10 Ways to Kickstart A Daily Spiritual Practice
We all crave more peace, less anxiety, and definitely less stress.
One of the best ways to do this is to have some kind of daily contemplative practice. Think about this as a time to simply be with you. To touch base with the wise, all knowing self that resides deep within you.
A spiritual practice is something you give yourself so it should feel exciting and fun and definitely NOT like a chore. It’s not another “have-to.”
I often think about this time as refuge – a state I can enter where the craziness of the world is far away- where there is only peace and a sense of calm.
Craving more peace in your life? Here are 10 ideas to get you started:
We all crave more peace, less anxiety, and definitely less stress.
One of the best ways to do this is to have some kind of daily contemplative practice. Think about this as a time to simply be with you. To touch base with the wise, all knowing self that resides deep within you.
A spiritual practice is something you give yourself so it should feel exciting and fun and definitely NOT like a chore. It’s not another “have-to.”
I often think about this time as refuge – a state I can enter where the craziness of the world is far away- where there is only peace and a sense of calm.
Here are 10 ideas to get you started:
1. Prayer
If you’ve grown up with any kind of formal religion, you know what prayers sound like. But a prayer doesn’t have to be religious. It’s really a call from your heart out into the world.
My prayers are usually for people who are suffering as well as for the planet. But a super terrific prayer to start everyday is one I’ve mentioned before from A Course in Miracles, it says,
What would you have me do today?
Where would you have me go?
What would you have me say and to whom?
2. Affirmation
Starting your day with an affirmation or a list of them is a really powerful practice. You are speaking aloud what you want to manifest in your life. An affirmation can be general or specific.
I consider Louise Hay to be the queen of affirmations. Here is a great video with her sharing about affirmations.
3. Meditation
Meditation has literally transformed my life. I cannot imagine not doing this everyday BUT I do know how hard and scary it can be to start.
And I will admit, that even now, 20 years later, sometimes when I meditate, my thoughts don’t stop leaping around. As you begin or deepen your own time in meditation, remember that it is a practice. It isn’t about perfection.
If you want to start with a guided meditation or visualization, hop onto Insight Timer and have fun exploring not only my meditations but the hundreds of other ones!
4. To Be List
One of my favorite spiritual teachers, Dr. Robert Holden offers this suggestion. Rather than having a To DO list, have a To BE list. Isn’t this a great idea!
How do you want to be today?
- Loving
- Kind
- Generous
- Patient
5. Journal
I have many friends who begin each day writing in their journals. They are literally writing their lives into existence. If this sounds intriguing, get yourself a special notebook, decide your spot and commit to writing – for 5, 10, 20 minutes, whatever it is for you. There’s something transformational that happens when we put pen to paper.
6. Contemplative Walk
Walking is both meditative and aerobic. Obviously the best places to do these walks is somewhere pretty or serene – such as a park, along the water or in the woods. But you can have a contemplative walk not in nature too. Even on the treadmill. Plug in some soothing music and allow yourself to move.
7. Singing
I recently attended an earth honoring circle where a few women were inspired to sing. If singing helps you connect with your heart space, this might be the practice for you. Find some honoring, uplifting music that speaks to your higher self and belt it out! I am a big fan of kirtan, a form of Sanskrit chanting and love singing those songs.
8. Inspirational Video
If multi-media is more your thing, you may enjoy a video that connects you. One of my absolute favorites is Louie Schwartzberg’s one on gratitude.
9. Yoga Asana
Another way to ease into the day is through yoga, and doing a repetitive asana. One of the most common is the Sun Salutation, which is a series of simple moves designed to help awaken the body.
I have suffered from sciatica for 20+ years and discovered that doing the sun salutation every morning actually kept me pain free. So this is a daily part of my practice. See it performed here.
10. Start Your Day
Okay, I admit it, I hate getting out of bed. And I can be pretty grouchy in the morning. For over 10 years, my husband has lovingly reminded me that how you start your day is how you live your day.
So instead of groaning about getting up, how can you greet your day?
How would you like this day to be for you? Rewarding, satisfying, fulfilling, peaceful?
