Behavioral Health & Recovery Services Blog

The final, yet equally important, topic in our blog series is spiritual self-care. Nurturing your spirit holds as much significance as caring for your mind and body. Participating in spiritual self-care deepen our sense of purpose and bring more meaning to our lives. 

Although spiritual self-care may sound similar to a religious practice, it does not have to involve specific religious practices. Spiritual self-care encompasses whatever you find meaningful and sacred. Whether you draw meaning from your faith, yourself, relationships, nature, or elsewhere, you can practice spiritual self-care.  

A few examples of spiritual self-care include, but are not limited to: 

• Make time for reflection  
• Spend time in nature  
• Find a spiritual connection or community  
• Be open to inspiration  
• Cherish my optimism and hope  
• Be aware of non-material aspects of life  
• Be open to not knowing  
• Identify what is meaningful to you and notice its place in your life  
• Pray or meditate  
• Sing   
• Read inspirational literature or listen to inspirational talks, music 

The possibilities for spiritual self-care are flexible to adapt to individual preferences and needs. By prioritizing spiritual self-care through these practices, we can transform stressful energy into gratitude, both for ourselves and the blessings in our lives. 

My spiritual self-care practice involves prayer and mindfulness meditation. Each morning upon waking, I begin with a prayer for guidance and strength the day ahead. Following prayer, I read a daily devotional and the corresponding scripture. To end my day, I express gratitude for another day of life, acknowledging every day is a blessing to work towards not taking it for granted. After repenting more any mistakes I have made throughout the day and showing gratitude, I end with a 15 to 20-minute mindfulness meditation session. Mindfulness meditation entails observing one’s thoughts without judgement as they arise. This practice enables me to acknowledge troubling thoughts while properly releasing them. Following mindfulness meditation, I typically experience a quieter mind and a clearer perspective on addressing challenges. 

Sources: 

Each Mind Matters: Self-Care Drop in Article (English) 

https://emmresourcecenter.org/resources/self-care-resources

Written by Ayanna Wade (she/her), BHRS Office of Diversity & Equity Intern