Spiritual Development Activities

Spiritual development is the process of figuring out the meaning of life, death and the reason for existence. Spirituality takes years of practice and awareness; the activities leading you to a spiritual path will not bring you to your destination overnight. Everyone develops spiritually at a different rate, so there is no competition. Instead, letting go of the ego and becoming your personal best is the ultimate goal of most spiritual gurus and sages; even teachers with much wisdom know that there is always more to learn.

People don't realize how important meditation is to spiritual development until they try it. Meditation slows down your brainwaves to different states such as beta, alpha and theta; these states of mind increase intuition and visualizations. For a while, you might not be able to distinguish what is visualized from your imagination and what is an intuitive vision; with continued daily practice, a deep inner wisdom will surface. Incense and oils are used in many spiritual traditions. For an optimal meditative experience, use rose, lavender or frankincense oils or incense during your meditation. Listen to meditation music, such as that produced by Steven Halpern, who has several CDs designed to open and heal the chakras, or by Dr. Jeffrey Thompson, who created music specifically to synchronize brainwaves to different frequencies.

Healing other people with compassion is one of the greatest stepping stones for spiritual development. You don't even have to say a word; just listen to what the person has to say. Help an elderly person cross the street. Help a relative buy some groceries or make dinner for a family you know cannot afford it. If you are inclined to learn to heal others and develop your spirituality and intuition at the same time, a reiki circle is the perfect anecdote. Reiki is an ancient healing art that began in Japan and is practiced all around the world; you do not need to be certified to take part in a circle and experience reiki energy, but you do need to be "attuned" in order to heal others. You can become attuned through a reiki master.

You may benefit from looking into possibilities that might call to your intuition, such as spiritualist churches, guided group meditations or psychic "unfoldment circles." You will not only take part in spiritual activities at the venue, but you will learn from others with the same beliefs and interests. Even if the organization is not for you, you are under no obligation to go back. Spiritualist churches believe in life after death and communication with dead loved ones, so there are quite a few psychics at these churches, if that is your interest. A psychic "unfoldment circle" is for more advanced individuals with a strong interest in developing their intuition and psychic abilities. After a guided meditation, each person has a chance to 'read' others in the room. Spiritual development manifests in many ways and there are many groups available; it is simply a matter of what calls to you deep within.