Below are some recommended practices for spiritual seekers. Keep in mind that it is not the practices themselves that are important; what is important is that these practices assist you on your journey of opening your heart, raising your vibrations and expanding your consciousness. Choose what works for you and don’t be afraid to create your own set of practices.
What to avoid
If used correctly, spiritual practices can be extremely beneficial for spiritual growth and development. However, the misuse of the practices can have the opposite effect. A classic example is the case of the Pharisees in the Bible whose devotion to a strict set of religious practices were just for show. The following is a short list of things to avoid:
- Using your practices to inflate your ego. It can be easy to feel that your practices give you a sort of spiritual superiority over others. When this happens, simply be aware of this and let go of such attitudes.
- Practicing because you “have to.” Initially, it may take discipline in order to turn spiritual practices into habits. But it’s best not to treat practices as if they are some sort of chore that needs to be done. Spiritual practices should be conducted with an open heart and a positive mindset. If you practices feel like a burden, explore ways that you can turn them into something that you look forward to. For example, if your morning meditation doesn’t get you excited, then try doing a little “happy dance” beforehand to get you in a more cheerful mood.
- Expecting results. The purpose of these practices is for spiritual growth, which does not necessarily equal positive changes to your life or relationships. Eventually, your practices will likely lead to heightened spiritual abilities, but these changes will inevitably occur faster if you are not constantly judging your progress (or lack thereof).
For Stillness of Mind and Intuition
These practices help us to shift from living in the mind to heart-centered living.
Meditation: There are numerous meditation techniques that can be used for a variety of purposes and outcomes. One important goal of meditation practices regards calming the mind in order to focus more on what our hearts are telling us. Normally the mind runs wild, and we have a habit of constantly listening to its chatter and making decisions based on our thoughts. During our practices, we want to take our focus off our minds and make a connection with our hearts.
Here is a very simple meditation technique. Find a place to sit comfortably, either in a chair with your feet on the floor or sitting on a meditation cushion with your legs crossed. Ensure that you are in a place where you will not be disturbed by people, pets, devices, etc. Rest your hands in your lap or on your thighs and keep your back as straight as possible. Begin by taking three large breaths, and then relax your breathing. Spend a few moments noticing the external sounds that you can hear. Then turn your attention to the sounds of your thoughts. Don’t get caught up in your thoughts; simply listen to them as you would listen to a conversation. After a few more minutes, move your attention from your thoughts and focus your awareness on your breath. Do not try to alter your breath; simply use your breath as the focus of your attention. Anytime you are distracted by your thoughts or external noises, gently move your awareness back to listening for what is underneath. At the end of your session, take another deep breath and gently open your eyes.
Practice stillness: At regular intervals during the day, take a few moments to practice stillness. This practice is like a rest period for the mind: simply sit still, breathe in a relaxed manner, and enjoy the stillness of the moment. This practice will help increase your intuition and heart connection.
Higher Self Decision Making: Before making any decision (big or small), ask yourself internally what you will (with the understanding that you are asking your Higher Self). For example: “What shirt will I wear today?” “What will I eat for breakfast?” Then make your choice as you normally would. At the beginning stage, you are not concerned about whether or not you “hear” an answer. Instead, this practice is to get you into the mindset that you are letting your Higher Self guide your decisions.
For Staying Heart-Centered
The following activities help us stay heart-centered, which will keep us from being tossed around by our emotions and triggers.
Practice of Forgiveness: A lot of energy is lost when we constantly judge others and place people in categories of good or bad. Anytime you catch yourself judging another person, gently remind yourself that on this planet we learn and evolve by making mistakes. In order for us to personally move on from our mistakes, it is vital that we forgive ourselves, and we are incapable of forgiving ourselves until we can forgive others for their own mistakes.
One way to practice forgiveness is to think about a person who has hurt you and then visualize them being happy. Open your heart as much as possible and send them as much love as you can. Continue this exercise as long as it takes until you can genuinely wish them well and hope for them to achieve joy and happiness.
Practice of Gratitude: Although it is extremely difficult to practice gratitude when we feel there is nothing to be grateful for, it is exactly in these moments when it is most important to do so. By mastering gratitude during the times that we have hit “rock bottom,” we are then capable of being grateful regardless of our life circumstances. The energy of gratitude is extremely powerful and will lead to a life of joy and bliss.
Benevolent requests: Otherwise known as prayer, benevolent requests are a powerful practice that should not be overlooked. There are many metaphysical helpers who would be glad to come to our assistance, but they need us to request their help. Additionally, requests that are conducted in a group setting are powerful because of the energy that is created from such requests. No request is too big or too small, and any prayer should focus on positive results.
When we make benevolent requests, it is important to keep in mind that we want outcomes that are truly in our best interests, and not just in the interests of our ego selves. Therefore, it may be appropriate to formulate certain requests by stating that you wish for the most benevolent/beneficial outcome.