Whether you choose one of the above or a number of these, deepening your relationship to yourself is what a spiritual practice is all about. Decide what feels right for you and how you want to support yourself in your own evolution. That's what life is all about!
As always, don't be a stranger. Let me know what works for you!
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Finding Real Belonging
Feel like you don’t belong in your family? In society? In the world?
Me too.
I used to think it was just me. That something was terribly wrong with me. I was flawed, broken because I felt disconnected. Everyone around me seemed content, loved, successful. They were all normal and happy. Why wasn’t I?
Then I convinced myself that there must be a place, an actual physical place, where I could feel all of that- where I genuinely belonged.
So I went looking. First I crossed the country, from Boston to Portland. Then I went to Asia- Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia. I even tried the Middle East and Europe.
I thought I’d found it in Bali, but no…
It took fifteen long years for me to clue in.
Feel like you don’t belong in your family? In society? In the world?
Me too.
I used to think I was the only one who felt like this. Something was terribly wrong with me - I was flawed, broken because I felt disconnected. Everyone around me seemed content, loved, successful. They were all normal and happy.
Why wasn’t I?
Then I convinced myself that there must be a place, an actual physical place, where I could feel all of that- where I genuinely belonged.
So I went looking. First I crossed the country, from Boston to Portland. Then I went to Asia- Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia. I even tried the Middle East and Europe.
I thought I’d found it in Bali, but no…
It took fifteen long years for me to clue in.
The place I was looking for was inside of me, it was me.
True belonging is about connecting to your heart, to your core, to the YOU within you.
I finally had to stop “searching” and dive in.
If feeling alone and alienated resonates with you, here are the steps to your salvation:
1. Be Present With You
Stop running away from yourself. Happy, sad, angry, suffering. Be okay with whatever you feel right now. There’s so much power in moving into the pain or discomfort. That’s where true healing lies. In seeing what’s really real for you every second of every day.
A super powerful way to dive right into this is to do mirror work. Look at yourself in the mirror and say, “I love you. I really, really love you.”
The first time I did this, I started sobbing. Now I smile.
2. Connect
Even though peace and abiding happiness come from within you, we are social creatures. How can you feel more connected to like-minded people? Is there a faith based organization or spiritual center that you resonate with nearby? Is there a book group or club doing things you enjoy?
3. Seek Refuge
In Buddhism, you often hear the phrase, “Seek refuge in the Buddha, dharma and sangha.”
I love the word refuge because to me, it’s a place of safety, a place to lick your wounds, replenish and be refilled.
I interpret this Buddhist phrase to mean that:
- First we find our salvation and our home through connection to God-the Universe-Oneness (Buddha).
What path speaks to you? What form of the divine can you connect to?
Is it Buddha, Tara, or any one of the Hindu gods or goddesses? Jesus or Virgin Mary? Is it the great earth Mother? Nature? Or simply that which is un-nameable? The great unknown?
- Second, commit to a practice. This is dharma. The way of right action and right living.
Find a teaching- book, lectures, etc. where the words resonate with your beliefs. There are countless paths and ways: Bible, Talmud, Koran, A Course In Miracles, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Buddhist scripture, Wiccan, Pagan, Celtic, Native American...
Maybe you want a teacher who speaks to you.
Here are some resources to check out:
- Hay House Radio (or their website)
- Lion’s Roar (for Buddhist teachers)
- Oprah’s Super Soul Sundays
- Krista Tippet’s Podcast, On Being
- Third, connect to others who are on a similar path.
This is sangha, or satsang. It is spiritual community. Seek out your spirit brothers and sisters. It’s hard to do this work, and we all need love and support. This is where community comes in.
Truly, we are spiritual beings having a human experience. This is why the world feels unnatural because we don’t really belong here. And yet, here we are, contracted to experience human existence in all its messiness and glory.
Isn’t it time to fully embrace it and genuinely live it open heartedly and unapologetically?
I say yes. And welcome to the club.
Where will you start? Share your ideas just below the blog!
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3 Must Haves For A Happy & Rich Spiritual Life
What does it mean to be “spiritual”?
That word gets thrown around a lot.
Sometimes spirituality can sound serious. Like the word mindfulness. Maybe you imagine a room full of conscientious people, sitting and breathing in silence.
