Spiritual Self-Care
The final domain of self-care we will be considering on this journey is that of spiritual self-care. Spiritual self-care doesn’t necessarily have to relate to religion, though it can and does for many people; it is related to how you connect to and nourish your spirit (or soul, or other concept along those lines that resonates for you) and how you find meaning and purpose in life. Spirituality is also related to our vision and connection to things outside of ourselves.
In order to tend to your unique spiritual needs, you might first consider the following questions:
What does spirituality mean to me?
What are my core beliefs and values?
What inspires me?
How are your beliefs or practices the same or different from your family of origin’s?
What practices do you engage in currently to nurture your spiritual life?
Because spirituality can mean so many different things to everyone, it is beyond the scope of this brief article to outline all the possible ways spirituality can manifest in your life. However, if you’re interested in exploring and/or nourishing your spirituality, you might try out the following ideas and see what you think, knowing that there is no right or wrong way to get in touch with your spirituality.
Meditate (there are many ways to do this, and if you’re looking for recommendations about where to start, please feel free to check out my mindfulness/meditation resource article)
Read a book about a topic that inspires or interests you (some of my go-to’s are Faith by Sharon Salzburg and True Refuge by Tara Brach); or perhaps a book that teaches you something new about a spiritual practice or religion (one book that falls in this category for me is Buddhism Without Beliefs by Stephen Batchelor)
Spend time in nature
Journal (I was gifted this deck and have been enjoying as a form of self-exploration in my own journaling practice, and no, this is not an ad!)
Practice gratitude
Spend time without your phone
Spend time with animals
Get in touch with yourself through breathwork, massage, yoga, etc.
Listen to music. Put everything else away and just listen.
Volunteer
Explore your values (this website lists hundreds of values to help you on your way to discovering what’s important to you)
As a therapist who specializes in spiritual abuse and religious trauma, I think it needs to be said that spiritual and religious institutions can be a source of great abuse and trauma. Although it can be very challenging to reclaim your spirituality after undergoing abuse at the hands of spiritual and religious leaders and institutions, it is possible, and there can be an incredible amount of value in allowing your spirituality to fully express itself on your terms, in a way that is safe and works for you.
If you are interested in learning more about how to nurture your own spirituality by healing from spiritual abuse and/or religious trauma, please reach out to me for a free 15-minute consult, or check out the following resources:
Center for Trauma Resolution and Recovery
For more information, please see the article 6 Types of Self-Care & Ways to Practice Them, from which much of this information has been gathered.
