9 Ways To Quiet Your Mind & Follow The Path The Universe Has Laid Out For You
Your spiritual nature awaits you with many exciting adventures and discoveries.
Yevhen Rehulian / Shutterstock Everyone has encountered times when they feel restless, unsettled, and maybe unsure of where they stand in the world.
This can cause you to feel totally untethered and even directionless. It could also leave you wondering about your purpose.
There are lots of ways to deal with this uncomfortable feeling. For many, discovering their own spiritual side can bring on a greater sense of peace, gratitude, and even joy.
Exploring spirituality can take many forms, as you connect with your own divine energy and recognize there is something bigger than you are out there in the universe.
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This doesn't have to mean joining an organized religion (though it can, if that's meaningful to you). In fact, there is no one path — there are as many ways to get in touch with your sacred self as there are humans on the planet. This is a very personal journey, so don't be afraid to experiment and try different things to discover what works best for you.
The goal of most of these methods is to quiet the relentless inner chatter about your life that gets in the way of hearing your owninner wisdom or messages from the universe.
When you manage to drop into this alpha brainwave state, you are sure to feel more peaceful and give yourself the opportunity to know your higher self and spiritual side.
Here are 9 ways to get in touch with your spiritual side and find your path.
1. Understand that you are part of everything.
Begin with the idea that you're a part of everything. You are made of stardust and the cosmic energy that makes up the universe.
Waking up to being part of something bigger than yourself provides a surprising expansiveness filled with possibilities. It's like there's a reason for everything, whether you know what that is or not.
2. Look at the world through fresh eyes.
Lynn Grabhorn, bestselling author of "Excuse Me Your Life Is Waiting," talked about marveling at nature. Take a moment to really look at spring waking up around you.
Think about how the daffodils know when to come up and bloom. Examine how they are constructed and admire the mysterious creative force of nature.
It's refreshing to ponder how all this came to be and realize the innate wisdom of nature and the entire universe.
3. Learn to meditate.
No experience is required to start a meditation practice. You can follow along with any of the countless guided meditations found on YouTube.
Another option is to use a mantra that uses Sanskrit words that allow you to focus on a single idea. You'll find a ton of videos by Deepak Chopra, among others to choose from.
When you interrupt your normal thinking patterns by emptying your mind, it calms you and allows you to relax in a deeper way. Once you get familiar with the practice, then you might even start connecting with your inner voice and intuition.
4. Try breathing exercises.
Breathing deeply and fully exhaling allows you to sink into a more tranquil state of being. As with many of these other methods, it creates a greater sense of being present in the moment.
Breathing exercises rely on a pattern of inhaling and exhaling.
For example, you might count your breaths until you get to 10, then start again. Or you could breathe in for the count of seven, hold for seven, exhale for seven and be still for seven. Then start over.
Breathwork is an effective way to destress, release what no longer serves you, and find a deeper place of being.
5. Journal about your life.
This is a powerful way to stop the whirlwind of your life and get to know yourself. You can buy a journal that has prompts printed in it or find some on Pinterest or other sites with free questions to get you started.
Don't be afraid to ask yourself difficult questions about current situations in your life, or thoughts on where you are going and if this is what you actually want.
Journaling exercises help you get in touch with your feelings about life and live from a more conscious place.
6. Clear your energy.
Your body has an energy field that surrounds it and over time, it collects energy from a variety of sources that can weigh you down. That's why clearing your energy makes a lot of sense.
This is particularly true now with the strong polarities occurring in the country and the strife around the world.
Clearing your energy field is a simple process and you have several techniques to choose from. You could take an Epsom salt bath which is known for clearing and relaxing the body.
Smudging is a Native American practice that uses a dried bundle of sage and often juniper or sweet grass. Light the herbs, then blow it out so it smokes, then sweep it slowly around your body from head to toe.
You can also imagine that there's an energy vacuum before you and ask it to gently remove energy that no longer serves you from your body and aura. Once that feels complete, imagine filling the empty spaces with a gold light, which represents a high vibration.
7. Be with yourself in solitude.
Another way to investigate your spiritual side is that it's a wonderful type of self-care. When you take time to be with yourself in solitude, you are choosing to get in touch with your true nature.
You can do this as a morning ritual or create a safe haven on the weekend, carving out this special time for yourself. There are plenty of ways to use this time.
A solitude practice could include something creative like coloring in a mandala book, reading something uplifting with a spiritual twist, or spending time daydreaming about the future you want to create.
8. Keep a gratitude list.
Nothing can shift your mood like a grateful heart. Start a gratitude journal or list and write a full page every morning of everything that you are thankful for. You can also do this before bed, writing five things you are grateful for from your day.
Push yourself to choose something different each day, rather than write the same things down all the time. People often overlook what is currently working and going well, so this is a positive way to acknowledge the good stuff.
Noticing the positive usually leads to seeing more good in your world, and attracts even more goodness.
9. Take a class.
The number of spiritual classes to learn about intuition, healing methods, or yoga and tai chi are limitless today. Choose something that appeals to you and take a course. This will expand your horizons as you sample a variety of spiritual practices.
It's hard to know what you’ll like until you experience a few options. Explore and enjoy the new opportunities to learn and meet new, like-minded people. Finding spiritual buddies is a fabulous byproduct of this adventure.
Most of all, enjoy this new journey of getting in touch with your spiritual side and the new world that opens up as a result.
Ronnie Ann Ryan is a love and dating coach who has shared her sound advice and practical magic for mindful dating, love, and life with thousands of successful single women. For more information, visit her website. Learn more about spirituality and your past lives and get her Free book 7 Ways Your Past Lives Affect Your Love Life Now.