Have you ever thought of your own recovery, whether it be from additions, sickness, or spiritually.  We all go through hardships it’s just a part of life.  The idea of using spiritual practices to help us stay on track is nothing new. For people of addiction we usually use the 12 step program to get back on track so what about sickness or if you are suffering spiritually.  The tools we use for sickness are coming to the hospital to receive care, going to the doctors or going to the store for a wonderful home remedy.  What about the tools for the lack of spirituality?  I was recently with a group about spirituality when one young man piped up and said I don’t know about being spiritual so I don’t think I am.  I started to explain to him what spirituality is.

“Spirituality can be defined as an inner path enabling a person to discover his/her being. Spiritual practices then might be described as those that help the individual discover who they really are. These practices can be tools that allow the individual to develop within their religion or the person can follow a more personal journey. There are some people who use these spiritual tools almost purely for the way in which it can benefit their life today rather than trying to achieve some type of transcendence.”

There are many benefits to engulfing on a spiritual self-discovery because our spirituality or faith helps us better cope with trials and tribulations in our lives.  It gives us the ability to control our emotions and fears during sickness or recovery. Spiritual exercises can give us a boost each day to set us in a positive motion err regardless of what happens during the day.  Some tools we can use are meditation, prayer, breathing exercises, inspirational readings, art work, helping others and mindfulness.

I’d like to focus on mindfulness which is an ancient Japanese custom.  “It is a spiritual practice that involves purposely paying attention to the present moment. This means that the individual is completely focused on what they are doing now and not thinking about the past or worrying about the future. When the person is doing something they really enjoy they will be naturally mindful. The problem is that for the rest of the time people can be lost in their heads. It is not necessary to sit in a certain position or learn any mantras to be mindful. The individual can be mindful no matter what they’re doing so long as they remember to focus on what is there right now. By doing this the individual will be able to turn almost any activity into a spiritual one.”

Why is spirituality important? Why is recovery important?  What do people mean when someone is soulful? Discovering our own spirituality we are decreasing our stress levels, we are decreasing sickness, we are leveling our temperament.  We will have in increase in happiness and contentment.  Being spiritual or mindful can cure insomnia.  Some people find it gives them clarity and make better decisions. There is a sense of contentment even when we are faced with the worst situations. In essence we become a better mother, father, child, friend, or a better person in society.  When we add a faith community to our spiritual practices we tend to become soulful as spiritual paths can lead to feelings of transcendence and enlightenment.  Getting in touch with our spirituality gives us meaning and purpose in life.

(Resource: http://alcoholrehab.com/addiction-recovery/daily-spiritual-practices-are-helpful-in-recovery/)