What the F** does it mean to be ‘spiritual’ ?

I hear you, crystals, moons, star signs can feel a bit much to some. But what if I told you that is only 3% of the ‘spiritual’ space….

That actually spirituality might be the wrong word entirely. Or at least only a partial part of the story.

Why more and more people are getting curious about spirituality AKA living in more connection with the world around us

There’s a reason why people get curious about spirituality, or to any practices that makes you feel more ‘connected’ in this world.

When people look for spirituality teachings, they are often over thinking thoughts such as:

• “does any of this matter”
• “is it all pointless/meaningless” vibes.
• “Surely there has to be some kind of intelligence in this world”
• “how come some peoples life just flows and mine feels stagnant”
• “Surely there is more to this existence thing than what I know right now”

And something within those exploring ‘spirituality’ on a very subtle layer (or less subtle layer) knows there has to be something out there that makes sense of it all.

And more and more people are turning to this exploration now more than ever.

Why?

Because we are living in a world that constantly tells us to COMPARE, FEEL BAD ABOUT OURSELVES, question 24/7 if we are doing things right, feel imposter syndrome when we get the thing we want. Numb ourselves with substances or activities to escape our inner thoughts, or even most hilariously, we get the things we want only to feel like STILL something is missing.

And sometimes we aren’t even aware we are doing any of this. There is a subtle layer of these emotions entering in our subconscious playing in the background.

And beyond that layer? There is another layer adding to many more people exploring the ‘spiritual’ aka ‘the re-connection’ path.

The second layer is the collapsing world around us. What is happening in the world around us, is in short — absolute chaos. We hear stories on the news of pure turmoil, we often feel terrible often checking our social feeds we are addicted to seeing more of these updates. And on a deep level we are likely thinking…something is very wrong with the world.

But… what if the biggest plot twist ever was coming.

What if the answers are not overly complex and wild. What if the keys to feeling at peace in the chaos of this world were actually categorically simple.

What if those answers were as easy as connecting back to these three things?

• The self (our thoughts, emotions, beliefs, desires, self love)
• Nature
• Others
• Bonus point pillar: Spirit (something bigger working in our lives, the world)

And what if how to do this was given to us in road maps within ancient cultures?

And what if there was a huge growing belt of scientific research in mainstream fields that are beginning to back up ancient teachings now more than ever?

The plot twist?

The roadmaps of how to live and find calm/peace within a chaotic world hides within ancient cultural teachings. They have been here all along.

Mainstream science is researching it and proving it.

So why not explore what has been figured out and see if any of that magic resonates with you?

Why not take on the mind of a scientist, remove your bias, and just try things out? And feel for yourself what works and what doesn’t for you.

On the path of reconnection you get to make up your own rule book.

And anywhere you feel resistance, skeptisism, judgement that comes up? Is probably showing you a part of yourself that is locked in ego.

How I would actually define ‘spirituality’

A better set of words to define spirituality I offer to you (and that I will unpack in this blog), is to ‘live in connection.’ To find the parts of yourself that are in pain, suffering, or blocked that you have learnt to numb. Greet them with loving awareness and see what reconnecting them looks and feels like to you.

This part is quite fun really. You get to try out new things, find books on topics that interest you. Maybe watch some crazy gaia documentaries, or even research journal articles on mainstream research sites on topics of interest. And find what you are drawn to.

The aim of the reconnection path?: Feeling like you are connecting to something bigger than you.

And experiences such as this happen more and more: (aka. you will feel on the parth of reconnecting one or more of the following)

• You feel like puzzle pieces of wisdom you come across just seem to make sense to you
• You have more and more moments of ‘aha’s! And why don’t more people know about this
• You feel a deeper layer of peace within you despite the craziness going on in the world
• You start to love going outside more and more and connecting with nature
• You start to love having conversations more and more with people, strangers and loved ones -as you see within them this feeling of
• You feel drawn to research your own ancestoral practices and teachings and feel deeply connected to these lines (who’s DNA flows in you)

And once you unpack this science, these stories, or ancient cultural teachings, with an open mind, you create a flavour of connection that works for you.

Learning this mindset can no lies - often feels like the best movie of all time, except its not a movie — it’s your life..?!

Ok so I’m pretty sure I have you hooked now.

Let’s. Jump. In.

So… you may be wondering what this all means on how I define spiritual / being connected? And what this actually looks like in practice?

