Spiritual self care could be described as any other self-care but on a higher level of connection with your mind, body, and spirit.
Do you ever wish you had a little time to hit the reset button every day?
If you answered ‘YES‘, you are in desperate need to fuel your body and your soul through self care.
Self-care is being spoken about and practiced more and more every day.
If what you’re seeking is something that finds you more in tune with your inner self, your inner spirit, and inner peace, then spiritual self care is where you’ll find this.
What is spiritual self care?
Spiritual self care may sound scary to some, as people believe the word spiritual to mean religious.
It is no way, shape, or form has to do with anything religious, atheist, agnostic, or whatever else you’re thinking unless you want it to be about religion.
Spiritual self care is about connecting with your soul, no matter what your beliefs.
For some, this may be about honoring a higher power; for others, it’s purely about honoring their inner power.
And sometimes it’s about connecting with what my soul truly needs for my happiness and what is going to make me feel at peace with my place in this world.
Why is spiritual self care important?
Is living a grounded, fulfilled, and happy life important to you?
If you answered yes to this question, then spiritual care is important to you.
Spiritual self care takes self-care to a whole new level by learning how to be at peace with your emotions, your place in this life, and your relationships, and become more aware of what makes you, YOU.
15 Spiritual Self Care Ideas to Guide You.
To help you on your spiritual self care journey, here are a few tips to guide you.
1. Remove all the negative energy and cleanse your space
Most importantly, in spiritual self care, you need to have positive vibes.
If you’re going into this journey thinking that you can get through it without having a positive place to connect with your inner self, you’re not going to get far.
So many people don’t continue their spiritual self care journey because they don’t feel the benefits right away. If there aren’t results after the first session, it’s not working, right? Wrong!
-“Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome” – Arthur Ashe
Start your spiritual self care journey the right way and get rid of your negative energy. Put yourself in a safe space, somewhere you feel comfortable and at ease.
Remove yourself from negative situations and try to remove negative objects and people from your circle.
Some people use the Sacred Art of Smudging, where you burn plants such as sage to allow the smoke to clear and bless a space.
2. Affirmations for the soul
This one can go hand in hand with meditation and with Yoga; we’ll read a little more of it in the next step!
Affirmations must be personal to you.
If you dig deep and want to tell yourself something positive that you don’t tell yourself often enough, what would it be?
Re-write your negative thinking and try to work on the “Law of Attraction” – the ability to attract into our lives whatever we are focusing on.
Or another way of putting it, positive thoughts bring positive results.
So, here’s a list of my positive affirmations that may appeal to you or may not, but it may help to clarify what your affirmations could be. Bit of a tip, be consistent, repeat your affirmations daily.
- I am a peaceful soul, peace is my own nature.
- I am master almighty.
- Success is certain for me.
- I am proud of myself and all I have achieved.
- I’m grateful for my health and the continued health of my loved ones.
- Everything will be good with me
- I am grateful for this day.
- Tomorrow will be great, it will bring an abundance of joy
You might also like
20 Powerful Mindfulness Quotes to Stay Present & Productive
19 Amazing Self Improvement Affirmations That Will Brighten Up Your Life
23 Self Love Sayings To Inspire You to Love Yourself More
3. Meditate
“I don’t really understand meditation, and it never works for me anyway” is the typical response from someone who has never really, and I mean really, tried to meditate.
If you’re going to meditate, start by believing in meditation and the benefits it brings to your person.
Meditation has been proven to reduce stress and improve concentration. A reduction of stress means reducing anxiety and promoting emotional health and a more positive outlook overall.
I can highly recommend, if you haven’t already, looking up interesting facts about meditation. You may find the multiple mental and physical benefits surprising.
One of the spiritual benefits of meditation is true personal growth. As you learn more about yourself, you should find the transition to living a more fulfilled life naturally easier to discern.
4. Do something that makes you genuinely happy
Is there something you did one time that you really, truly enjoyed doing?
For me, it was horse riding. I went once as a fun day out activity with a friend when I was much younger. It’s something I have my heart set on doing again.
