Shara Grove Holistics

I’ve written previously about why I struggle with the word Spirituality and how it can be and has been portrayed to modern society. But what does being spiritual actually mean?

Spirit

We’ve all heard spirit be mentioned before. The spirit of a horse, the spirit of the wind or the spirit of an eagle for example, which to me, suggests that spirit is essence. Spirit is character, it’s something to be admired, accepted and respected. It’s the spirit, the essence that catches our eyes and can keep us locked in. Like the spirit of the forest. It captures you, stops you in your tracks so you can admire it for a second. The spirit of the mountains puts things into perspective, makes you feel small yet protected.

Spirit suggests that it is slightly separate from what you see. As in it’s what you see that then makes you feel the essence of spirit, and then what it means in that setting.

Meaning to be spiritual isn’t what you see, it’s what you feel.

So when we take that information and switch it into human form, what does it mean? What does the human spirit mean?

Think of the human spirit as a child. They admire deeply with their eyes. They can see beauty in the smallest of things and they can truly be in the present moment. We all start off with our human essence, but sadly they have created a world where the majority of us lose that connection due to generational trauma, trauma or education.

It’s the human spirit that gives us vitality, energy and support. When humans lose their essence it can result in:

֎ Depression, anxiety and mood disorders
֎ Stagnant, dull and negative auras (the vibes you give off to others)
֎ Struggles to see, appreciate or be grateful for the positives in life. No matter the size
֎ Confusion, recklessness, destruction or self-sabotage
֎ Periods of dissociation
֎ Easily distracted which leads to frustration towards themselves
֎ Lots of complaining
֎ Low self-esteem and confidence
֎ Struggles to feel fulfilled, happy and energised about life
֎ Tries too hard to lead a successful life which results in more negativity than positivity

So what does it mean to be spiritual?

That’s a big question, as each spiritual person could give a different answer each time, so first I think we need to understand how we can connect back to our spiritual essence.

So how can we connect back to our spiritual essence?

This journey will be different for everyone as it depends on how far and for how long you have been separated from your true human spirit. For those who are starting this journey later in life, they might find it harder to connect back, or face bigger blockages due to the length of time they have been separated or disconnected. Those who are starting their journey younger but have suffered more trauma in their lives might also face a lengthier journey, but could get more profound results.

Listed below are some ways I have connected back to my spiritual essence:

֎ Journalling – If you don’t stick with it, you won’t reap the benefits of it.

֎ Meditation – I’m not talking about what you think I might be talking about…I’m talking about sitting and just being. No force, no trying, just being and observing.

֎ Affirmations – Again, you gotta stick with them in order to feel and see changes. These were a game changer for me when it came to leaving behind old, outdated and negative self-beliefs.

֎ Be A Skeptic – You can’t be a skeptic till you have tried what it is you are skeptical about. Skeptical about metaphysics and the unknown? Step into the world first before shutting it down.

֎ Dancing – My outlet for many years. Creative expression in the comfort of my own home. This has been life changing for me.

֎ Spend time with yourself – Do things that you enjoy doing. Practice independence and self-confidence. You have your own back.

֎ Be your own safety – Practice being safe with yourself. Whether it is emotionally, physically or mentally. You have your own back!

֎ Get curious – Ask questions about what you’ve learnt or been told. Practice teaching yourself.

֎ Get dirty – Train yourself to be okay with having dirty feet for the day, mucky hands or unclean clothes. Humans are not supposed to be prim, proper and spotlessly clean!

֎ Explore your childhood – For both the good and bad reasons, remembering your childlike self is one effective way of re-connecting to your true self.

֎ Expand on your self-knowledge – Learn more about your health, your body, dig below the surface. Explore different areas of emotions, psychology and generational trauma. Observe your family and learn about their traits and the effects on you. Find those sore spots in your body and touch them, feel them. There is so much to learn about yourself through your own observations.

You see…by re-connecting back to our spiritual essence, you end up working through, fixing and solving many issues that stood in your way of being spiritual.

These issues could have been:

֎ Parental beliefs that were put onto you from a young age
֎ Family restrictions
֎ Religious beliefs/restrictions
֎ Generational trauma that has moved down the family and left onto you
֎ Sibling rivalry
֎ Toxic friendships
֎ Societal beliefs
֎ Bullying or victimhood
֎ Grief
֎ Educational problems/traumas/beliefs
֎ Past relationship traumas, abuse and beliefs
֎ Childhood conditionings/beliefs

It’s important to remember that even the slightest name call or comment can stick in our human brains, thus shaping our thoughts, emotions and behaviors further down the line. Which means it’s okay for something that might seem so small and insignificant to others, hurt you and stick with you. But what’s not okay is letting it continue to shape your life and your relationship with yourself.

So what does it mean to be spiritual?

Once you’ve worked through what has been blocking you from your spiritual essence, being spiritual can mean anything to you!

These are some examples of what being spiritual means and looks like to me from my personal experience on this journey:

֎ To be kind to myself, others and other creatures
֎ To remain open-minded and challenge what I see
֎ To know that I am my own best-friend and will always have my own back
֎ To feel connected to the natural world around me
֎ To feel free from previous conditionings
֎ To be able to forgive others for their actions that impacted me
֎ To appreciate what I see and express gratitude for what I feel
֎ To be free to explore the unknown, taboo or metaphysical subjects
֎ To make my own decisions
֎ To wonder and feel connected to what is greater than me, this planet and our universe
֎ The ability to question what I have been taught
֎ To know, feel and find peace
֎ Looking back on my journey and being proud of the steps I have taken
֎ To be able to express myself creatively
֎ To know myself well enough to know how to treat, care and heal myself (mentally/emotionally/physically/spiritually)
֎ The ability to let things flow off me
֎ Knowing who I am

You see, being spiritual isn’t about being the same as everybody else who calls themselves spiritual, otherwise you would lose your identity (which is kinda what your spiritual essence is…)

Discovering your spirituality or spiritual essence is about discovering what blockages you had, and the knock on effect they had in dimming your essence.

Spirituality isn’t about being something or about being spiritual enough that you can tick the box for it, it’s about coming home to yourself. It’s about discovering where you lost yourself and why.

That is what is so difficult but so beautiful about this journey.