Here are some ways you can live in a deeper state of connection: And how I define being ‘spiritual’

1. Realising there is a force that guides us: One day a friend of mine took me through my entire relationship history and asked me to feel into the gifts of all of each experience. What gifts it gave me, lessons and pivots I took from it. I was shocked to see all the beauty that unfolded from every connection I had ever had. Even the quote on quote “negative” or “bad” experiences my mind categorised them as. This process is called the Demartini Effect. And can be applied to any theme in your life where you question why things are playing out the way they are. Career, relationships, etc. The power of stepping into gratitude for what looks like a perfectly orchestrated plan from something greater? Pure. Magic. Many cultures speak of spirit or fate guiding them. And when you apply this technique you are bound to see an element of this in your life. Even if only subtle.
2. Loving your thoughts: When I set out on a challenge to be the observer of my thoughts and see the space behind them. Essentially, to see the TV screen within my mind that showed my thoughts. Rather than just being the thought. Crazy things happened. I started meditating even just for 2 minutes a day. Watching the repetitive thoughts that came up and following them with love and no judgement. And watching the peace that came from not seeing any thought as ‘bad’ or ‘good’ but more teachers. Especially if any thoughts triggered feelings. I learnt to see what emotions came up withe each thought. Where that emotion was in my body, anything those emotions wanted to tell me. Etc, etc. And learnt that when we don’t feel emotions in each thought, they can store in our body dormant, but impacting our subconcsious mind. I learnt this most deeply over a program called “The Awakening” where I watched my thoughts for 3 whole months. That. Got. Wild. I saw the darkest thoughts I had suppressed in my mind, and got to feel them and send love to them. Your inner thoughts/voices in your head can be your best friend or your worst enemy.

Those thoughts can send you into depressive spirals/fear, or be used to commit to a habit or mindset that could transform your life. When you realise how your mind works, the repetition of thoughts (we get about 70,000 a day and 90% are the same ones), how our brain is wired (40,000 years old and hasn’t evolved, wired to keep us safe and in comfort zone etc) you realise that to not have tools to manage them is a little crazy! And that even our most negative thoughts are sacred. And often thoughts have something to tell us we are not seeing. In a world often narrated to bring up fear, insecurity and often anger. If we don’t observe our thoughts we can be blocked into seeing how this beautiful tool can help us connect more and more to ourselves, others and nature.

This is why meditation is so powerful, free writing/journalling is so powerful, following your negative thought spirals are powerful. And when you have learnt how your mind works and what thought spirals come up, learning how to choose what thoughts and beliefs you want to feed.

Watching and detaching from your thoughts is the a super power I offer you to becoming reconnected.

The thing to note when honouring thoughts to watch out for? Sometimes our thoughts can get sneaky and make you feel every thought needs your full attention. But there is sometimes a point — if you have worked through it enough. If intuitively you have honoured enough, you get to simply choose which thought you are going to feed.

Many cultures again speak of the monkey mind and how to feed what set of thoughts. One of my favourites is from the Native American cultural story around the two wolves. Which goes like this:

“An old Cherokee is teaching his grandson about life. “A fight is going on inside me,” he said to the boy.It is a terrible fight and it is between two wolves. One is evil — he is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.”

He continued, “The other is good — he is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight is going on inside you — and inside every other person, too.”

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee simply replied, “The one you feed.”

What thoughts are feeding what wolves inside you?

2.Committing to practices of reconnection: The most grounded, calm, peaceful, successful people in this world, often have a series of practices that keep them in a high vibe they do daily. They frame their days and life around making sure they are feeling connected to themselves, nature and others. And to spend time in this space of connection at the start of your day — is a hugely spiritual practice of connection that can transform everything. Remember spirituality is simply connecting with yourself, the world around you, and others.

So why commit to reconnection practices daily? Because topping up this reservoirs unlocks a special kind of energy within you. The energy of connection helps you achieve twice as more, and allows you to get into flow state much more rapidly. It may be a nature walk, meditation, exercise, whatever it is they commit to them. Because any practice that connects you to your mind, your body, your inner world, nature or others, is helping you be more connected. And from this place of connection comes a sense of living in flow and joy that attracts beauty towards you. When you live in the flow of life, how our bodies were designed to be lived in (e.g. moving, and as present/in flow state as we can be) you feel the flow of nature within you. I have come to learn if I am faced with deep procrastination, I need to move my body to clear the stagnant energy. In ancient times cultures would dance and sing as an example to clear this energy. You become one with the moment. And when you learn how to implement these actions daily? Magical things happen.

3. Connecting and acting on your curiosities and intuition as your superpower: Your intuition is that gut feel you get when deciding something. Is that connection with yourself that everyone has access to. That knowing in your body. A feeling of calm, or a spark of curiosity, or image that continuously comes to your mind. By acting on what you think your intuition is more and more on small things, you learn to trust it and recognise it on big things. Intuition really is just a series of decisions you make. And the more decisions you make, the more you learn how different ones feel in your body. I have learnt to ask myself, what does my heart want, and feel into my body and close my eyes and trust the answer. Other practices can be to write out the question and free write for a whole page. The top of page will be ego based and clearing out fears etc. The bottom of the page will likely be your answer. Learning your intuition is one of your biggest super powers in life! Learn to explore it any way you feel drawn to. And if all of that seems to much, simply follow sparks of curiosity in reading books of interest, watching videos, researching topics and allow that curiosity to show you flashes of how your intuition works. Feel the deep feeling of connection and calm as you connect more and more to this tool within you.

