How to Find Your Spiritual Self

Introduction

Recently, I've had several clients ask me, "How can I find the spiritual part of myself?" They may call it something else like their spiritual center, spiritual essence, etc., but they are basically asking how they can find their Spiritual Self. That is a broad question, but since it keeps popping up, I will do my best to answer it in this blog, although likely there needs to be more discussion as that is a big question to "answer".

For this blog, I will define the Spiritual Self as the part of us that is directly connected to the higher power, whether you believe that to be God, the Divine, the Unified Field of Energy (i.e., Unified Physics), the Great Spirit, the Universe, etc. (names vary depending on religious faith or spiritual background). It is always there, but unless "we" have a relationship with it, we may not be aware it exists and may float through life unaware. However, those who dedicate themselves to a spiritual practice are more than likely to discover their Spiritual Self and cultivate this vital relationship. Vital to our peace of minds and hearts, that is!

What's The Way?

There are many ways we can find our Spiritual Selves. And this is for a good reason. Every human being is a unique expression of the greater power, so it would make sense that there would be more than one way to find your Spiritual Self. There are many ways to cook food. There are many types of clothes we can wear to express ourselves. Similarly, there are many ways to find our Spiritual Selves.

Be wary of those who tell you there is only one way, and they are the only ones who know! Be also wary of those who tell you their way is the best way. They are certainly entitled to say their way is the best way for them (hopefully, they are still seeking out other paths or are at least open to different approaches that resonate when they come their way), but there is no "one" way.

That being said, there are some spiritual aspects or elements which are common to most spiritual paths to find your True Self. They include meditation (as well as mindfulness and contemplation), energy work, and service.

Meditation, Mindfulness, and Contemplation

Meditation typically involves a pre-determined focus such as the breath, sensation, or object, coupled with specific postures and breathing sequences. Some people mix up the terms of meditation and mindfulness, but they are two sides of the same coin.

Mindfulness can be defined as being aware of whatever is present in the moment. There are elements of mindfulness in meditation and aspects of meditation in mindfulness. Both require practice, and both have been found to offer many benefits to practitioners. Check out our Services Page Q&A for more information.

Contemplation is another term similar to meditation, but it is also different. It could be viewed as a type of meditation as we are focused on one topic. However, we also contemplate the topic and allow our minds to explore the topic at length. This is helpful as we can focus on one matter and allow universal and inner truths to surface, which can be very helpful when we are facing a tough time or unsure of the next steps in an area of our lives.

If the mind moves onto other matters, then we bring it back to the topic of interest. That being said, there are types of contemplation that allow one to go wherever the mind goes but this might be more similar to mindfulness than meditation. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what we call it because it is a helpful practice.

I suggest that ideally, someone trying to find their spiritual path try the following:

• First, practice meditation so they can disengage from their thoughts and become aware of the space between the thoughts
• Secondly, attempt a mindfulness practice to help one become present with what exists in any moment
• Lastly, I would recommend integrating a contemplation practice to help one allow old insights to resurface and enable new ones to come into our awareness

There are many types of meditation, mindfulness, and contemplation. It is more about finding the one that works for you…until it doesn't and then finding something else that does (spiritual rinse and repeat!).

Energy Work

When I say energy work, I mean any work that helps us manage or increase our energy. Finding our Spiritual Selves is not always easy and can take up a lot of energy, time, and resources, so it is essential to learn how to care for ourselves. Some of the tools that seekers can use to help them manage and increase their energy include:

• Yoga, Qigong, Tai Chi (and other Martial Arts – if they feel right to you)
• Subtle energy work such as energy fields, chakras, prana, chi, healing energy, auras, nadis, sacred geometry, etc.
• Meditation, mindfulness, contemplation, breathwork, and visualizations
• Emotional regulation
• Earthing
• Prayer, singing, mantras, etc. and playing musical instruments
• Being aware of relationships that serve us and how to manage or eliminate those that do not
• Diet (including water intake), exercise, sleep
• Working with energy healers e.g., Reiki, Acupuncture, Pranic Healing, etc.

As you can see, there are many options. Similar to meditation, it is about finding the right one(s) for you. If you are not sure, pay attention to what is happening in your world. Most of the time, we get hints from the Universe on the next step(s) we should take. If we are looking for a type of energy work and hear about a specific kind of yoga multiple times in a short time, there might be something there.

