5 Ideas For Creating A Spiritual Practice—Whether You’re Religious Or Not
What does it mean to have a spiritual practice?
Everyone will answer this question differently. For me, I attended church two to three times a week as a child and memorized the ABCs and primary colors alongside prayers and Bible scriptures. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties that I began pondering my learned religious framework and constructing my own spiritual identity.
“I began pondering my learned religious framework and constructing my own spiritual identity.”
It was in this venturing that I discovered reverence for some of the principles the religion of my youth had offered me. Discipline, for example, as well as the outward expression of gratitude, continue to prove invaluable in my life, especially as I’ve cultivated a personal spiritual practice in my adult years.
Of course, one doesn’t need to have had a religious upbringing to experience this. You can ascribe to a higher power (or not), and you can belong to a religious institution/faith-based community (or not). Spirituality is entirely inclusive. In ways, it's fluid. It invites questioning and celebrates continued transformation.
Whether you’re curious about developing a practice for the first time or you're eager to deepen your spirituality, consider trying the following:
1. Prayer & Meditation
“We live breath by breath. We’re always in the moment, even if we are not always fully inhabiting the moment.”
One of the simplest ways to cultivate a spiritual practice is through prayer and meditation. I’ve found these disciplines help me return to the current moment and root myself in the present (the “what is”) rather than the past (which I can’t change) or the future (which I can’t control).
Prayer may make more sense if you subscribe to a higher power(s), while meditation and mindfulness are sacred, time-tested rituals that can be experienced by anyone.
Try these meditation tips from the Dalai Lama. Alternatively, the Headspace App is an incredible and affordable resource for guided meditation (you can try it for free with a two-week trial).
2. Give Back With Time & Money
It’s common in religious traditions to donate time and money, whether to faith-based institutions or nonprofit organizations. But these practices aren’t reserved only for those belonging to a specific religious community. Anyone can donate to NGOs, environmental efforts, and give-back initiatives. Because I grew up tithing and giving a percentage of my income to my family church, I’ve enjoyed continuing this discipline as part of my adult spiritual practice. Through monetary donations, I’m able to connect with nonpartisan organizations in my community and support impact-driven initiatives I believe in.
“Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning and purpose to our lives.”
Likewise, consider implementing a volunteer schedule into your spiritual practice. Spend one afternoon a month serving with a local organization or participating in sustainability projects. Giving back with our time and money expands our worldview and invites us into collective spirituality.
3. Attend a Spiritual Retreat
Now and then, it is worth taking time away for a spiritual retreat—whether at an organized institution or for a solo getaway.
“Creating space for reflection, mentorship, and education is essential for spiritual growth and continued transformation.”
Creating space for reflection, mentorship, and education is essential for spiritual growth and continued transformation, and by getting outside of our routine and familiar environment, we can more easily recenter ourselves. Retreats are also excellent for engaging with and learning from others on similar spiritual paths.
To start your search, check out this comprehensive list of spiritual retreats (religious and non-religious) in the USA. There are numerous monasteries abroad (specifically in Europe and Asia) that are inclusive and welcoming, and many are set up for self-led retreats. Some even operate on a pay-what-you-can or work exchange system.
4. Hold Space for Rituals
“This isn’t a contest but the doorway into thanks, and a silence in which another voice may speak.”
When I think through some of my most meaningful spiritual rituals, the On Being podcast stands out. I’ve been listening to this podcast for over a year now, and it’s become a beacon in my spiritual journey. I’m fascinated by how many others also listen to this show religiously (pun intended) as well—I once heard a woman say she spent every Saturday morning listening to the latest episode on her front porch. Other listeners have expressed similar sentiments, hailing the show a “consistent hour of peace” and a part of their “spiritual lexicon.”
Of course, this is only an example. Whether you listen to a podcast, attend a weekly spiritual service, or light a candle at the end of the day while reciting a poem or prayer, rituals are a meaningful way to practice discipline and reverence in your spiritual practice.
5. Experience “Carbonated Holiness”
“The most transformative spiritual discipline is the one where we learn not to take ourselves so seriously.”
“Laughter is carbonated holiness,” says Anne Lamott. I interpret this to mean that, through laughter and light-heartedness, we can connect to the sacred in ourselves, in others, and in the divine. A profound thought, especially as it relates to the western culture's overtly success and performance-driven ethos.
Laughter, play, tenderness—these things can be a part of our spiritual practice, too. (How beautiful is that?) We can connect with something outside ourselves and return to the innocence of youth. For me, this looks like creating time for embodied and playful activities, like engaging in childhood games with my partner, creating art without judgment, and solo dance parties in the kitchen. It’s learning how to let go and laugh more often. Goofiness is some sort of magic, I’m convinced, and the most transformative spiritual discipline is the one where we learn not to take ourselves so seriously.
Kayti Christian (she/her) is a Senior Editor at The Good Trade. She has a Master’s in Nonfiction Writing from the University of London and is the creator of Feelings Not Aside, a newsletter for sensitive people.
