Achieving Spiritual Health

Spiritual health is generally an overlooked aspect of healing. However, it is actually the ultimate goal of holistic Medicine, and leads to a heightened awareness of the Divine Spirit referred to by all religions. It doesn't matter what name you give it. What matters is that you come to know and attune yourself to its guidance in all areas of your daily life. Doing so will reduce your feelings of fear, and provide you with a greater capacity for loving yourself and others unconditionally. It will also help you reconnect to your special talents and gifts so that you can use them to fulfill your life's purpose."

Being consciously aware of the role Spirit plays in your life, being spiritually healthy also means being intimately connected to your spouse, partner, family, friends, and community, resulting in social health, as well. Spiritual and social health are interconnected, since it is through our committed relationships that we find the greatest opportunities for spiritual growth and for learning how to receive and impart unconditional love.

The observance of spiritual and religious traditions, working with spiritual counselors and support groups are common methods of creating spiritual and social health, as are the opportunities afforded us through our friendships, marriage, intimate relationships, and parenting. A variety of self-care approaches, including prayer, meditation, gratitude, and spending time within nature, can further deepen your awareness of yourself as a spiritual, socially-connected being, and are increasingly being recommended by conventional and holistic physicians alike.

The four most important rituals to create spiritual health is: Prayer, meditation, Gratitude, Spending time in nature, including near fire and water.

Prayer: Prayer is the most common form of spiritual practice performed by most Americans, and the majority of people who pray report a greater sense of well-being than those who don't. Harvard researcher and mind/body Medicine expert Herbert Benson, M.D., author of The Relaxation Response, has found that regular prayer or the repetition of spiritual phrases such as "Shalom," or "Hail Mary," triggers relaxation and reduces stress. There are many effective ways to pray, both for yourself and for others. Many people find great benefit using the prayers from their religious upbringing. Others make prayer a time of personal conversation with God, stating their need or concern and asking for divine intervention. Others find taking a walk in a place of natural beauty to be a form of prayerful worship.

Simply taking the time to acknowledge all you have to be grateful for and giving thanks for that which you desire. Giving thanks for that which you desire is more effective than asking for what you desire, God knows what you need before you need it and has already sent it to you-therefore giving thanks acknowledges what you haven't seen yet. Choose the form of prayer that feels most comfortable for you, and then establish a regular routine of repeating your prayers daily.

Meditation: Meditation has been scientifically researched and proven to have physiological benefits for decades. Besides its physical benefits, which include stress-relief, improved immune and cardiovascular function, relaxation, and decreased pain, the regular practice of meditation can lead to new insights about life issues