Other times it can sound airy-fairy, when people talk to angels, or leave food out for the little people.
For me, leading a “spiritual” life means committing to God but also to humanity.
What does it mean to be “spiritual”?
That word gets thrown around a lot.
Sometimes spirituality can sound serious. Like when people talk about "mind training." That phrase can feel daunting and complicated.
Other times spirituality can sound airy-fairy, when people talk to angels, or leave food out for the little people.
For me, leading a “spiritual” life means committing to God but also to humanity.
In other words it’s about being in the world, aware and conscious, with a wide-open heart, while also deeply connecting to the one-ness, to God, to source.
In the decades that I've been studying and living this truth, I've discovered that there are 3 things you need to have a grounded, rich, soul filled life.
1. A Healthy Body
Have you ever tried to meditate when you’re sick?
If you have, then you know exactly why this is here.
It’s so hard to focus the mind and sit still when the body is aching, or out of alignment.
Care for your body.
Treat it like the temple that it is for it houses your soul on earth. AND it’s here with you on this journey the entire time.
Your body is your constant companion.
Eat healthy foods.
Move.
Treat your body with the love and respect it deserves.
2. Heal Your Mind
I don’t know one adult who hasn’t experienced suffering.
As Buddhism reminds us, this is one of the Four Noble Truths; life is suffering.
For some, this can be physical – starvation, deprivation, illness.
For all of us, it is emotional.
And here’s the dirty little secret: what you don’t deal with, your unconscious material, rules your life.
Be willing to examine that anger, lack of trust, anxiety or depression.
Often these symptoms hark back to unresolved issue from childhood. Common ones are: feeling unloved, abandoned or unsupported.
How can you release that old pattern or limiting belief?
Does it involve forgiveness, a frank discussion with someone, creating healthy boundaries?
What you don’t see has all the power. So make the invisible visible and walk through the pain.
Whenever I get scared of doing this, I’m reminded of a passage in A Road Less Traveled, by M Scott Peck in which he says:
“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.”
Pain can be the great transformer because it can push us to change, learn, grow and evolve.
It also helps us remember that we are not our neurosis.
We are in fact already whole and healed, perfect in every way. We just have to remember and re-align to that.
So be willing to ground yourself both in your physical body and your mind.
3. Maintain a Practice
Whatever it is that you are inclined to do: prayer, breath work, meditation, yoga, free dance, chanting, ritual, mantra…
Make it a habit. Commit to it every day.
It is the only way to truly shift and release.
Whatever you experience during meditation, eventually you will come back to this present, the here and now and to this body and mind.
That’s why it’s critical that your mind and body are strong and healthy. As you build your spiritual muscles and gain more power, you have to be able to hold it. This is why you need a strong physical and mental constitution.
What’s your favorite way to nurture your mind, body or spirit?
Leave a comment below. Let’s get inspired by one another!
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Get Your Groove Back: 3 Easy Steps to Re-Awaken Creativity
Stuck in a rut?
Feel like you’re creative juices have dried up?
Let’s face it. This happens to ALL of us especially if you have a deadline or are starting a fresh, new project.
But here’s the great news. It’s actually pretty easy to fan that flame.
Check out these 3 ways to get going again:
Stuck in a rut?
Feel like you’re creative juices have dried up?
Let’s face it. This happens to ALL of us especially if you have a deadline or are starting a fresh, new project.
But here’s the great news. It’s actually pretty easy to fan that flame.
Check out these 3 ways to get going again:
1. Move
This is actually two ideas in one:
The first is to physically move your body.
Get out of that office chair, quit standing behind that easel and go for a walk.
Moving does a few things.
It oxygenates the body. It also frees your mind to begin free-associating. This can help you solve a problem or resolve an issue. Steve Jobs often walked when he wanted to think out a problem and frequently invited other people to go with him and brainstorm!
The second is to change locations.
Go and work somewhere else.
This is like magic for me.
Normally, I work at home but am just as likely as you to get stuck. When I feel this coming on, I go to a café, park bench or someplace where I can work undisturbed.
Sometimes you just need a change of scenery.
2. Be inspired
Creativity can be jumpstarted by something you see, hear or read.