The adrenaline rush and sense of freedom I felt when riding were so intense; I felt euphorically happy.
It’s not something I’m going to do every weekend, but it’s on my list of things that make me wholly happy and that I have to do again as a matter of setting my spirit on fire. What’s yours?
Read more: 15 Ways to Bring More Mindfulness Into Your Daily Life
5. Make peace with your choices
One of the hardest spiritual self care tips you will ever have to do to move forwards in your spiritual journey.
We’ve all done things we regret, and we’ve all made mistakes and decisions we wish we could go back and change.
But unless you have a time machine you’re hiding from the rest of us (understandably so), then there is nothing, no way, absolutely zero chance of turning that clock back and changing what you did, what you said, or what happened.
The only way to settle your soul, mind, spirit isn’t to let go; but is just to accept what is.
I know this isn’t what everyone wants to hear; believe me, I know. But if you make peace with the choices you have made, accept what is, then maybe you can forgive yourself or forgive someone else and let your spiritual self be filled with positivity, rather than the negativity, that you’ll make better choices in the future.
6. Yoga
The word Yoga translates to union, and when practiced properly and for the right reasons, the mind, body, and spirit of a person will become aligned and generally well.
Yoga poses and styles can be used as therapeutic tools for physical, mental, and spiritual health. It’s well worth either attending a lesson or finding something you click with on YouTube. There’s plenty of yoga apps to choose from on your mobile too.
The more consistent you are with yoga practice, the more aligned and aware you become of what your body and mind seek from your practice.
Yoga puts me in a state of ‘being’ where it’s just me, myself and what my body and my mind need from me.
Sometimes I feel like doing power yoga for energy, but once I’m on the mat and checking in with my mind, I find I need slow and restful Yoga to help me come down from a hectic week.
Yoga allows you to create time and space just for you. I do 10-30 minutes every morning, and if I run out of time, I’ll do an evening session instead.
You might also like:
8 Yoga Poses for People Who Sitting All Day
7 Relaxing Bedtime Yoga Poses to Help You Sleep Better
Practice These 7 Yoga Poses for Stress Relief and Anxiety
7. Read and listen to inspiring material.
Confession, I used to dislike “inspiring material highly.” I never gave it a chance; I just decided I didn’t like it.
No one could tell me otherwise, and I wasn’t interested in hearing what anyone would highly recommend. If it involved “so and so speaking about how to improve your life” and “that guy telling me how to become fulfilled and content in my life.”
Then I met my partner. He listens to podcasts, and he reads books about science and the human brain and books about people who have found belief in themselves and how they got there and why they had to get there, and how they are now living more fulfilled lives.
It started with him listening to a podcast on his speakers; I could hear it from the shower. It was lockdown, I was out of books, and I’d already watched everything on Netflix.
Maybe I had to be at a low point in my life to start believing in inspiring material. I can’t honestly tell you what it was, but now when he’s listening to his podcasts, I’m listening too. When he’s finished with his motivation books, I’m borrowing them and reading them too.
Read something a little bit positive in the morning before starting your day and again at night before going to sleep. It may just change your mindset and inspire you to get motivated.
Read more: 30 Inspirational Quotes to Motivate You to Be Successful
8. Practice real gratitude.
This one doesn’t have to be time-consuming at all. Because you can incorporate it into your daily routines; while you’re brushing your teeth, driving to work, eating breakfast, etc.
Research has shown that practicing gratitude on a regular basis can increase peace, love, joy, and contentment in our daily lives.
Our thoughts can greatly impact our overall mood throughout the day. So why not start your day with 3-5 positive things you’re hopeful for in your day and end your day with another 3-5 things you’re grateful for.
My day usually goes a little something like this.
- 7 am – Wake up.
I am grateful to wake up to another day that has endless opportunities for me. - 8 am – Workout
I am grateful for the endless amounts of YouTube workout videos available to me. - 9 am – Starting work
I am positive today will be a day of laughter and fun. - 7 pm – Yoga
I am grateful for the yoga mat which helps to protect my body and which I was gifted with this year for my birthday.
