I recently had a very eye opening conversation with some members of the JLA team about spirituality and how many people don’t understand spirituality or how to become more spiritual. As a very spiritual person myself, I learned so much more by having this conversation with some people who didn’t consider themselves to be “spiritual” and we all left the conversation with a tremendous amount of new knowledge and a new outlook on spirituality that I think we can all learn from!
I have been on my spiritual journey for most of my life and have really learned what being a spiritual being means to me in the past few years. It was a very long building process where I learned so much about myself on such a deeper level and have a great new outlook on each experience I have. I have come to learn and wholeheartedly believe that spirituality is a lifelong journey of keeping peace in your mind and soul. Everyone’s journey will be different because spirituality is a personal voyage to self acceptance and appreciation of your journey.
For those who are interested in learning more about spirituality I highly recommend watching “Super Soul Sunday” on the Oprah Winfrey Network (“OWN”). Each Sunday Oprah sits down with a different amazing guest from various backgrounds to discuss the road to spirituality that is never ending. Everyone will connect differently to each guest depending on their personal journey and different things may resonate with you than may effect me. That is one of the beautiful things about spirituality – it is all relative to YOU and you can make it mean whatever you’d like. This show is very eye opening no matter how “spiritual” you consider yourself and if you’re like me, each episode will leave you with a brand new outlook on some aspect of your life.
Spirituality is all about accepting your authentic self. While this may seam like an easy, surface level feat – it usually is not. Many of us harbor regrets or want to forget about parts of our past, and both of these feelings are totally normal. Being in touch with your spiritual side helps you to appreciate each decision you made and each hardship you’ve endured. Further than that, becoming more spiritual and accepting of your journey will hopefully one day allow you to wear these experiences as badges of honor that you are proud of because they reflect your authentic self. Even if you’ve come a long way from some of the darker and harder times in your life, they will always remain a part of your journey in shaping you to be the person you are today!
Even if you’re just deciding to get into it now, spirituality is a lifelong journey. We are encouraged to never stop learning about ourselves and owning everything that happens just as we are encouraged to own everything that has happened in the past. Everything that you have endured up to this point in your life happened because it was meant to. Once you allow yourself to stop questioning the “whys” of the world you will be on the path to better accepting your journey and your role in living it.
Something that I have come to learn from one of my very spiritual friends is to accept that nobody is happy all the time. As simple as it may appear, this knowledge and wisdom saved my life. Before accepting spirituality into my life I never had the tools to understand that the lows were not only “okay,” but should be felt in their entirety. We’ve all heard the line “this too shall pass” and it really is true. Even when you think your lows are so low that you’ll never be able to overcome them, you will. I have been there myself and can tell you firsthand that there IS a light at the end of the tunnel if you believe that there is a reason why you’re experiencing this low and that you will emerge stronger than ever!
We have all had hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled. Spirituality has allowed me to accept that there is a lesson to be learned for everything and that if something doesn’t happen as you would have liked it to, there is something better lined up right around the corner. Even when things don’t seem to be going your way or according to your plans, embrace that it is all part of God’s plan for you. The lows are meant to be felt just as the highs are meant to be embraced. Spirituality encourages us to live in each moment and appreciate them for what they are, along with the fact that whether good or bad, we will never get those moments back.
Everything happens for a reason. As difficult as this concept may be to wrap our heads around, especially when tragedies occur, I have learned to embrace this fact. As much as we may search, the fact is that there is no answer to everything or an explanation for all that happens. Trying to wrap my head around the fact that my brother was killed in an accident at such a young age is something that I struggled with for most of my life. I know that God has a bigger plan and design at work even though I miss him every single day of my life. Since getting more in touch with my spirituality I find that I feel his presence around me so much more. I will probably never know or understand why he was taken from this earth at such a young age, but I do know that I have a very special guardian angel who is with me everyday – and that gives me strength.
A common misconception that many people have is that you have to be religious in order to be spiritual. While spirituality can strengthen your ties to your religion, you can also be spiritual without being religious at all. Spirituality all by itself is such a fulfilling, easing and life fulfilling way of life.
The beautiful thing about spirituality is that you’re always learning new ways to be in touch with your spiritual side. Because it is a constant conversation, you will continue to grow into your fullest being and the more you connect with your spirit, the more whole you will become. From my experience, spirituality encourages you to have as many conversations with people about their journeys so that you can learn from theirs just as they can learn from yours. I have learned that the more wisdom you can impart on others freely and truly the more you will feel your connection with your inner soul growing! Because everyone sees things and feels things differently, each conversation will give you new insight that could change your life! No conversation is ever wasted because you will see that there is something to learn from everybody!
It is so wonderful to actually see yourself connecting with your own inner soul and all of the joys it can bring into your life. When you do this you will find you are more open to love, success and all of the wonders of the world as you find yourself embracing everything that comes into your life. Not only this, but you will come to accept your journey up to this point and you’ll find yourself being so proud of the person you’ve become! Spirituality is a lifelong journey in which you will grow as a person just as your connection to your inner soul flourishes. I hope you enjoyed my take on spirituality about my journey so far and I hope that some of the wisdom I have shared with you will help awaken parts of your soul in your own beautiful spiritual journey.