The Benefits of Being a Spiritual Person
Updated: Jul 15, 2020
Spirituality is not the renunciation of life; it is the art of living fully.
-Acharya Prashant
Regardless of your beliefs about religion, spirituality is ingrained in each and every one of us. Whether you have a strong religious preference, you are an atheist, or you are anything in between, we all have the ability to be spiritual, and channeling spirituality is key in our recovery journey.
Different people may define spirituality in different ways, but the main concept of being spiritual is tuning in to something larger, stronger than yourself in order to gain enlightenment or strength. This "something" could be religion (which is a language of faith), nature, the universe, what you sense is an energy force field, or something else that you can identify as your "higher power." Studies have shown that being a spiritual person can lengthen your life, reduce stress, and make you more mentally and physically healthy. Here are some more benefits of cultivating your spiritual side:
It makes you more mindful: Part of being spiritual means you center your thoughts around something higher than yourself. This practice helps you tune in to your thoughts. Mindfulness helps you live in the moment, which is an effective practice for reducing stress. Instead of stressing about tomorrow, being spiritual can help you focus on making today the best it can be, which sets you up to have a better day tomorrow, too.
It gives your life more meaning: Spirituality helps you focus on more than just yourself. It clarifies what we’ve been told in sobriety—that we are not the center of the universe and to stop playing “god” in our lives and the lives of others. It gives your life a greater perspective, so you don't feel like your life gets lost in the vastness of the world's population and the many other issues that are constantly going on around us.
It helps you get to know yourself and your identity in the world: Being spiritual requires you to reflect on yourself, your life, and what kind of person you want to become. This inner reflection will lead you to understand yourself and your motives more clearly, which can, in turn, lead you to better yourself, love yourself, and have greater self-confidence.
It promotes mental and physical health: Our health is like a web, with mental, physical, and spiritual health all intertwined and reliant upon one another. If our physical health is suffering, it will take a toll on our mental and spiritual health. If our mental health is suffering, we can expect physical symptoms like fatigue to kick in. Likewise, if we ignore our spirituality, we are missing out on having greater mental and physical health.
It helps you be more disciplined: Staying true to spiritual goals and practices requires self-discipline. Having a strong sense of your spirituality helps you carve out what your morals and values are. Once you have a clear picture of what this looks like for you, you will find that life gains more clarity.
It helps you during tough times: Everyone experiences hardship, even after years of sobriety. Being a spiritual person helps you stay sober during difficult times because it gives you an anchor to hold on to during the storms of life. Spirituality often teaches us how to cope when times get tough, whether this includes prayer, meditation, positive thinking, or a combination of these things.
Everyone has the capacity to channel their inner spirituality if they are willing to be trusting, open-minded, and humble. While we live in an extraordinary world full of possibilities, life can sometimes seem chaotic, loud, and overbearing. Having a strong sense of spirituality can help our own individual worlds be more peaceful, meditative, and resilient. By making ourselves better, we may even make our corner of the world better.
My trust in a higher power that wants me to survive and have love in my life is what keeps me moving forward.
-Kenny Loggins