Vasso is a Certified Vinyasa Yoga instructor, a Reiki Master energy Healer, an intuitive Bioenergy Healer, a spiritual coach and an artist. She discusses the importance of creating rituals of spiritual practices to help you cope with modern life.
We live in a world of ever-increasing speed of information, development, unnatural working rhythms, within environments that harbour competitiveness and continuous comparison of skills and attributes of a person.
Very often, these situations, can become overwhelming and draining. It is hard to predict a working outcome, adjust to challenging events and master a sense of worth within a culture that doesn’t always pay attention to the unique needs of the individual.
Alienation from ourselves
On a personal level (sometimes due to the strain of coping with numerous daily demands), our relationships become an area of confusion, stress, disappointment, even alienation. Alienation from ourselves (first and foremost) and then alienation from the ones we hold close to heart.
And as much as one tries their best to be self-aware and therefore work effectively in collaboration with others, the feeling of being “off-balance” is often enough to transform our perception of reality. Enough to cause a mental and emotional collapse.
Returning to our spiritual practices
In such moments, it is imperative that we return with even greater devotion and conscious choice to our spiritual practices.
Regardless of the particular faith or a broader spiritual calling one might adhere to, to have a physical and emotional space to keep coming back to and receive a sense of safety, comfort, reverence, belonging and most of all -love-, can often work miracles for an aching heart!
Setting aside time for you
Anything from setting aside an hour in the day for contemplation, prayer, meditation or reading a book that enriches your consciousness or simply creating a calm and heartwarming atmosphere around you, is hugely beneficial. Besides the obvious result of bringing you closer to what you believe in, it is also an essential way of healing the body on a physical level.
Research has shown that by calming our mind and body for prolonged periods of time, we actually help the brain generate Theta waves, which rejuvenate its chemistry, give rise to an overall calm state of being, reduce our stress levels and increase our immune response (some out of the numerous benefits of deep relaxation and meditation).
We also shift the body’s autonomic nervous system to its parasympathetic mode, which promotes restoration and healing on a cellular level. This, in turn, allows the mind to settle as well. So we see that a vice-versa response is created; no matter which end we start from, relaxation and rejuvenation will affect both areas (mind and body) like in a closed circuit of electrical current.
A safe space to return to
On another note, having a safe space to return to in moments of internal crisis (whether that is a difficulty in dealing with your own emotions or a breakdown of communication with another), it is of great psychological help, as it brings within us a sense of balance and stability: “I can always come back to something that doesn’t change like everything else around me and which teaches me trust, patience and a sense of sheltered security”.
Additionally, by knowing that we can always return to a place that is safe for us and makes us feel calm and protected, gives us the much-needed strength and support in times when we feel emotionally overwhelmed, deprived of care and unable to cope.
Finally, by doing so for a prolonged period of time, we build and maintain a sense of personal history, which aids to a stronger and more stable personality. Throughout the course of life, which is full of challenging changes, a stable personality with self-awareness and self-respect, is the cornerstone of successful personal development.
Creating rituals of spiritual practices
Here are some quick and easy ideas for creating rituals of spiritual practices:
- Set aside a time in the day (preferably the same time) for meditation/contemplation.
- Form a habit of reading books that expand your consciousness. Three pages each day should do the trick! 😉
- If you like your hot bathtubs, start using them on a weekly basis as a form of bodily comfort and relaxation (especially in extra stressful days!)
- Use your imagination anyway that suits you best and create a “personal quiet space” at home, filled with candles, music, books, comfy and warm blankets, pillows and whatever else you might need for the duration of the time you wish to spend there.
- Get out and go for a long walk, just you and your precious self! If you do this on a regular basis, your mind will start to look forward to this queue of “me-time” and will let you know when it “needs” another walk!
- Spend time listening to your favourite music. Music is one of the easiest and most centring tools that we can use to relax quickly and efficiently. It is also a very personal experience, as music tastes vary immensely, according to the type you are.
- Share your troubles, joys, thoughts, silliness with a good friend. Connecting with another reminds us that we are not alone in our difficulties; that life is an experience worth sharing, regardless of how it affects us from time to time.
- Set aside some time in your daily routine to think about others; either through prayer or actively offering something of yourself to the community. Getting out of the habit of thinking only about our own troubles, is the fastest route to spiritual development. It teaches us compassion, selflessness and love, among others.
I hope that some of this can be of use to you and your loved ones.
My wish is that you will create a ‘sacred’ space in your daily routine in a manner that suits who you truly are.
Blessings from a warm heart,
Vx
Vasso is a Certified Vinyasa Yoga instructor, a Reiki Master energy Healer, an intuitive Bioenergy Healer, a spiritual coach and an artist. She divides her time between her spiritual home (Glasgow) and her home of birth (Athens), where she teaches yoga, spiritual development, meditation, art-expression and integration of mind-body practices. Vasso works with clients from all over the world, through online sessions, distant healing and coaching as well as one-to-one tutoring.
Visit her on Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/VASSOyoga/
And Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/vassoyoga/
The Importance of Spiritual Practices for Modern Life