Answers: What do you believe?
Why Experiencing Spirituality is Important to Resilience
Spirituality can be defined as the pursuit of and trust in ultimate meaning. Exploring spirituality engages depth and helps form and inform faith, allowing us to address the deepest questions of the human heart, our existence, and our connectivity within the bigger mystery of life. While we draw heavily on information we gather and thoughts we form based on our knowledge, intuition, and reason, we all still “walk in mystery” in the search to understand the meaning of our existence, encounter divinity, and seek answers to questions such as: Why am I here? What is the meaning of life? What happens when I die? What lies beyond? Does God exist? How can I experience God?
In addressing these deeper matters, many people seek and find answers within their rich faith traditions. Within the great mystery of life, healthy communities of faith allow individuals to safely seek and explore these questions and cultivate effective ways of faithful expression. With or without explicit support, however, we all have a deep longing to know “what’s it all about?” – to understand more deeply our life’s purpose within the “bigger picture.” Authentic spiritual connection and growth may strengthen one’s Inner Core and also contribute to improved mental and physical well-being, and overall resilience in adversity.
Faith is the realization of what is hoped for and evidence of things not seen. —Hebrews 11:1
Without a Strong Appreciation of Spirituality …
Without strong, well-founded Spirituality … you may be left with feelings of restlessness, confusion, isolation, hopelessness, lack of meaning and purpose, and potentially more prone to anxiety and depression.
Action Planning
If you want to develop your Spirituality further … take time to explore and to articulate your current beliefs and spiritual longing.
Possible Actions – Perceive & Ponder
- Explore some of the deepest questions of the human heart: Why am I here? What is life all about? What happens when we die? Is there a God and, if so, how can I find God?
- Increase your spiritual awareness by looking deeper at the world within and around you to begin to connect at this deeper level.
Possible Actions – Engage & Connect
- Spend time in prayer and/or meditation and, if this is new to you, find reliable resources to help you foster these practices.
- Connect with a healthy faith community within your faith tradition, or seek to understand your beliefs by taking a class or investigating available resources.
Possible Actions – Plan & Pursue
- Seek spiritual guidance from a well-trained and trusted spiritual director.
- Engage in practicing your faith. If this is new to you, consider talking with others who practice their faith to learn about their experience and note what stirs within you.
