I have previously believed in a religion called Daoism and also am a member of the Methodist Church but currently don't much worship or even think about religion and spirituality. This is an immense predicament for the reason that I am an adolescent and need some kind of asylum from the extraordinarily harsh, cruel, dog eat dog world of modern day society. I have a problem of motivation that effects me a large amount and I think if I find spirituality I can be motivated to once again do things to be proud of.
The First method states that Studies have shown that those who have spirituality tend to have a longer life expectancy, less prone to stress, less anxious and handle a crisis superiorly to those without spirituality. Spirituality is stated to guide the one who has it one way rather than another because of the fact that it acts both as a compass and a guide. Prayer is a form of spirituality that is most commonly used in forms of complementary and alternative medicine. If you are religious the method states that you should deepen your spiritual commitment through prayer, more frequent church attendance, or joining a prayer group.
If you are not religious keep an open mind about the value of religion or spirituality. Consider visiting a church or synagogue. Read the writings of inspired people of deep faith. Try nonreligious meditation or relaxation training if you are not ready to consider religion. decades of research have shown that focusing the mind on a single sound or image can slow heart rate, respiration, and brain waves; relax muscles; and lowers stress related hormones- responses similar to those induced by prayer. “Thomson Wadsworh an invitation to health, 12th edition”
The second Method I researched stated that Spiritual awakening is a journey, and just as with literal travel, this passage is different for everyone. The article then goes on to say: for many people, the call to embark on a spiritual path is preceded by a period of questioning or difficulty, when one or more parts of your life no longer flow as smoothly as they once did. Being willing to surrender into the unknown is a huge and necessary step, because one cannot "figure out" spirituality in a linear fashion. People often begin a spiritual exploration by reading widely about the world's religions, or by sampling various types of spiritual services.
This process is done by going to different churches or sampling other religions and/or beliefs you may find that one you like better than your current religion and/or beliefs. Some seek out a teacher. Some learn to meditate. Meditation is the practice of deep thought and relaxation in which you are alone and at peace with the world around you. This therefore leaves you the opportunity to focus on issues that affect you at a deeper, more personal level. The process of Meditation varies greatly but the most common style is to sit strait up so you don't fall asleep and close your eyes listening to the quiet of the world and think deep about whatever you want or just let your mind wander until it decides to set on a single thing. Others go on retreat in the wilderness.
Going on a wilderness retreat is very uncommon today because of the fear related to wilderness but that makes the ones who face that fear even more isolated and leaves them to think without shame or worry of what others may think. There are as many ways to discover your spiritual truth as there are people. A formal practice is not required, although this can be a useful in the early stages. For some people, spiritual or religious exploration leads to joining a spiritual community.
The third method I researched suggested prayer to improve the strength of spirituality. The article states that: prayer awakens us and alters us by letting us see the beauty of where we never noticed it before. Our hearts begin to feel compassion we never knew we had. The article goes on to state that we can gain spiritual strength through prayer in realizing our dreams no matter what age we are and gave some examples of prayers to say for strengthening our spirituality. Near the bottom of the article it says prayer can transform our lives if we pray in the mornings and in the afternoons the way we think, feel, behave, and work will be transformed into a much easier task. Then comforting comes by the way of God's predictable rhythms. The sound of our breath in and out, the beating of our hearts which reminds us we are a part of nature.
The fourth method that I researched stated that I keep in mind that all people are different and that some techniques work for some people and other techniques don't. The next thing to do after you had accepted that was to Identify the things in your life that give you a sense of inner peace, comfort, strength, love and connection. This was suggested to give yourself a sense of meaning and motivate you to improve yourself. The next step in this method was to set aside time every day to do the activities that help you spiritually. Then suggested that these activities may include doing community service or volunteer work, praying, meditating, singing devotional songs, reading inspirational books, taking nature walks, having quiet time for thinking, doing yoga, playing a sport or attending religious services.
