I’m from India, so spirituality is sort of just imbued into my daily life. Many people think that spirituality is sacrificing all material things and living a life of asceticism; something that you can only do once you’ve gotten much older. But that’s not entirely true. Spirituality is a set of practices that help us align with ourselves. There are no age, gender or race restrictions about who can be spiritual. Spiritual practices don’t have to be religious in nature, one doesn’t need to believe in any God (atheists can be spiritual too) and there aren’t any strict rules to follow or labels to adopt. While some spiritual practices are closely associated with certain religions, those are not ones we are discussing here. We simply want to take some time out from life to do something that heals us. Here are a few things that I’ve recently gotten into, that have helped me a lot and I hope they can do the same for you.
For the longest time, I wanted to add something to my bedroom that made it feel more cozy and homey. A fragrant candle did the trick. Candles are great to add a soft scent to any space but they also have spiritual properties. A candle with ingredients like rose and vanilla can invite all kinds of love into your life, so light one when you’re getting ready in the morning to infuse some self-love into your routine. Want to focus better when you’re studying? A candle with Eucalyptus will do the trick with the herbal scent will wake up your senses. Are your workouts getting boring? A candle with citrus ingredients, like oranges or lemon can get you excited on sleepy mornings. It’s all based on aromatherapy!
Spill the herbal tea
I first started drinking tea before going to bed to help with my terrible nightmares, and then I fell down the rabbit-hole of tea culture. Tea is so simple to make, affordable and can really give you those 10 minutes of relaxation that you might need on a busy day. Drink green tea in the morning or before a workout to stay enthusiastic throughout or drink chamomile tea before bed for a good night’s rest. Feeling a little down because of the dreary weather? Drink some peppermint tea to perk up. Of course, tea is not medicine, so if you are dealing with serious health issues please seek advice from professionals.
Growing up, yoga was an important part of my culture. But thanks to my obsession with western culture and complete disinterest in anything that had to do with my ethnicity, I never took it seriously. But now, as a grown-up, I’ve come to embrace my identity and also the many teachings that yoga has to offer. While it is a great way to exercise, its spiritual nature also helps me connect with my breath and hence, myself. You can look for any kind of yoga routine on YouTube depending on what you want for your body and how much time you have. It’s easy and free in your bedroom. You can also find guided meditations on YouTube that will help set a positive mood for your day. Ever since I started meditating in the morning I’ve been complaining less, that’s growth, right?