Ignore hints that come up from social media or online marketers as they as based on algorithms (yes, many phones are listening to what you are saying). I am talking about random events that do not seem connected, yet the specific topic, i.e., yoga, keeps showing up. For example, you talk to three people that are not connected and the same topic comes up. Notice the authentic hints and investigate them. It's incredible what can happen when we go with the flow of life.

Service

When I talk about service, I am talking about three kinds of service:

1. Service to yourself
2. Service to others
3. Service to the higher power

Service for yourself is, for some (actually many on the spiritual path!), the most forgotten. It is essential to serve yourself by taking care of yourself. What I mean by that is the following:

1. Invest in your personal and spiritual development
2. Lead a healthy lifestyle including diet, water, sleep, exercise, and relationships
3. Manage your emotions and set boundaries, so others' emotions do not impact you in a way that does not align with your highest good

If you don't take care of yourself, it will be challenging to take care of others. In the context of service, if you don't serve yourself, it will be challenging to serve others. Serving others can mean many things. Some would say that service to others is serving people that you do not know. I would counter and say it is for anyone other than yourself as one pebble in a lake creates a ripple effect, so it is just as, if not more, important to take care of those close to you and then extend your service outward.

But I agree that there needs to be a certain level of service to those outside of your inner circle. Now, if you are a single parent with many kids, I get it this is a lot to ask, but it might be as simple as helping a neighbor or someone in your extended network. Just do what you can without putting your and your kids' best interests at risk. I am not saying that you shouldn't help others if it is inconvenient, but you have to feed your kids first. Again, in my view, the focus should be on yourself first, your inner circle second, and then extend outward to the best of your ability.

I have a different take on service to the higher power from the conventional view. I agree that serving for a spiritual community or a spiritual event is a great way to serve the higher power. It is great to contribute to events that help humanity (as well as the planet and all of the life it holds).

But here is where I see things a little differently. By serving yourself and realizing your potential as a spiritual being has a ripple effect in society. As you raise your consciousness and frequency, you help to raise the consciousness and frequency in other beings. When you serve others, you are, in a way raising their consciousness and frequency as well. So, by serving yourself and others, you are indirectly serving the higher power as you are contributing to the spiritual evolution of humanity.

Another way to serve the higher power is to share and pass on your spiritual knowledge, gifts, and insights to others. This is what inspired me to establish Spirit Tree. I have done a lot of spiritual work over the past 25 years and feel it is time to give back. Yes, there needs to be an energy exchange for services, but I am not doing this primarily for money (I have another business that helps me fulfill my financial obligations!), I am doing this to help others. There is no point in taking the knowledge and skills I have accumulated to the grave. It defeats the purpose of why I did this in the first place (which was to learn ancient wisdom and share that with others so it can be preserved and in some cases clarified or expanded)!

Conclusion

I selected meditation, energy work, and service as three pillars that we can use to find our Spiritual Self. There are likely more, but for this blog, this is enough information for one to digest and get started on their path of finding their Spiritual Self. It has also shown me that a blog is not sufficient to answer this question. So, I have been inspired to develop a course - "How to Find Your Spiritual Self" - to help people access simple and effective tools that will allow them to start (or deepen) their spiritual journey while avoiding potential traps, getting stuck, and uncertainty on how to move forward. If this interests you, contact us directly about upcoming events!

Remember, this is a process. It may not happen overnight, and this is not a bad thing. Ask those who have instant awakenings; it can be very uncomfortable, alarming, and tough to go through. Everyone's path is different, and you may find yours through meditation, energy work, and service. I can't tell you what will happen on your path, but I can share what has happened on mine and many others that I have learned from and with. There are shared experiences, but they are unique to each person, and not everyone will have the same types of spiritual experiences or paths, and that is ok. We are all unique, so why should our paths be the same.

If you still have questions about finding your Spiritual Self and are drawn to discovering and exploring your Spiritual Self through one-on-one spiritual coaching, we suggest booking a session with us today. There are Introductory Specials (available on the "Book Online" page) to help you get started on your journey. For more information, please check out our services page or book your introductory coaching session today on our "Book Online" page, as we have some special offers available for a limited time.