What is Spiritual Self-care? – Five Ways to Practice It

Last Updated on May 26, 2022

You must have heard of self-care but have you ever heard of spiritual self-care? Yes, spiritual self-care is really a thing.

Mental and physical self-care is often practiced, but when was the last time you took care of yourself spiritually? It is important to be nurtured too.

One must understand that self-care is where you take care of your mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual self. One can’t neglect the other.

In this article, you will learn about the spiritual self and 5 ways you can take care of your spiritual self.

What is Spiritual Self-Care?

Spiritual self-care is a lifelong journey one does to find God and nurture one’s soul by various ways like meditating, journaling, chanting, etc.

Spiritual self-care is a path by which one tries to understand the meaning of life, it can be practiced through any ritual, but the path is the same; self-realization.

Why Spiritual Self-Care is Important?

Okay, spiritual self-care is about finding the true self and connecting with the higher self, but why does this even matter? Why spiritual self-care is important? Is normal self-care not enough? There is a big difference between the normal self-care you practice as mental, emotional and physical self-care is about taking care of yourself without seeking anything.

On the other hand, spiritual self-care is about finding meaning, finding purpose, connecting with the soul that resides in every being, and connecting with God.

When you are compassionate with yourself, you trust in your soul, which you let guide your life. Your soul knows the geography of your destiny better than you do.

John O’Donohue

This makes spiritual self-care crucial because you can be physically, mentally and emotionally strong but still will feel the void of something and that something will always be the hidden true self – the soul.

Benefits of Spiritual Self-Care

There are many benefits of taking care of yourself spiritually, and here are some of them:

1. Connection with others: When you understand yourself, you understand others. You understand what drives others, others fear and hunger, and you follow the path of dharma because of this realization.

2. Your senses come into control: Being in a world where everyone is in a race of becoming better at any cost, it becomes hard to control our senses. The senses like anger, lust and desire. Practicing spiritual self-care, one gets in tune with himself, which results in control of the mind.

3. You feel better: Meditation and other self-care practices help you feel much better.

4. Removes negative energy: Spiritual self-care helps remove negative thoughts and helps you find what brings you misery. You understand that no eclipse last forever.

No eclipse lasts forever.

5. You will realize the higher self: The motive of spiritual care of the soul is to realize the higher self. You may call it God, soul, angel, or higher power. No matter what you call it, it still exists. Practicing self-care spiritually helps you find the ultimate truth.

5 Ways To Practice Spiritual Self-Care

So here are ways you can take care of your spiritual self with 6 spiritual self-care ideas.

1. Meditate And Observe

Meditation is one of the most common ways to take care of your spiritual self, but people never do it the right way. Meditation is not about controlling the mind; it is about observing your thoughts flowing without judgement and indulgence. 

Meditation has many health benefits like it relies on stress, cures mental health issues, and much more. Studies also show the same. 

Meditation is a process of lightening up, of trusting the basic goodness of what we have and who we are, and of realizing that any wisdom that exists, exists in what we already have. We can lead our life so as to become more awake to who we are and what we’re doing rather than trying to improve or change or get rid of who we are or what we’re doing. The key is to wake up, to become more alert, more inquisitive and curious about ourselves. – Pema Chodron

Meditation helps you calm; it helps you understand your thought processes and much more because, in silence, you find many spiritual secrets that one cannot find in chaos.

2. Journal (Write Everything You Feel About God Or Higher Self)

Journaling is a great way to write your thoughts. I personally love writing everything I feel and everything I learn of God. It helps me in becoming more aware of the existence of my soul and the higher power which resides in us all. 

The best way to do journaling is to sit and write whatever you feel about yourself, your soul, and God. For example, you can write about how God has helped you in difficult times or how your soul is infinite, and you are not what you are. 

By doing journaling, you will see yourself and your thoughts getting aligned with the soul, which will benefit you in taking care of your spiritual self.  Here is what you can write in your spiritual journal:

• Write your favourite passage from your favourite scripture.
• Write what you want from God.
• Write when you feel most distant from God.
• Write what good things have happened to you which you never imagined?
• Write about the things which bring joy to you.
• Write about what you feel about your soul.

3. Do Chanting

Chanting is popular for thousands of years because it helps focus the mind, and it is believed that a focused mind sees the universe the way it is.

Chanting is repetitions of prayer, sound or holy mantra that can help you in focusing and helps you to take care of your spiritual self.

The most famous chant is ‘Om’ chanting, and it is said that chanting generates powerful vibrations which exhibit therapeutic benefits for the body and mind.

Chanting is a way of getting in touch with yourself. It’s an opening of the heart and letting go of the mind and thoughts. It deepens the channel of grace, and it’s a way of being present in the moment. – Krishna Das

4. Practice Yoga

 Yoga, I am not talking about the yoga you see on youtube and Instagram with challenging poses and all.

I am talking about genuine yoga, which will give you more than just likes and a fit body. Yoga is not always about getting a fit body; it is about connecting with the soul. The connection with the soul happens when you understand yoga. 

The meaning of yoga is “the one that connects you with reality or union” it connects you with the soul, the higher power and aligns your seven chakras. When the seven chakras are aligned, you attain moksha, become wise, and attain enlightenment.  

“When you listen to yourself, everything comes naturally. It comes from inside, like a kind of will to do something. Try to be sensitive. That is yoga.”  

Petri Räisänen

Do breathing exercises or simple yoga postures that will help you in your journey of spiritual self-care.

5. Introspect

  Introspection can help you understand yourself, your fears and your desires. When a person introspects, he realizes his true potential and the kind of person he is. 

Every night sit down and introspect everything, introspect about how you treated everybody? How you treated yourself?

Were you mean to others? Were you judgy? Etc. With this simple introspection practice, you will find your shortcoming, and by finding those, you will be more aware of what stops you from being connected with the higher self.

Conclusion

Taking care of your spiritual self is hard, but it is a journey worth seeking. Understand your true self with the help of yoga, meditations and honest introspections, and by this way, you will succeed on your spiritual self-care journey. 

I hope this helps; feel free to ask anything in the comment sections. Thanks for reading.