Personal growth is a nebulous concept, but spiritual growth has been scientifically studied and proven to build personal well-being.
In 2011, the American Psychological Association (APS) conducted research and found that even small amounts of weekly prayer or meditation can lead to significant changes in feelings of happiness up to six months later. From an outside perspective, it might seem like people who practice these activities would have healthy psychological benefits going into the future, but why does spiritual growth have a more far-reaching impact on personal well-being?
What Is Spiritual Growth?
Spiritual growth boils down to the realization of your true self and defining who you are as an individual. It involves the process of introspection with a willful purpose to seek consciousness and understand beyond existing and further looking into the universal truths. This holds great importance for every individual as it is a strong basis for a life filled with peace and harmony, free from negative feelings like anxiousness and fear.
Ultimately, it is one of the various ways to grow as a person-tougher, contented purposefully, and more responsible than before.
How Do You Develop Spiritual Growth?
To develop your spirituality, you must first have the powerful desire to change for the better. You must commit to seeking growth, for when the time comes that you look for reasons why you want to develop your spiritual growth, looking back on the first day of your journey would remind you not to quit halfway through the expedition.
Go Out and Connect with Nature
Going outside will help you clear your mind and allow you to appreciate the simple things in life and all God’s creation.
Spend Time in Prayer
Talking with the Creator will allow you to seek comfort from all the struggles you had through the day and create an unbreakable bond between you and Him. You may also incorporate prayers with your night routine that seek to improve the community like prayer for peace, grace, or safety.
Be a Blessing to Others
Rather than asking for more blessings, being a blessing for others can significantly help you grow your spirituality.
Read and Understand the Bible
Learning the teachings of the Lord through the bible would help your live a life centered in Christ, and this will greatly help in giving the right reason for what has happened to you through the years. Reading through its pages would allow you to have affirmations for spiritual growth.
Reflect at the End of the Day
Reflective practices will allow you to be more conscious about yourself and less about the mistakes of others.
Never Hesitate to Commit Mistakes
Committing mistakes is the best way to learn and grow from your previous self, as this will magnify the truth that no one will be as perfect as Him.
Begin With Small Progressions
Remember to take small steps at a time. It is important to know that we are not in the same race because we run at different paces and sprinting in a 10km run would do you harm more than good.
What Are The Stages Of Spiritual Growth?
There are four stages of spirituality. Familiarizing yourself with these four stages will allow you to put context to your life. Introspecting would enable a clearer vision of where you are now. It is essential to point out that the following stage is not considered “linear”-stages and may vary in different aspects of life.
The Victim
In this stage, an individual believes that he/she has no power over a particular event in his/her life and can do nothing to control the situation.
The Manifester
This stage is when a person surrenders to God or the Universe. He/she then realizes that he/she is made with a larger purpose in life and not just do the things he/she wants.
The Channeler
It is when an individual starts to trust God and begin to do the work that is meant to be done in his/her lifetime.
Being Consciousness
In this final stage, an individual becomes mindful that he/she is the universe and is not tied to this particular lifetime. He/she understand that all of us are a part of the vast network of universal consciousness.
What Is The Importance Of Spirituality In Your Life?
Apart from the ultimate goal of reconnecting to the Great Creator, growing one’s spirituality offers great importance in people’s lives, backed by proof that is highly linked with improved overall well-being and health.
Meditative Practices Help People
Meditative practices like praying, yoga, journaling, and meditation would help improve relaxation, calmness, attention, and concentration. According to research, meditating helps increase the density of grey matter of a person’s brain, positively enhancing a person’s immune system, reducing pain sensitivity, stress relief, and improving emotional handling. Praying induces feelings like hope and empathy towards others which helps a person’s overall well-being. It also serves as an individual’s ultimate “go-to” when difficult situations arise. Journaling allows you to contemplate your life and where you are heading to. This allows you to feel more resilient as life challenges you. Yoga helps people to release pent-up emotions and tension and significantly lowers the feelings of anxiousness and being depressed.
Live Longer with Spiritual Growth
Studies suggest that having a well-established spiritual life is highly linked to the reduction of mortality rate by 18%. It further indicates that the mortality rate reduction of spirituality is similar to consuming large quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Make Better Choices from Strong Spirituality
Indirectly, spiritual growth is linked to making good choices in life and getting rid of unhealthy decisions that may cause harm to them. Studies show that individuals with a strong spirituality are less involved in drinking, smoking, violence, and crime.
Overcome Traumas with Spiritual Strength
Seeking solace in religion or spirituality can be of great help to people trying to overcome life traumas from wars fought, trafficking, and other traumatizing events. These comforts that people receive allow them to live their individual life with a meaningful purpose. This will enable them to see the silver lining of every difficult event that has happened to them through the years.
Replace Negativity with Forgiveness
Establishing spiritual strength enables an individual to let go of all past negativities and replace them with a better outlook on life. In particular, growing one’s spirituality would require forgiving yourself and others. In return, it promotes a long line of benefits like improved body function and immunity, lengthened span of life, improved health, and reduced emotions of hurt and anger.
Final Thoughts
Spiritual growth can be undoubtedly linked to having well-improved overall well-being.
With all the things said, achieving personal growth through growing one’s spirituality can be easily achieved through purposeful actions to improve oneself, regardless of age, gender, status, and experiences.