Exposing yourself to other ideas can act like a springboard and launch you into a new thought or way of seeing something.
Maybe you read a great article and it inspires a blog post or you see a cool sculpture at a gallery and it gets you thinking about how you could draw it. Magazines come in handy, too, for ideas about decorating, new clothing outfits or dinner menu ideas.
Ready to find inspiration?
Check out your local library for magazines, see what visual or performing arts shows are happening in your local area, browse Pinterest or Etsy for ideas. You can even google a topic (like creativity) and see what the search brings.
3. Collaborate
Sometimes if you’re really stuck, it helps to talk it out.
Call up a friend or colleague, explain what’s going on.
It can often be easier for an outside person to provide clarity than it is for you to cut through your own stuck-ness.
We can often be blind to the most obvious thing.
Share where you are and where you want to go.
Sometimes just saying the words out loud brings the solution.
We are all creative. And we all fall into slumps.
So the next time you need a little kick start, try these tips and see what happens!
AND be sure to let me know! Leave me a comment below or shoot me an email!
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4 Simple Ways to Deal with Conflict
Some people love to argue and fight. Part of me is in awe of these gutsy folks because I am the opposite. I hate arguing. I don’t even like watching other people fight.
Instead, my typical response was always one of three things: I avoided the confrontation or I worked hard at making peace, smoothing things over or acting like it was no big deal.
But as I moved more into being authentic, none of these behaviors felt genuine. They were just ways that I was ignoring myself, allowing myself to be quieted or swallowing how I really felt. And then, when I ran a business, I had no choice because conflict was in my face.
It was time to deal with it.
Some people love to argue and fight. Part of me is in awe of these gutsy folks because I am the opposite. I hate arguing. I don’t even like watching other people fight.
Instead, my typical response was always one of three things: I avoided the confrontation or I worked hard at making peace, smoothing things over or acting like it was no big deal.
But as I moved more into being authentic, none of these behaviors felt genuine. They were just ways that I was ignoring myself, allowing myself to be quieted or swallowing how I really felt. And then, when I ran a business, I had no choice because conflict was in my face.
It was time to deal with it.
With guidance from co-workers and coaches, and years of practice, here’s what I’ve learned.
1. Think Before You Talk
Not everyone has the ability to come up with a smart reply in an instant. So, instead of reliving the moment with all of your witty “should have said” remarks, move on.
Your time is better spent thinking about what you really want to say. Create an argument, a rationale about what you believe and why. Draw on facts, and examples to lend persuasion.
2. Keep Your Emotions in Check
Have you ever heard the expression, once you get angry, you’ve lost?
When you feel really passionate about something, whether you’ve been wronged or desperately want another person to see your point of view, it’s easy to get impassioned, heated, or intense.
But emotion doesn’t often work in your favor. Usually, as emotion escalates, the argument loses ground. In other words, it becomes easier for the person to ignore you or to discredit your ideas, chalking it all up to overreaction, melodrama or hysteria.
3. Show Up – Don’t Avoid
Trust me when I say it’s better to speak up, get it out and move on.
I’ve spent lots of time avoiding issues both in my personal life and in business. But it’s always the same. Nothing changes until we’re ready to show up. And often times, by not confronting an issue, it can actually get worse.
The next time you find yourself wanting to avoid a sensitive topic, check in. What will it take for you to talk to that co-worker? Or tell your mate that you need help with chores? Or confront your child about the state of his room?
4. Connect Within
Nowadays, when I find myself upset about something, the first thing I do is check in with me. Is this real? Do I have a legitimate reason to be upset or is this something I am not seeing clearly?
If my internal answer confirms that there is a problem, I then ask for guidance. How can I resolve this? What is my next step? What do I need to do?
I also use affirmation to support me during this time.
One of my favorites is something I adapted from Louise Hay and if I’m really upset or afraid, I’ll repeat it over and over again. “Out of this situation only good will come. I see this issue being resolved for the highest good of everyone involved. I am safe.”
It helps me stay brave, calms me down and has the benefit of really helping a situation shift!
Whether you like it or not, conflict is a part of life. And learning to deal with it from a place of the heart is key. It can transform your life as well as those around you.