4. Being open and explorative of understanding how sprititual/religious people tick and the teachings of ancient cultures: If you are very closed off to religions or spiritual topics/people, there is likely judgement lurking within your subconscious mind. Which is very normal. We have seen what those who think their religion is best have done to the world. We have seen religions be used as tools for terrible unforgivable behaviour. And we have been told to believe by atheists that the world is plainly not magical, not connected, and that being alive means nothing. And that narrative has grown so strongly that it could arguably be why our mental health situation is as bad as it is. We are so disconnected from elements the ancients were deeply connected to. But spirituality doesn’t have to be dogmatic or any one set of rules. It can be as simple as finding a number of practices that make you feel more connected to nature, your inner world, others and something bigger than you. When you ask others what they do in this space and how it makes them feel. You learn each persons jigsaw puzzle of feeling connected to life is so different. And that we are ALL WORTHY OF THAT feeling of peace and connection that can come through these practices. Whether your practices are feeling grateful for nature, living kindness, or a weekly yoga class or gym session where you feel grateful for your strength and body -these are spiritual! If the intention is to reconnect to yourself and the world. The peace you find by exploring ancient teachings in this space can be profound too. And if you feel game for exercising your childlike curiosity and openness it can also fruit incredible things. When we take on a Childs like curiosity and do our own research, become a scientist of discovery you create your own powerful road map of what being connected looks like to you.

And when you explore ancient teachings connected to your own ancestoral heritage too? Even more magic unfolds.

And when it comes to exploring different religions: On this exploration path you begin to find many of them teach the same things. And that many of them also offer a beautiful unique perspective of these teachings in different ways that can resonate with different paths of yourself. I have gone to buddhist silent meditation retreats and christian churches in recent years to learn what these different religions hold. And both experiences have been deeply moving. I saw the christian faith and how strongly it preeches unconditional love from the force that created us. (Gratitude for existance is a highly researched area of science with huge shifts in wellbeing). And I saw from buddhism the beauty of peace and loving our monkey mind (mindfulness as a wellbeing practice is another hugely researched effective field of science too). I am grateful to have explored these two teachings. And will continue to follow my intuition on learning about how these different channels of connecting to something bigger.

5. Spiritual/connected people love and embody the beginners mindset, the scientist of exploration: Remember that every incredible scientific break through has come from a bunch of people who were thought to be crazy! Science is beginning to catch up with topics like quantum physics, sacred geometry, breath work, etc and other phenomenon that a lot of spiritual teachings from ancient cultures have known for centuries. Finding your spiritual / practices of connection need childlike openness and curiosity. And a remembering that everything you have ever tried likely felt new and odd when you first tried it. And like a new pair of shoes it may feel awkard for the first few weeks but soon you readjust. And you learn to have fun with it! This absolutely does not have to be anything serious. And the more you connect to that inner child, the more you can see the magic of the world again. And this translates to MANY places in your life. Connecting to that child like curiosity can be applied to connecting to states of joy and presence. A very budhist way of viewing the world. And many of these teachings often stress connecting to the inner child in other ways to allow that inner child to come through in the exploration of these teachings too. So you now have full permission to let that inner child out in other spaces if you take up this invitation!

See a swing? Swing on it. See a new topic you are curious about, read about it! Paint, dance, scream. Anything you used to do when you were younger do it. And feel the magic and your openness returning.

So there you have it. Some practices I have cultivated that are what I consider my spiritual formula. This is by no means an exhaustive list. There are many other things that make up someone spiritual. But this list are some of the most powerful things I have noticed in people who are on this path.

And as a disclaimer: often when people think of fate, a higher power they often say, well if there is a higher force, why is there so much pain in the world? And to that I offer what a series of indigenous elders shared with me a few years back. To not know pain is to not know love. To not know light is to not know darkness. Contrast is said to exist in this world so we can experience the opposite in its fullness. It doesn’t mean this is right or wrong. It simply is. And you can work through that duality in whatever way makes sense to you.

The other disclaimer? It will never all make sense. When you walk this path there will always be unanswered questions. Things that confuse you. But those things that do click into place? Make the whole walk worth it.

Whatever your formula of connection is that is calling you, I wish you so much fun on that path. Have fun with it! This doesn’t need to be serious. Learn to laugh at yourself. And see the humorous side of learning how to connect with this space.

Because humour and light heartedness is truley such a powerful tool.

Books that have been transformative for me if you are curious about this space

• Celestine prophecy book (how fate moves in your life, and a series of spiritual teachings written in an adventure story — all time fav)
• The Alchemist book (similar to the above! Such an easy inspiring read)
• Light is the new black & Rise sister rise books(great for those identifying with femininity and if you got a big purpose / passion you want to ignite)
• Big Magic (manifestation)
• Power of now (the classic on mindfulness, awareness the ego)
• Jo Dispenser’s work
• Brene Browns work (Rising strong, daring greatly, braving the wilderness books, all on loving your emotions and living whole heartedly)

I wish you all the magic on this road of exploration ❤

B xxx