Spiritual Well-Being

Spiritual well-being is to seek and express meaning, purpose, and connectedness to the moment, self, others, nature, and the significant or sacred

Tips on Improving Spiritual Well-Being

According to the article, Spirituality and stress relief: Make the connection published by Mayo Clinic, Spirituality has many definitions, but at its core, spirituality helps to give your life context. It's not necessarily connected to a specific belief system or even religious worship. Instead, it arises from your connection with yourself and with others, the development of your personal value system, and your search for meaning in life.

For many, spirituality takes the form of religious observance, prayer, meditation or a belief in a higher power. For others, it can be found in nature, music, art or a secular community. Spirituality is different for everyone. Spirituality has many benefits for stress relief and overall mental health. It can help you:

  • Feel a sense of purpose. Cultivating your spirituality may help uncover what's most meaningful in your life. By clarifying what's most important, you can focus less on the unimportant things and eliminate stress.
     
  • Connect to the world. The more you feel you have a purpose in the world, the less solitary you may feel — even when you're alone. This can lead to a valuable inner peace during difficult times.
     
  • Release control. When you feel part of a greater whole, you may realize that you aren't responsible for everything that happens in life. You can share the burden of tough times as well as the joys of life's blessings with those around you.
     
  • Expand your support network. Whether you find spirituality in a church, mosque or synagogue, in your family, or in nature walks with a friend, this sharing of spiritual expression can help build relationships.
     
  • Lead a healthier life. People who consider themselves spiritual may be better able to cope with stress and may experience health benefits.

You can read more about cultivating and discovering spirituality by reading the full article.

There are many self-care activities you can incorporate to nurture your spiritual well-being. Here are some examples: 

  • Help someone 
  • Start a thoughts diary 
  • Meditate 
  • Practice Yoga - online yoga classes for SEAS graduate students
  • Choose who you spend your time with today 
  • Get positive feedback 
  • Splurge a little 
  • Have a self-date 
  • Exercise a signature strength 
  • Take a home spa 
  • Plan a two-day holiday for next weekend

Source: Unknown

We encourage you to discover your favorite activities to add to this list! 

Explore Further

Spiritual well-being allows us to connect to ourselves and provides a sense of purpose and meaning to life.

Below are some helpful articles to build good spiritual well-being:

Why Is Spirituality Important?

This article provides information on the importance of spiritual well-being and tips on spiritual practices.

The Secret to Your Spiritual Well-being

This article gives you some insights into improving your spiritual well-being by the power of nature and other useful tips.

7 Powerful Tips to Improve Your Spiritual Well-being

This article offers great tips that you can easily apply to your life to bring harmony in it. 

Online Yoga Classes 

SEAS Masters and PhD students can access series of yoga classes taught by registered yoga instructor, Autumn Rauchwerk

Meditation Apps

Here are samples of meditation apps you can use to incorporate some quiet time in your routine: 

Insight Timer

This app provides resources regarding meditation including meditation music, meet-ups, information on health benefits of meditation and so on.

Buddhify

This app offers guided meditations for different categories including stress & difficult Emotion, Work Break, Going to Sleep, Waking Up and so on. Users pay a small fee to download buddhify for IOS or Android devices. The Apple store offers the app for $4.99 and the Google play Store offers the App for $2.99. Subsequent access is unlimited and there is no monthly subscription fee required.

Resources

Columbia Religious Life 

The Office of Religious Life supports faith communities at Columbia. You can find resources such as religious life advisers, student organizations, meetings and services, and prayer and meditation spaces for students.