Six Types of Spiritual Practices

A spiritual practice refers to the act you do to bond with the divinity within you. This practice doesn’t always entail doing a puja or visiting places of worship.

In Hinduism, the act of developing spirituality is referred to as sadhana. A spiritual practice is also termed as a spiritual discipline. This path guides a person to move towards a specific goal.

Let us look at some common spiritual practices. You can follow one or more of them based on what you think is the best for you.

Meditation

Meditation is one of the most common spiritual practices followed by people worldwide. This method helps you to develop an intimate bond with all things great within yourself—it keeps you calm and connected with your true nature. People often practise breathing techniques along with meditation. There are different types of meditation that you can follow. It’s a good idea to learn this art from a teacher trained in a meditation technique or someone who has experience in doing so.

You can start with just as less as five minutes in a day and gradually increase the duration to at least half an hour. Do it as many times as you can in a week for mood upliftment, good sleep, as well as less anxiety and stress.


Link with Nature

This is one of the simplest spiritual practices that you can adopt. Embark on a leisure nature trail and take time to connect with nature. This can be as simple as having a little quiet time with your favourite book under a tree or spending some time in the garden with your plants.

A few minutes of this spiritual practice daily can render a soothing experience and have a positive impact on your body and soul.

Prayer

Although this might appear to be essentially the same as meditation, prayer is actually different. Prayer is considered to be a one-way conversation you have with the supreme power. The key concept of prayer is to surrender yourself to the Divine completely with full devotion.

The conversation can be through chants, mantras, or just talking to your chosen deity. You can write your prayers, say them loudly, or recite them silently in your mind.

Yoga

Yoga is an age-old spiritual practice that involves several breathing exercises and body postures. This practice helps you bond with your body and mind alike. You can get started by attending yoga classes and later practising it in the comfort of your home. Often, there are separate classes for beginners and advanced practitioners.

Spiritual Discourses and Books

Attending spiritual discourses by learned gurus in your area is one way to incorporate spirituality in your daily life. These gurus may also share their own experiences during such meets. This will also give you an opportunity to connect with like-minded people and share your views with them. You can also listen to these discourses in your native language on your favourite TV channel for better understanding.

If you don’t wish to attend such, reading spiritual books is an equally good option. These books often unravel new ways of thinking and spiritual practices that you were not aware of earlier.

Social Service

Social service is another spiritual practice that can be easily followed. Try and give back to the less privileged in whatever small way you can. This can be as simple as donating something that you probably don’t need to a charitable institution or volunteering to be a member of as group that is into social service related activities.

Spiritual practices are not a certain set of tasks that you include as part of your to do list. They are what you do as a part of your normal routine on a regular basis. There is also no specific time or place to follow these practices. You can follow them anytime and anywhere.