Spiritual Growth – Rise above Frustrations of Daily Living

spiritual growth

The spiritual growth of an individual enables an individual to rise above his circumstances. It enables him to maintain a calm, peaceful demeanor even under trying circumstances. It literally means the growth of a person’s spirit towards godliness.

Spiritual growth enables a person to become resilient and rise above the frustrations of daily living. When people start growing spiritually, negativity finds its way out. He becomes a source of happiness for himself and for the people around him.

Devoting some time everyday for spiritual pursuit is a definite step in your road to spiritual growth. The daily practice may be meditation or prayer or simply taking a walk in silence. Let us look at some simple practices that can help us move ahead in the path of spiritual growth.

Introspection

Spiritual growth starts with introspection and self-awareness. When we make the effort to look into ourselves and our motivations, we become aware of flaws in our character and repeated patterns of behaviour. This self-awareness leads us to self-improvement.

Reading religious texts, attending discourses and associating with like-minded people enables us to progress on the spiritual path.

Detachment

Awareness of the transitory nature of things builds in us a feeling of detachment. Nothing lasts forever and change is the only constant in life. Once we accept this truth, we are empowered to accept the good with the bad.

Meditation

Meditation helps us calm our mind and empty it of the chatter and self-talk that distracts us from the task at hand. The mind is an unfettered being and needs constant control to stop it from becoming wayward. We should always attempt to focus the mind away from distractions and focus on the task at hand.

Positivity

Positivity enhances happiness. Negative thinking pulls us down. If a negative thought enters our mind, we should attempt to fill the mind with positive thoughts giving no space for negativity to dwell and grow.

Always look for the best in people and give people a chance to live up to your belief in them. Positivity means practicing the generosity and compassion that give you a feeling of fulfillment. Think about all the nice things in your life and try to laugh as many times as possible in a day.

Read our related post on power of positive thinking.

Gratitude

Gratitude is a very powerful emotion. The feelings of gratitude towards the Universe for all its bounties attract more blessings and benevolence. Whining for what we do not have leads to pain and suffering. But if you genuinely try to count the blessings you have already, you will be filled with gratitude and regular practice can elevate your spirits.

Read our post on maintaining a gratitude journal.

Healthy eating and living

The mind and body work in tandem to stay healthy. It is essential to eat healthy to attain physical health. Vices like smoking and drinking impair spiritual growth and should be gotten rid of.

Fasting

Fasting has been a way of prayer and atonement. To start with, a person can skip a meal or two per week which can be then progressed to a full day without eating.

Forgiveness

Spiritual growth encompasses healing and the acceptance of self. We need to love ourselves and accept all our flaws in order to grow spiritually.

Forgiveness is a panacea for all ills that plague us. We need to forgive ourselves and others for wrongs done, to achieve peace. This is best explained in what Mahatma Gandhi said: “An eye for an eye will only make the whole world blind.”

Reading

Reading spiritually-inspiring books is really uplifting and leads one through the path of spiritual growth. The serenity prayer “Grant me courage to change the things I can, serenity to accept the things I cannot, and wisdom to see the difference” having its roots in common sense and positivity appeals to theists and atheists alike. It helps us make a choice on deciding our attitude to setbacks and difficulties.

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About the Author

Vasantha Chary is an avid reader and a passionate writer. She believes in reaching out to people across the world through her well researched articles. She has been writing for the internet for over 4 years on a variety of topics of general interest.

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