5 Ways to Be More Spiritual Without Being Religious

By Michael Harred

Many of us feel the need of living a more spiritual life in the sense of giving less importance to material things compared to self-development. Others would like to build a connection with the divine but don’t want to be attached to any religion or can find anyone that can give them this sense of fulfillment.

Good news is that you don’t need to be part of any religion to become a spiritual person. Actually, the word “religion” itself comes from the Latin and it means “to bind fast” in the sense of building a connection between the human and a superior power. It was only around 13th Century that religion became related to a particular system of faith.

So all that you need so to become a more spiritual person is to look for the best way to do so.

# 1 – Embrace nature
One of my favorite ways to enhance spirituality is embracing nature. As the environment is the ultimate expression of the divine, it can help you to build a connection with something bigger than yourself.

And it can be done in many ways, from going for walks in a park to having a pet. If you don’t have the time or the space, you can have a small pot with a plant in your home or grow some herbs.

When in holidays, try some hiking and trekking. Go swimming or sailing. Anything that can help you to bring the elements to your daily life in the future will be a good option.

# 2 – Practice some meditation
A famous way to start becoming more spiritual is through meditation. It will give you the time that you need to stay quiet and look inside yourself. It will open a straight connection between you and a superior power as you put yourself in a position to hear it what the spirituality has to say to you.

If you haven’t tried it before, you can start by using apps focused on mindfulness, such as Buddify. This app is a great option to anyone looking for short guided meditation, and it offers tracks to be plaid during several situations, including while eating or being online.

When you feel more confident, you can try a proper meditation. Here apps such as Headspace can also help you, but the best thing to do is to join a meditation class and practice it in a group.

# 3 – Go volunteering
A big part of being a spiritual person is being able to forget your own issues for a while and supporting people around you. And you can do it by volunteering for a cause that you believe.

So go to your local council or citizen service information and look for volunteer opportunities in your area. There are also plenty of offers for online volunteering, such as those provided by UN Volunteers.

As you can see, you don’t have to leave your job and move to Africa to make a contribution to the world. And, most of the time, you won’t be required to make any financial donation, as you already are donating your time and expertise.

# 4 - Become a minimalist
Another good way to become more spiritual is becoming a minimalist. You probably have several material possessions which have no real meaning to you. They are unwanted presents, clothes that don’t fit, book that you won’t read again, and out-dated technology. So why not give them away or put them to recycling so they can become useful again?

Start having a look at your wardrobe, then go to your garage, your kitchen, and your living room. If you live in a big room, you probably have things that you can’t even remember in your attic and basement. What about the shed outside?

Less things you have, less space you need, less you have to clean and maintain. It will give you more freedom and, above all, put a smile on the faces of the people who will be getting all things that you don’t really use.

# 5 – Become more empathic
Another important thing that you will have to do is to become more empathic and able to put yourself in other people’s shoes. And this is because spiritualism is not only about how you connect yourself with the divine but also with its creation.

So start with your family, your friends, your classmates, your team at work. Start looking at each one of them as an individual and noticing what they are looking for in life, what are their fears and hopes.

Then you can decide how you can make a contribution. It can be being there to hear them out. It can be giving them a hand from time to time. Even paying a compliment can make a big difference in their lives. So get out of your shell. You will notice that you will be the one getting the highest return in the end.

The bottom line
Becoming a spiritual person is a question of choice. We can choose to enslave ourselves to material things or to look for a higher perspective. And we don’t need any religion to achieve it.

Of course, religions are valid ways to build a connection with the divine, and they work for many people. But if you don’t feel that this isn’t your path, don’t feel ashamed about it or think that there is no option available for you.

You can always be more spiritual by embracing nature and people around you. It only takes getting out of your comfort zone and nothing more.