Practical Strategies For Incorporating Spirituality Into Daily Routines
Spirituality is the science of the spirit. It is about realizing who we are. It is about being enlightened with the truth and ultimately becoming one with the Supreme Immortal Power we call God. Unfortunately, people think that spirituality is about leaving the world, living frugally or as a hermit, in seclusion. Spirituality is not so much about renunciation as it is about realization and living as our true self. It is about realizing that we are the SOUL, a Spark Of Unique Life; that we are a part of God and that everyone and everything is a Divine manifestation.
While spiritual wisdom is not realization, knowledge of these spiritual truths and common spiritual practices, if incorporated into our daily routines, can be life-transforming and help us live a life of meaning and purpose, peace and bliss, connected with God.
Here are some ways we can incorporate spirituality in our daily routines:
1. We must pray. Spirituality actually helps us realize that God is a power — the Supreme Immortal Power and not a person or a saint. We realize that God is everywhere and in everything. While we may continue to bow down before our personal God, we no longer pray to the idol but through the idol to that power. Make it a habit to pray every day, to connect with God. Prayer is a two-way communication with God. Ask God for Divine grace and blessings, for Moksha, not petty material things. Express gratitude and count your blessings. Don’t just talk to God but wait to hear the Divine voice.
2. We must spend more time with nature. We can experience God in the flowers, the butterflies and the bees, the mountains and the seas - in everything around us. Nature helps us not only to heal but helps us in connecting with God.
3. We must meditate. We should be in silence and we should meditate each day. Meditation is about stilling the mind. The mind is like a monkey that jumps from thought to thought. We have to bring down the MTR, the Mental Thought Rate from 50 thoughts a minute to 1 thought a minute. We have to observe each thought as it comes so that we become the witness, the observer. The monkey mind then becomes conscious and stops jumping around. It is in this state of thoughtlessness that our intellect is activated and we can be enlightened. In this state of consciousness or thoughtlessness, we experience peace. Be in this state of consciousness or thoughtlessness.
4. We must flip over from NEP, Negative Energy Poison to PEP, Positive Energy Power. In other words, we should let go of toxic negative emotions like anger, hate, revenge and jealousy that are poison and live with positive emotions like love, compassion, courage, acceptance and surrender — these emotions positively empower us. We should let these emotions guide our actions and interactions and engagements with people.
5. We must learn to be happy, moment by moment. We should realize that success is not happiness, happiness is success. Material things can only give us pleasure that is temporary. We cannot become happy, we have to be happy, moment by moment. We need to live in the moment and let go of the regrets of the past and the worries of the future. True and eternal happiness comes from the realization of the truth.
6. We must understand the universal law of Karma. Life is the unfolding of Karma. As we give, we get. Whatever happens in life is because of our own Karma. Therefore, we should rejoice when confronted with difficulties or suffering because our negative Karma is being negated. Ultimately, our goal is to transcend Karma.
7. We should give and engage in service. We should help the poor and the destitute by taking time out to do humanitarian deeds. Not only is it good Karma, but it will also give us a sense of fulfilment and contentment. Service to humanity is a prayer to God. Each act of kindness is a prayer.
8. We should live fulfilling our need and not with greed. How much do we need? We come empty-handed and go empty-handed. We cannot take anything with us. Why are we obsessed with money, power and success? As the Buddha said, desire is the cause of suffering. Therefore, let’s step back from the material rat-race. Let’s change our paradigm of life. Once on the spiritual path, this comes naturally.
9. Just as nothing belongs to us, no relationship is permanent. The only true and eternal relationship we can have is with God. We must learn to live with detachment, aware of the reality that every ‘body’ has to die. We come alone and we will return alone. But love all and treat everyone with respect since we are all manifestations of the Divine. Treat animals, nature and everything with reverence. Everything is God.
10. Be in Yoga. Yoga is more than Asanas or physical exercises and Pranayama or breathing techniques. While Asanas and Pranayama contribute to our sense of well-being, Yoga is actually about being in union with God. We should stay connected with God like a good SIM card that never loses its connection with the satellite. Living with faith, trust, acceptance and surrender, we must be connected with the Divine through Yoga of Meditataion, Devotion, Education, Action and Divine Manifestation. We should realize that what happens in life is the unfolding of our own Karma. When suffering comes our way, we should rejoice, because it is the redemption of our negative Karma.
11. We must not blindly follow rituals, superstitions and dogmas. We should ask meaningful and pertinent questions about life, God, birth, death, Karma; investigate our findings and then we will realize the truth. We should evolve from religion to spirituality. Spirituality helps us to discover the purpose of life. Our goal is to realize we are the Soul.
12. We should read spiritual books, listen to discourses and above all, find a Guru, a true Guru who himself is enlightened, with whom we can interact with and who can guide us. A Guru can inspire us in the right direction and guide us to live a better, more fulfilling life.
These are the best practical strategies for incorporating spirituality into our daily routine.