With every ounce of gratitude I feel, my inner peace has no room for negativity throughout my day as I am constantly pushing it out or not letting it creep in.
Read more: 25 Best Gratitude Quotes That Will Double Your Happiness
9. Time alone in peace and quiet
We don’t often get a chance to be alone, and when we do, it’s usually filled with noise and distractions.
Time alone and in quietness is what I would call luxury.
Quiet time is a necessity for your body and your mind to rest and renew. When you’re constantly busy or distracted, you may be neglecting what’s admittedly more important to you or what nourishment your body seeks.
As they say, “Stop and smell the roses,” maybe in the quiet, you can work on prioritizing tasks and making sense of the chaotic life you may be living.
Allow your thoughts to wander, see where they take you in the silence; maybe this is a great time to have your journal beside you.
10. Journal
Journaling can sound time-consuming but believe me when I say it plays a massive role in your spiritual self care.
I have looked back on some of my journals and thought, “wow, there was something very wrong with me” or “okay, clearly something was missing from my life.”
But mostly, I look back and feel proud of how much I’ve grown through my journey.
Writing doesn’t have to make sense to anyone but you. Pick up a pen, grab your journal and just put words on the paper.
This can help you tap into your inner thoughts, your inner emotions and reveal new insights about yourself.
There’s a burning ritual I’ve heard of on the grapevine where you write down all your negative emotions and feelings as well as your positive desires and burn them. Apparently, this helps to let it go.
11. Just be. Rest and rejuvenate.
Sounds pretty similar to the above point about having time alone in peace and quiet, I know. But this one isn’t about the quietness.
You can rest and rejuvenate with a bit of chilled music, a nice hot bath, maybe grab a pillow and a blanket, and snuggle up on the couch with a good movie. Just be as you want to be.
Getting in touch with your spiritual self can at times be overwhelming; if you need to take a break, it’s perfectly fine.
You’ll be doing your emotional and spiritual self a favor because if this is what you feel you need, you’re already getting in tune with your inner peace.
Give yourself a break from everything from time to time; stop trying too hard. Eat a little chocolate, sleep in, watch that movie, really allow yourself the time you need to rejuvenate. Repeat this whenever you need to; it is perfectly fine.
12. Connect with the community.
Connecting with the community may involve stepping out of your comfort zone. But in the end, the support and connection you gain are well worth it.
I was in a rut, with work, and with my previous relationship, and I didn’t know how to fix any of it. A friend suggested I join a football team with her for exercise and fresh air. It’s changed everything I thought about myself, and it’s all for the better.
I feel a sense of pride when I do a great job on the field. The encouragement nourishes my soul almost like food feeds my belly, and my confidence has been wavering less every day since my first practice match. I am part of something bigger than me, but I bring my whole self to it because my team is my family.
I’m not saying you should join a football team; there’s plenty of other options available to you. Volunteer at your local shelter, get involved with beach cleans and litter picks, join a book club, take some friends to a quiz night; there are countless options right in front of you.
Feed your soul by feeding your self-worth by connecting with the community.
13. Spend some time in nature.
Numerous studies show that spending time in nature can dramatically reduce your stress levels.
Listen to science guys and gals, we humans are spending most of our time indoors, and it’s taking its toll on our health, our general wellbeing, and our self and social awareness levels.
In Hindu philosophy, the word “Prana” means life force. The best way to stay healthy and boost your energy is through increasing your Prana.
Prana can also be described as connecting you to all living things. Deep breathing in nature can help to purify and energize your system.
Don’t forget trees produce our oxygen after all, but they do so much more for us than we realize. I stumble across this beautiful article on the spiritual power of the trees.
Get outside and be present with nature. Try to be aware of how it changes your mindset and your mood. Sometimes it’s subtle, and then sometimes it’s empowering.
- Stargazing.
- Make shapes out of clouds.
- Meditate outdoors.
- Read beside a tree.
- Lay in the grass.
- Allow sunlight to wash over your face.
- Sit by the ocean or dip your feet in a stream – water represents the spirit of life and the spirit of grace (Teachings from the bible).
- Hike.
