8 Daily spiritual practices you can begin today in 10 minutes

What is the importance of daily spiritual practices?

• It allows for solid habituation, growth, and grounding in deep spiritual work to train perception for more clarity. It becomes a part of life, not just an alternative practice when in a dilemma.

• Strengthens self-awareness and creates an anchor to identity, allowing for personal growth. Repetition slowly ingrains traits like patience, humility, and discipline.

• Regular practice allows for emotional resilience, enabling a calmer, stress-free, and regulated emotional profile.

• Help in the organization of life and life events into meaning, prayer points, corrections, and improvement. This allows people to feel a higher satisfaction with life’s goals and purpose.

• Strengthening social connection by improving interpersonal relationships and leadership traits and promoting trust amongst acquaintances.

simple practices for spiritual strengthening

1. Meditation

This practice involves setting time to be in silence to be aware and reflect on a set topic, issue, or intention. This session is about letting yourself feel by allowing emotions brought up to run through you naturally, not trying to fight it. One can ingrain breathing exercise into the meditation to be more grounded and engage the brain in calmly picturing what is to be meditated about, i.e., processing grief.

• After waking up in the morning, or during the day while on short breaks, find a quiet space and assume a comfortable position, either sitting or lying down. 

• Focus on breathing and calming down our mind and nerves, drawing attention to the present emotions and thoughts.

• Set an intention, picture it clearly, and begin.

• Anchor yourself using paced breathing or deliberate mantras until you finish the session in about 5-10 minutes.

• Set a reminder to practice meditation.

2. Talking to the Divine and Yourself through conscious speech and Prayer

Prayer is a communication tool used between an individual and a divine entity or higher moral order. It is an inward or outward intentional utterance directed towards the divine for various reasons like worship, confession, asking for assistance, and giving thanks. It serves to cultivate relationships and trust and can be done as an individual or with a prayer community.

• Find a non-distracting place and time at your own convenience.

• Find a prayer partner or group (optional)

• Settle on a comfortable prayer position (kneeling/standing with hands clasped together, resting on a furniture/by the side or raised up)

• Relax and picture the intention of the prayer session.

• Conduct the prayer diligently.

• End the prayer and take a moment to reflect and ingrain what you have prayed upon.

When speaking to oneself, it is important to be compassionate and gentle. Always watch the words you are speaking by- reflecting before speaking (is it necessary? kind? True?) and pausing before actually speaking (is it the right approach, place and time?) and being emotionally stable and in control (am I lashing out or is it a rational speech?)

3. Active Journaling

Journaling is the act of writing down things like observed emotions/behavior, set plans, goals and activities, and intentions. Spiritual journals often involve gratitude, emotional road maps, spiritual progress, habits, and patterns. It helps one to identify what to focus and improve on by training the mind to be aware of noticing blessings and breakthroughs, not only problems.

• Get a journal, if possible, a customized one with spiritual prompts. If not, you can create prompts yourself within the journal that will guide you.

• Focus on 3-5 things to journal on. If possible, you can reduce it to one a day (separate days for gratitude, emotional mapping, and reflection).

• Include the small details like extra smiles, a different emotional response a milestone achieved, etc.

• Re-read and digest your journals after entry and from time to time to monitor progress.

4. Sacred Reading

Sacred reading is an intentional and transformative way of reading spiritual texts, scriptures, and inspirational materials. Reading is done slowly, repeatedly and carefully with the intention of learning through reflection often teaching the material as a ‘teacher.’ It feeds the mind with wisdom through allowing for deeper comprehension, which gently reshapes thinking, values, and beliefs.

• Identify an authentic source material.

• Set aside some time, either daily or weekly, of about 20-40 minutes.

• Have a place where you can sit comfortably and be able to read for those hours.

• Read intentionally for the hours set aside

• Reflect on the writings and incorporate what you can in your life.

5. Intentional movement

This is simply moving the body in a way that aligns with spiritual motives and values. This could be as an act of prayer, worship, thanksgiving, release of emotions, or connecting with the divine. It allows for deeper connection of mind, body, and spirit with the divine, emotional regulation, and intense sessions that boost energetic alignment.

• Set aside 20-30 minutes daily or weekly.

• Pick an activity that is easy to do, like jogging, walking, or simple yoga poses.

• Ensure the area is safe for doing activities.

• Pick a guide or partner (optional)

• Set the intention of the activity (walking to release anger? Any accompanying affirmations as I exercise? Etc.)

• Practice intentionally.

• Wind down, give thanks, and reflect on the exercise session.

6. Acts of Service

This is the simple act of engaging in activities that serve others without malice or hidden intention and expected materialistic gains. Doing good for others allows for expansion and self-growth through compassion, enhanced fulfillment of goals and purpose, boosting social health, and reducing negative traits like egocentrism.

Acts of service include deciding on what to act on, where, when, and to what extent:

• Volunteering (animal shelters, non-profit organization centered on human wellness, mentoring others, children’s homes, and community projects)

• Lending a hand in ordinary everyday activities (helping a neighbor carry heavy loads, domestic chores for friends currently incapacitated, carrying out errands for people in need like old immobilized neighbors and keeping lonely people company.)

7. Time with Mother Nature

Spirituality often extends to the natural surroundings. It is believed that all elements, like water bodies, land masses, animals, and plants, have life and should be treated as an extension of the divine order. Making time and effort to connect and preserve nature allows for increased connection to divine order and has other benefits like decreased stress levels as well.

• Spend some time outside either basking in the sun, taking a walk, or tending to nature (gardening and cleaning the environment). Just 10 minutes a day is sufficient.

• Be kind to animals, both domesticated and wild. Do not practice unnecessary cruelty unless the animal directly threatens your safety and life.

• Disengage from modernity (social media and gadgets) and just embrace nature through activities like sightseeing, swimming, and hiking.

• Giving thanks to Mother Earth.

8. A sacred space ritual

Spiritual altars and sacred spaces are special places set aside to perform dedicated spiritual activities like summoning deities, prayers, and engaging in rituals and spells. This physical space can be a small corner of the room, a dedicated small outdoor garden/balcony, or even an entire special room. The room/space can be equipped with charms like crystals, prayer beads, and table altars.

• Respect the space by allowing only special access to it.

• Regularly clean and cleanse the space both physically and spiritually.

• Present offerings on the altar to the associated divine/deity.

• Pray regularly; do not abandon the altar.