Increased spirituality As You Reach Middle Age

Increased spirituality As You Reach Middle Age

Do you feel more spiritual as time passes? Is there something in spirituality that attracts us more as we get older? What are the reasons that we seek spiritual activities and daily practices for spiritual growth, particularly in our latter years .

Firstly, What is spirituality?

The word ‘spirituality’ has different meanings depending on who you ask. It’s often associated with religious feelings or organized religion, but not always. For some, it’s about establishing a connection with the universe. For others, it is about self-development and finding inner balance.

Generally speaking, spirituality means valuing and connecting with the things that transcend physical matter. It may be God, the universe, or your true essence. Spiritual people give a transcendental meaning to life.

Or you may love esoterism, astrology, or numerology and would like to join thousands of others in the world’s largest online spiritual community

Is Spirituality Important As You Reach Middle Age?

While we age, many people realize that they do not feel true fulfillment. Maybe they have everything – money, a house, a car, a loving family… however they often can feel like something is missing.

There is nothing wrong with having these things. But we often give other people or things the responsibility to make us happy, and they can’t.

Some millionaires are depressed, and some low-income people are happy. Why does that happen? Because happiness comes from how we see things and we experience life.

If we don’t learn to reconnect with our true essence and find happiness within, no matter how much we have, we won’t appreciate those things.

Spirituality teaches us to know who we truly are and helps us to see the things that matter in life.

How Can I Become More Spiritual?

Understanding what spirituality means for you

Spirituality means something different for everyone. For you, it may be self-discovery. Maybe you are interested in a particular religion, praying, meditation, or finding inner peace. Possibly you like to be in contact with Mother Earth.

Whatever it is, try to make the most out of it so you can become a better person and live a happier life. Spirituality is not so much about theory or only pretty things. It’s about doing your best to discover what keeps you away from tapping into your true self and changing for the better.

Meditation And Mindfulness Practices

Spirituality is a journey of self-discovery, but no one can do that without looking inward. Doing this is easier when you find a quiet place and a time to be alone and reflect. You can learn a lot from this practice, and it is better when you learn to quiet the mind.

Some people say that meditation is like a gym for the mind. It teaches you to be in control of your thoughts instead of letting them control you.

So, find a quiet place and sit in a comfortable position. Inhale deeply, hold your breath, and exhale slowly. Repeat until your thoughts begin to fade away. Focus only on your breath. And that’s it! You are meditating.

Easier said than done, right? For some people, it may take longer to quiet the mind. That’s okay. Be patient. Practice makes perfect.

You can also consider mindfulness practices. The purpose is to become fully aware of the present moment.

For example, while you walk, feel every step and become conscious of what surrounds you. While you eat, chew slowly and feel all the flavors, textures, and scents.

With practice, you can reach a meditative state and have full awareness to be right here, right now.

You can make anything a mindful activity with enough practice. Here are some ideas: cooking, driving, sewing, gardening, painting, cleaning, etc. Nowadays, there are a lot of coloring books available for adults to help you to relax. Use your creativity!

Reading Books About Spirituality

If you are new to spirituality or want to learn more, reading some books can help you with that.

You can find some tips and practices to help you to start, as well as very inspiring thoughts and wisdom.

The books of most religions have deep, ancient wisdom that is still relevant these days If you learn to interpret the symbolism. They are a great place to start. For instance, you have the Bhagavad-Gita, the Dhammapada, the Bible, etc. You will be surprised to see that they have a lot of similarities, and they are helpful for everyone, even If you don’t consider yourself religious.

Of course, you can read many books from modern authors that can give you practical tips to help you in your journey. Here are some great examples.

  • Introduction to Gnosis by Samael Aun Weor
  • Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
  • Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
  • Thought Power by Sri Swami Sivananda
  • Tao Te Ching by Laozi
  • The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama
  • The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran
  • Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Getting in touch with nature

Reconnecting with nature also reconnects you with your inner essence. It’s easier to quiet the mind when you immerse yourself in nature. It harmonizes you, and If you focus intensely, It can take you to beautiful states of mind.

When ancient wise men felt a spiritual call, they went to nature to reflect, like Buddha, Jesus, Krishna, etc.

That doesn’t mean you should go to the desert and fast for three months. But you can go to a quiet beach, a forest, a mountain, a lake, or even your local park.

Walk barefooted, hug a tree, and listen to the birds. If you have never done something like that, be open to trying it. It’s the easiest way to relieve stress and find inner peace.

Finding friends with similar interests

It’s easier to start with spirituality when you have someone who shares your vision. You could join a meditation class, a book club, or what resonates with you.

It is not a requirement, but it can help to keep you motivated.

You are who you hang out with. Suppose your friends only talk to you about gossip, sports, the economy, or politics. In that case, it will be hard to focus on transcendental things.

Taking care of your body

Becoming more spiritual also means living in harmony with your body. Listen to it to know what it needs. Have you tried to eat more healthily, do more exercise, or reduce stress?

Avoid processed, junk food and prefer fresh, natural organic food. Your body will thank you for that.

Also, you could try harmonious exercises such as yoga, tai chi, or Qigong, or go for a walk. Avoid spending hours watching TV, and you will feel the difference. Do what make you feel alive.

Letting go

As you grow old, it becomes harder to let go of the past. It’s like we tend to cling more and more to things. However, we all need to acknowledge that attachment won’t let us keep going in life.

We begin to look back and see what we have achieved. Maybe you may have some regrets, or you wish to have done things a different way. We all do. But remember, life keeps going, and we can still keep growing. Until the day we die, there is still a chance.

So it is essential to let go of memories, people from the past, places, or experiences we had if they keep us stuck. The key to letting go is understanding. Understand what happened and why it happened, and what it taught you.

It is also essential to let go of who you are today to become better tomorrow. For example, as we get older, we cling to our old habits, old ideas, and prejudices. A spiritual journey requires us to have open minds and acknowledge our mistakes.

Author

  • Stephen

    Stephen is now retired. He spent 25 years in community welfare and is one of the co-founders of life over 50. He has a keen interest in everything concerning this special age group.....and makes valuable contributions to the site. In his spare time, he enjoys photography, cycling and gardening. Also a keen jazz music lover!


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Life Over 50 Monthly Newsletter
Enter your email to receive a monthly round-up of our best posts.
icon