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Spirituality means to look beyond the material world, to be connected with the human spirit, rather than the body or physical things. For some, spiritual practice comes from a religious background. Others may have a more flexible approach, taking concepts from a variety of philosophies.
Think of spirituality as your path to living a meaningful life. It is inclusive, fluid, and personal. At the end of the day, it’s about pursuing those spiritual practices that resonate with your soul. According to Very Well Mind, spirituality could help people cope with everyday life, feel more grateful, and have better relationships.
Any healthy spiritual practice needs a solid foundation. When you seek a deeper meaning in life, start with the three pillars of human spirituality: relationships, values, and purpose. this will create a spiritual foundation so you can build a life of love, passion, and purpose in alignment with your highest self
The Three Pillars of Human Spirituality
Regardless of your background, having a spiritual framework can create a meaningful life. In his research, “A Spiritual Well-Being Model for the Healing Arts” that was published in The Journal of Holistic Nursing, Brian Luke Seaward PhD describes the three pillars of spirituality. According to wisdom keepers from a range of traditions, human spirituality is upheld by three pillars: relationships, values, and meaningful purpose. They form the foundation to build your spiritual “home”, so you can create a life according to what calls to your soul.
Pillar 1: Relationships
Relationships provide a powerful tool for spiritual growth, not just with others but with how you relate to yourself. In fact, the health of your relationships begins with how you connect with yourself.
All relationships with others begin with the relationship with yourself. Only when you realize your own self-worth can you show up in relationships as a strong, confident, fully realized person. When you truly love yourself, you honor your boundaries as an empowered healthy partner, the foundation to any healthy relationship between two people.
When it comes to relationships with others, spiritual leader and best-selling author, Marianne Williamson tells Oprah that relationships provide an opportunity for growth. They take many forms, and they don’t always necessarily refer to a long-term, committed partnership.
One can view all relationships, romantic or otherwise, as a chance for soul growth. On a spiritual level, each person attracts the exact relationships they need to become their highest self. Relationships are “laboratories” for growth when you approach them with an open heart and willingness to learn.
A spiritual partnership happens in a balanced partnership between two people who both equally connect to their authentic power. Through mutual trust, honor, and respect, spiritual partners grow together as they intentionally cocreate their experiences and ascend to higher levels of consciousness. When you realize your own worth and embody your authentic self, then you can connect to others with an open heart, ready to learn and grow through every interaction.
Pillar 2: Values
What matters to you at your core? This is the guiding principle to building a life that aligns with your soul. When you don’t define your values, you make choices that conflict with who you are. You wind up going down a path with no direction, like a ship lost at sea.
Think of your spiritual values as the compass guiding you as you navigate through life. When you determine what matters the most to you, at your core, you know when to say yes to something, and when to say no. You have an easier time making decisions that align with who you are, from the day to day to life-changing choices.
Values are personal. What matters to one person may not mean a whole lot to you. Take the time to consider your core values. As Vedic educator Tris Thorp writes on Chopra, start by identifying which areas of your life matter the most. You might choose family, career, fitness, health, wealth, or personal development.
When you rank your values in order of importance, you’ll have an easier time making decisions. You can prioritize more important values, and know when to say “no” to the things that don’t mean much. With time, you’ll build a life in alignment with who you really are, at your core.
Pillar 3: Meaningful Purpose
Spirituality helps to answer life’s bigger questions like, “Why am I here?” and “What is my purpose?”. When you connect to those essential truths, you create a foundation of faith that carries you through even the most difficult challenges in life.
But how do you answer big questions like that? It starts with going inward.
Hindu and Yogic traditions explain that finding your purpose starts with knowing how to live in the kriya energy flow. When you live in the kriya state, your life flows effortlessly with creativity and abundance. You are tuned into the inner voice of your soul, and live in the flow state.
But oftentimes, people don’t take the time to listen to their inner voice. They ignore the messages coming from within. This is when karma happens.
You’ve heard the saying “when one door closes, another opens”. Think of karma as that closing door, the universe’s way of pointing you in a new direction. When you listen to karma, you enter the kriya state and start to align with your soul’s purpose.
When you learn to listen to your inner voice this way, you will make decisions in line with your soul’s purpose. It takes some practice at first. But as you follow your intuition, you’ll live in that kriya flow state according to your purpose.
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