Practicing Joy: This practice involves intentionally doing something that genuinely brings you joy. Note the choice of the word joy instead of pleasure. Many of the activities that bring us pleasure also come with guilt involved (which is often due to misuse of the activity or moral judgements related to the activity).
Activities that bring us joy are those that uplift us and bring us in touch with that inner, playful and creative self. Classic examples include singing in the shower, or dancing as if nobody is watching. For “best results,” make an effort to engage in such activities on a daily basis.
Being of service to others. As with other practices, this works best when the action comes from the heart. Formal volunteer service is not necessary (although this is a beneficial activity for those who have the time and resources). You can think of service to others as being related to doing random acts of kindness. Additionally, it does not have to involve directly helping other people; it could be as simple as picking up litter than is on the ground.
Note that we can serve others and still get paid for what we do. This occurs, for instance, when we are doing any type of action that involves helping other people. This does not just include professions that heal people; it can include any task that involves helping someone with what they need. Regardless of what you do for a living, there are always opportunities to be of service to others (even if it is part of your job description).
Outside of a profession, serving others might involve using your expertise to help others (i.e., leading youth groups, being a mentor). It could be sharing your creative works online, spending time with people who are lonely, or simply being kind to others. There are many opportunities to make a difference, and we rarely realize how much we can impact other people’s lives.
When considered from a wider perspective, being of service to others is what gives our lives meaning. An ascended master once commented that the greatest pleasure is to serve others. As we progress on the spiritual path, we will increasingly add more joy to our lives as a result of the impact we make on other people’s lives.
For Raising Vibrations
The following activities help increase our energy and raise our vibrations.
Yoga and Tai-Chi: If you aren’t yet aware of the energy movements in your body, yoga and tai-chi are excellent practices for establishing this awareness. Both activities help to release energetic blocks and restore a healthy flow of energy. They are also excellent for calming the mind and body.
Breathwork: It is hard to understate the significance that correct breathing can have on our energy levels. By practicing deep, belly breathing, our energy intake increases dramatically. Additionally, deep breathing keeps us relaxed and better focused. Spiritual teachings sometimes comment that the mind can be controlled by controlling the breath. I.e., to relax the mind: relax the breath.
Grounding: The energy that we are working with in the body is similar to electricity, and thus to safely raise our energy it is important that we are properly grounded. Grounding can be done intuitively of via visualizations (whichever is easier). One visualization for grounding involves sending an energetic chord down into the Earth and connecting it into the central core.
Visualizations: An excellent way to work with energy in the body is via visualizations. There is no specific technique required; the activity can be as simple as imagining that the energy field around your body becomes brighter and brighter. Another simple visualization involves – as a first step – imagining a central tube of light that goes from the top of your head to the bottom of your feet. Next, expand that tube of energy so that the bottom extends to the center of (mother) Earth, and the top extends to (father) sky in the “heavens.” Next, visualize energy entering into your field from both directions, meeting in your heart to connect “heaven on earth” and produce a loving energy that makes your field glow and sparkle send light out in all directions.
For the Body
The body is the home of the soul and should be respected as the soul’s temple. Instead of ignoring the body as profane, the body should be treated as sacred and cared for with love and respect. The following are some spiritual practices for keeping the body healthy and pure.
Fresh air and sunshine: If possible, try to get fresh air and sunshine on a daily basis (or when the weather permits).
Walks in nature: This doesn’t mean that you have to go to a forest; the main purpose here is to connect with nature. This might be trees, it might be flowers, or perhaps just some grass. But try to make heart connections with nature (i.e. send love to the nature and natural beauty that is around you). As much as possible, try to keep the mind chatter to a minimum by focusing on the experience and not what is going on in your head.
Walk barefoot: Whenever the opportunity presents itself, consider walking (or standing) barefoot in nature, or on grass. This practice is especially beneficial in the morning when there is dew on the ground, at the dew helps your body soak in the energy from the earth.
Intermittent fasting: The digestion of food is one of the largest consumptions of energy for the body, and most people eat much more food than is actually necessary or healthy. Intermittent fasting is the practice of eating each day only within an eight-hour window, which gives the body time to properly digest food and then rest for awhile.
High-vibrational diet: According to “spiritual theory,” the reason we eat food for energy (instead of getting energy directly from the sun) is that our bodies do not vibrate at a level that is high enough for assimilating energy from the sun. The food we eat vibrates at a lower level than we can assimilate. However, as we raise the vibration of our bodies, there are certain foods whose vibration will become lower than our own and “drag us down” if we continue to eat it. Lower vibrational foods are known to include red meat, dairy products, wheat, and sugar. The highest vibrational foods are fruits, followed by other non-processed vegetables and produce.
Blessing/honoring our food: Regardless of our food choices, we can always raise the vibration of any type of food we consume. Prior to eating, spend a moment to give thanks for what you are going to eat. This is very similar to saying a prayer before a meal, but the essential “ingredient” is not the words that are used, but the intention. When we thank the food and honor the plant or animal that was used as the source of our meal, we change the energetic vibration of the food.
Photo by Cliff Booth