Spiritual Health
Spirituality plays an important role that is often overlooked in one’s healing process.
We are body, mind, and spirit. Health necessarily involves all of these components and any program intended to improve health must address all of them. While body and mind health often the most reported and understood, it’s our spiritual health that can be the more elusive to understand and appreciate.
What is spirituality?
Spirituality is unique to each individual. Your “spirit” usually refers to the deepest part of you, the part that lets you make meaning of your world. It provides you with the revealing sense of who you are, why you are here and what your purpose for living is. It is that innermost part of you that allows you to gain strength and hope.
Spirituality is the way you find meaning, hope, comfort and inner peace in your life. Many people find spirituality through religion, music, art, and/or nature. Others find it in their values and principles.
How is spirituality related to health?
Research shows that things such as positive beliefs, comfort and strength gained from a strong sense of spirituality can contribute to healing and a sense of wellbeing. Improving your spiritual health may not cure an illness, but it may help you feel better, prevent some health problems and help you cope with illness, stress or death.
There’s no denying it – when we feel connected and balanced spiritually we feel better physically and emotionally. Nourishing our spiritual self is as important as food, water and exercise.
How can I improve my spiritual health?
Remembering that everyone is different, so what works for others may not work for you. Here are a couple of ideas that you might like:
- Identify the things in your life that give you a sense of inner peace, comfort, strength, love and connection.
- Set aside time every day to do the things that help you spiritually. These may include doing community service or volunteer work, praying, meditating, gardening, singing, reading inspirational books, bush walking, walking on the beach, yoga, playing a sport, or attending a religious service, playing with the kids, having a laugh.