What You Know About Spiritual Retreats May Be Wrong
Spirituality and health are two subjects that need to be considered together. Your spiritual journey may feel more challenging than it needs to, if your health--both physical and psychological--isn't optimum.
Initially people on a spiritual journey often become fully entranced with the beautiful new spaces of consciousness they're reaching through their spiritual practices or reading. This is understandable. For some of us, discovering the spiritual facet of our lives--and the veritable smorgasbord of spiritual subjects to be studied and experienced--can be all-consuming. It's easy to forget that there are other aspects of our being which also need attention, such as our physical body and our mind.
Likewise, if you have tendencies toward depression, anxiety or other chemical imbalances, these too will prevent you from having the ability to make progress on your spiritual journey. Spirituality and health must both be attended to.
Physical health will be essential for your spiritual health. When healthy, your body can more effortlessly assimilate higher spiritual frequencies, and you will additionally be more sensitive to these energies.
Healthy Diet: To begin with, a healthy diet will help you feel more awake and conscious in meditation, and also more alert to hearing and sensing inner guidance. Cutting out sugar, caffeine and alcohol is an excellent start. If abstaining from them altogether is too hard, then ingesting them in moderation might help. All three of these substances, other than not being healthy for your body, are usually mind-altering in a way that may hinder your progress on your spiritual journey.
Exercise: Physical exercise is equally important. Other than bringing oxygen into your cells, lungs and bloodstream--all very important--exercise also releases stuck energy inside you that may cause a experience of sluggishness or depression, and an accompanying lack of interest in doing anything that will enhance your spiritual growth. Any sport that appeals to you is helpful, as is hiking and simple walking. Remember, certain exercise methods for example yoga or tai chi will not just keep you in great health, they can be also designed to enhance your spiritual awakening.
When you think of a spiritual journey, what do you envision? A monk in a monastery? A nun in a convent? A shaman or medicine person from an ancient tribe? These folks are certainly on spiritual journeys - but whenever you really consider it, most of us are.
A spiritual journey does not have to mean giving away your worldly possessions and leaving your current life to provide your full focus on spiritual matters. Rather, a spiritual journey can mean consciously striving to learn, grow and develop your spiritual self - even while within the context of your life since it is today.
The advantages of undertaking a spiritual journey are too numerous to list, but for starters how about deeper peace, greater inspiration and a life which is enriched and meaningful? Embarking on a spiritual journey can transform a mundane existence into a powerful one, or deepen the joy and satisfaction teachings of meditation a life that is already enjoyable.
