflection and gathering in both solemnity and celebration. Each acknowledge sacrifice and struggle, as well as opportunity for renewal and regeneration—the terror and the beauty of being human.
These universal themes and celebrations across religions show spirituality can transcend individual, geographic or cultural bounds. The themes are part of not just history, but our story.
C.S. Lewis said: “You don’t have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body.”
How are you caring for your spiritual health? Some possibilities.
- Beauty, curiosity, awe—spiritual superfoods!
- Finding and seeking meaning in life, from the mundane to the majestic.
- Being of service: “We are here”, says Ram Dass, “to walk each other home”.
- Developing practices that support your growth in ways that connect you to these things: meditation, prayer, mindfulness.
- Examining your values and how you are living in ways that support them.
- Making a joyful noise, whether in right speech, beautiful music, or friendly laughter.
- Joining a faith community that supports you in your journey
- Being part of and adding to a community with goals that benefit the wider world.
Take time for a spiritual check-up. What’s your favorite soul food?
“Spiritual practice is possible for all of us. You cannot say, ‘I’m just too busy, I have no time for meditation.’ No. Walking from one building to another, walking from the parking lot to your office, you can always enjoy walking mindfully, and enjoy every one of your steps.” –Thich-Nhat-Hahn