- Plant a tree or do some gardening – grow your herbs, fruits, and veggies.
14. Walk barefoot on the grass.
Walking, in general, is great for your overall physical and emotional self-care.
Science tells us that walking improves diabetes, mental stress, cardiovascular health, blood pressure, and more. Walking alleviates depression and fatigue.
Walking through nature takes your spiritual self care beyond those benefits, as we read above; but have you heard about the benefits of walking barefoot on the grass?
To connect with yourself, connect with your roots, just as trees are rooted to the earth, take your shoes off, feel the earth under your feet and connect with it.
Here are the benefits, and if you don’t believe me, do your research and get prepared to have your mind blown.
- Improves eyesight.
- It’s a destress mechanism.
- Promotes healthy feet and softer skin.
- Improves cardiovascular health.
- Fights depression and anxiety.
- Relieves headaches.
- Reduces inflammation.
- Neutralizes your energy – the earth is full of energies and vibrations.
By walking barefoot, you allow yourself to be connected with the earth. Being connected to the earth’s frequencies through the pressure points in your feet allows you to discharge all the negative stress you’re harboring and exchange it with the grounding and positive vibes the earth gives to mother nature and all living creatures.
15. Bring essential oils into your spiritual self care routine
Feel the effects heightened through your sense of smell. Essential oils provide emotional, immune, and spiritual support.
Scents can have positive and negative effects on our moods as well as effects on our sleep, cognitive functioning, self-confidence, and physical performance.
The part of the brain that processes smell also stores our memories. Using essential oils may trigger some long-lost memories and help you tap into your spiritual self care journey.
Essential oils are widely used in aromatherapy, a holistic approach to healing based on scent and natural plant extracts to promote a healthier mind and wellbeing.
- Arnica – For muscle aches and soreness.
- Ginger – Alleviate heartburn.
- Bergamot – Reduce stress and negative energy.
- Lavender – For a good night’s sleep.
- Chamomile – Relaxation.
- Clary Sage – Decreases menstrual cramps and improves memory.
- Lemon – Fight fatigue and boost mental clarity.
The list goes on, and at times, you will find different oils that suit different times in your life.
You might also like:
Top 4 Ways To Use Essential Oils In Your Daily Life
21 Beginner-Friendly Essential Oil Combinations for Diffuser
Helpful resources for your Spiritual Self Care journey.
Books for self love and self care routine
- Happiness unlimited | BK Shivani
- Inner Engineering: A Yogi’s Guide to Joy | Sadhguru
- The Forty-Day Word Fast | Tim Cameron
- Chakras and Self Care | Ambi Kavanagh
In Hinduism, Chakras refer to the energy centers in your body. Taken from Sanskrit, ‘Chakras’ means ‘wheel.’ The wheel’s main function is described as a vortex of spinning energy that interacts with numerous neurological and physical focal points in your system. - An Invitation To Self Care| Tracey Cleantis
- The Power of Your Subconscious Mind | Joseph Murphy
- The Woman’s Study Bible | Thomas Nelson
- Healing the Soul of a Woman | Joyce Meyer
Podcasts that will help your Spiritual growth
Pulling yourself out of a Rut | A Self Discovery Podcast
Thoughts to Heal your Body | Self Reflections Podcast
Love with all your heart | The Spiritual Forum
Create a spiritual self care plan designed for YOU
Seeing how we’re all different and our spiritual selves seek different nourishment paths depending on where we’re at in life, you need a plan that is designed just for you.
Some of the steps mentioned above might be part of your plan to start or to continue caring for your spiritual self.
You are the only focus here, not what anybody else is doing. Take suggestions and tips on board, and try different things until you know what’s working best for you. It may take some time, so remember to practice patience too.
Taking care of your spirit will bring about the subtlest of changes in your lifestyle. You probably won’t even realize you’re accomplishing things you never thought you’d find yourself doing.
Recently, the focus of my self-care has been meditation. It really resets my inner clock and doesn’t let me get too overwhelmed when I’m working throughout the day. I really appreciate seeing meditation here on the list and sharing the benefits, it’s worked wonders for me. 🙂