The Lenten Season often gives people time to breathe. For about a week, things slow down and employees can have a few days off. This is an excellent opportunity to nurture not just your physical and mental health, but also your spiritual health. How can you do it? Will doing a Holy Week reflection be enough? The answers and more here.
What Is Spiritual Health?
Many experts believe that the most crucial aspect of spiritual health is the person’s connection to God. However, in a study, the majority of the participants explained that spiritual health for them has the following characteristics:
- There are both religious and existential approaches to spiritual health.
- Spiritual health is perceptible in people’s behavior.
- It can be enhanced or improved.
- It can affect the physical, mental, and social health.
- Spiritual health dominates all the other aspects of health.
While there’s no distinct definition for spiritual health, it’s clear that it’s connected to the other aspects of our wellness. Hence, it’s important for us to take care of it.
Holy Week as an Opportunity To Nurture Spiritual Health
If you’re looking for ways to nurture your spiritual health this lenten week, you might like the following suggestions:
1. Get in touch with or join a community.
Do you belong to a faith community? In many cases, it’s a church, but it could also be an organization or group whose members have the same spiritual goal as yours.
This Lenten season, consider connecting with them at a deeper level. Chances are, they have upcoming events, too, so why not sign up for one?
If you’re not a part of a community yet, have you thought about joining one? Perhaps this will help nurture your spiritual health.
Tip
If joining or getting in touch with a community feels overwhelming, connecting with just a person or two is also excellent.
2. Take time to understand and express your emotions.
Are you stressed? Worried? Maybe, sad? To nurture your spiritual health, consider doing a Holy Week reflection.
Reflect on your feelings and thoughts and why you have them. Afterwards, express them in a healthy way. Maybe you can paint, write, or even talk in your mind. Expressing your emotions helps:
- See problems in a different perspective
- In decision making
- Reduce anxiety
- Ease depression
- Eliminate the overwhelming “power” of the feeling
3. Travel.
Do you find it difficult to do a Holy Week reflection? Perhaps it’s because you’re too distracted. Why not consider traveling somewhere serene and relaxing?
The destination doesn’t have to be far or expensive. In fact, even a staycation near the metro is still good so long as you can ease your mind and reflect or meditate.
If you’re not fond of traveling alone, you can also travel with your friends. Simply find time to be alone to reflect.
Tip
The pandemic still affects travel and tourism. So, stay safe and prepare all the necessary requirements before traveling. As much as possible, choose a place with open spaces and fresh air.
4. Start a new hobby (or rekindle an old one).
When was the last time you did something you enjoyed without fearing that it’s not perfect?
For your Holy Week reflection, why not rekindle an old hobby or focus on a new one? Doing so might not only help you “live the moment.” It might also help you gain a sense of purpose.
5. Reconnect with yourself.
For your Holy Week Reflection, highly consider reconnecting with yourself. Focus on your goals: how can you achieve them? Keep a journal to track your progress. Open yourself up to new experiences and look at what’s good in yourself and others.
This Lenten Season is an opportunity to take care of your spiritual self. For your Holy Week reflection, consider connecting with yourself and others. If you can, travel alone or with family and friends. You can also find new hobbies or rekindle an old one.
Learn more about Healthy Mind here.
