We’ve all heard of the health trilogy “body, mind and spirit.” But when’s the last time you did anything for your spirit? We’re not talking about hardcore religion, having your Tarot cards read while burning incense or hallucinating from a radical juice cleanse. The goal of this article is to discover comfortable ways you can explore your spiritual personality and incorporate it into your everyday life.
Scientific evidence is mounting that spirituality plays a key role in our health. A new study from Oregon State University shows that connecting with our spiritual side helps us regulate emotions. This in turn, helps us control physiological functions such as blood pressure. It also offers amazing de-stressing powers that spas and holistic resorts around the country are touting.
Having some connection to your spiritual side gets increasingly important over time. “As we get older, we lose our parents, we start aging, our body doesn’t work the same way, and if you’re just putting stock in the material and the physical, you’re going to be depressed,” says Julie Haber, director of spirituality at Canyon Ranch Spa in Tuscon.“Ninety-nine percent of us become spiritual when a crisis happens. I’m trying to encourage people to not wait for a crisis. It’s like preventive care. You can proactively bring spirituality into your life.”
So how do you find your spiritual brand — the type that brings meaning and purpose to your life in a way that suits your personality? Here are five general spiritual personalities that Haber sees in her practice. Find the one that resonates most with you, and get ready to enrich your health and your life. No “om” required!
1. Kinesthetic
Like an athlete, you experience spiritual connection through your body, in what’s called Moving Meditation. Try yoga, Tai Chi, Chi Gong, dancing, walking, running, hiking or just stretching. “You’re moving, but you’re really being present at the same time,” Haber says. Focus on the repetitive movements you’re making—arms swinging, legs alternating steps, and the inhaling and exhaling of your breath—to clear your mind. For some people, bodywork, such as massage therapy or shiatsu can do the trick, too.
2. Scholar
As a natural student of life, you connect to your spiritual personality side through learning—by reading, watching or listening. Whether you peruse self-help books, study holy scripture, attend lectures, surf the Internet, travel abroad or just listen to NPR on your drive to work, you feel most connected when you’re observing, researching, jotting notes or otherwise gathering information about the world around you. To connect with your spiritual side, give yourself permission to “go native” and directly engage with whatever you’re exploring. Allow yourself to be introspective and analytical, letting your brain be the gateway to your soul.
3. Solitary
A sense of peace connects you with your spiritual side. As a contemplative, solitary person who can get drained by the energy of other people, you need time to unplug from the world around you, to engage in silent reflection and stillness. Ideally, you’d take a solo vacation at a cabin in the woods for a weekend or at a B&B for a night. But in real life, on a day-to-day basis, consider lone pursuits that bring you joy—long bike rides early in the morning, plucking out new tunes on a guitar, working in the garden or strolling through a museum. At the very least, recognize that solitude is what feeds your soul, so whenever you can, linger on the porch or by the window to watch the clouds go by.
4. Communal
You thrive in the company of other people, in conversations, at events and at activities. Draw energy from other people’s energy. You feel most connected when serving, giving, caring, contributing, and generally engaging the world around you. That may mean serving meals to the homeless, singing or chanting with a group. Cooking with friends, running community events, having lively discussions or just smiling at strangers. The key to finding connection in these activities is simply to be aware of their value to you. This is to consciously let the spirit of the people around you fill your heart.
5. Expressive
With a natural penchant for creativity, you’re likely to feel most spiritual when translating your feelings and ideas into works of art that people can appreciate. Whether you dance, sing, act, write music, paint, sculpt, make jewelry, take photographs or write poetry, pouring your soul into a project makes you feel most connected and fulfilled. To engage your spiritual side, consciously appreciate how that dance step. Or brushstroke helps you get in touch with deeper parts of yourself.
The key to finding your spiritual personality is to simply follow who you are. “Often we start with what we’ve been told to believe or what we’re expected to feel, but the doorway to spirituality can be really simple and personal,” Haber says. “Part of spirituality is accepting who you are and being the best version of yourself.”
