3 Practical Ways to Bring Your Spirit Into Daily Living
You have probably heard that we all have rational intelligence (IQ), emotional intelligence (EQ) and spiritual intelligence (SQ). In order to live to your purpose, you must let your SQ take the lead, with support from your IQ and EQ.
While your computer might perform rational reasoning better than you, and your emotions could be unpredictable and fragile at times; your spirit is always your best guidance and safety net, which can give you clarity, direction and courage at any time.
However many people might have resistance towards spiritual practice.
Let’s play a word association game: what’s the first word you think of when I mention “spiritual”.
“Boring”? “Complicated”? “Beyond my understanding”? “Woo-woo”? “Lotus position only”?
If this is the case, you are missing out some great tools which are really simple, effective and easy-to-implement.
I’m going to give you 3 simple yet powerful tips to use, whenever you feel stressed, overwhelmed, stuck or fearful. You can use them as much as you need until they become your second nature.
Step 1. Breathe
A no-brainer huh? But many of us forget to breathe thoroughly, especially when we are in a hurry.
For example, you are running late for an important meeting, here is what you can do: instead of picturing yourself over-apologizing being late, take a few deep breaths first.
Use your belly to inhale naturally; when you breathe in, picture yourself in a calm and happy state, greeting others who will be attending the meeting. When you breathe out, imagine all the anxiety or worry getting sucked into the middle of the earth.
Repeat this 3 – 5 times, you might be surprised to find out that your journey takes a bit less time than you’d expect.
Through focused deep breaths, we can immediately reconnect with our great spirit, the source and universal wisdom.
Once you consciously feel your own breath, try the following
Step 2. Love this moment (yes, I mean right now)
It will take you a long time to get to where you want to be unless you start to enjoy where you are now.
Time is a great illusion. What is the past? It is a collection of memories you experience now. What is the future? It is the potential you project now. You can only experience the past and future at this moment, NOW.
I am sure that you have heard this quote many times: “Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. Today is a gift; that’s why it’s called the present.”
It’s a great quote and beautiful wisdom; however, ironically, we are not designed this way—as a civilization, we are masters of grieving about the past and worrying about future.
Fortunately, I learn this tool from my teacher Sonia Choquette. I’ll share it with you, and you can apply it whenever your mind is drifting away, and use it to pull your consciousness back to the moment immediately.
Simply name the things you can see right now.
For example, when I am writing this post at the moment, I’m concerned about my busy schedule next week and how I am going to deliver the results.
Instead of letting this thought continuously distract me, I name what I see now: a yellow painted writing desk, a wide-screen PC, my sleepy cat around the corner, a few apples are falling off the apple tree in the garden, birds coming and fighting for the apples…
As soon as I note these things down, I am immediately back in the moment. I put I-the-ego, which is trying to worry me, on the back burner for now.
Once you are back to the moment, name the people and things you love, out loud. This exercise will raise your vibration and practice gratitude.
To share what I love right at the moment:
I love hot summer in London (which has been rare lately);
I love our new house;
I love the TV series I just watched and the fact that the soothing music is still in my head;
I love my family, my readers, my clients and my friends;
I love the new cat we just manifested!
I love connecting with like-minded people…
Say what you love & appreciate at this moment…
Do you feel that you are vibrating higher?
Good! Now you are ready for the last step.
Step 3. Be a truth teller (Head vs Heart exercise)
Do you often hear too many little voices in your head? They are contradicting with each other and you are not sure which one to follow?
Whenever you feel stuck or overwhelmed, chances are you head is in conflict with your heart. And to turn the situation around, you must align your head to your heart.
If you are not used to listening to your heart, here are some tips for you.
Find a quiet place on your own, close the door and remove any outside distractions. Take a few deep breaths, put your non-dominant hand on your heart, and say:
My head is telling me ____________________________________________________
Then ask yourself if this is true at all.
Then ask your heart, my heart says _______________________________________________________________________
In order to follow my heart and get unstuck, I need to tell my head
_________________________________________________________________________
Then use your dominant hand to write down the answer.
What comes out in your writing should make you feel: expansive, centred and liberated, almost like you’re saying ”phew…”. (eg, to relax? to stop overcomplicated things? to trust myself?…)
That’s how you know it is your heart that is speaking: your heart can only tell the truth, and the truth will make you feel free. If you don’t feel free, it is still your head talking.
Be patient; it might take you a few goes.
The answer WILL be remarkably simple – otherwise it is still your intellect talking to you.
Whenever you feel stuck, follow the 3 steps and find your peace and center again, until the process becomes your second nature.
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