Prayer, Meditation, Contemplation, Gratitude, Affirmations, Visioning, and Journaling.

Prayer may be the most well-known spiritual practice and one that has been practiced in one form or another almost from the beginning of humans on earth. Prayer is a means of communicating with God or that power which we believe is beyond ourselves. Prayer allows us to connect to that power, expecting the power will respond. There is no wrong way to pray, however, prayer is a two-way communication,  necessitating a time of quiet and a time of listening.

5 Step Spiritual Mind Treatment

Movement Meditation which is a gentle form of movement including walking, yoga and Tai chi; Mantra Meditation,  the repetitive use of a word, phrase or sound to help clear the mind; Loving Kindness Meditation, mentally sending thoughts of goodwill, kindness and warmth to strengthen feelings of compassion, kindness and acceptance towards ourselves and others; and Gratitude Meditation which focuses on those things and people for which you are grateful. Before you commit to any one spiritual practice, you might want to try several of them to find out what most strongly resonates with you.

Once you have decided on a practice, consider the amount of time you are willing to commit to practice each day . The amount of time is less important than the consistency of daily practice.

The next step is to create your meditation environment. It may be as simple as placing a candle nearby to where you sit or to a more elaborate environment such as a dedicated room as the place where you do your practice. Doing your practice at the same place daily is helpful.

Once you know what and where, comes the biggest thing; committing yourself to consistent and daily practice.   That commitment is kept regardless of whatever is occurring in your life. Committing to a spiritual practice can be a daunting idea. With time, it becomes less so and eventually you will not be able to conceive of your life without it.

Contemplation as a spiritual practice involves looking deeply into the spiritual questions that arise as we wonder about the Universe and our place in it. The desire to contemplate often results from something we read, particularly in books of a spiritual nature. Taking time to contemplate what we we've read can lead to a greater understanding of who we are, what we are, why we are, and where we choose to go from here. The process simply involves thinking deeply about what was read. To deepen the experience, some people write down their thoughts as a way of clarifying their conclusions.

Gratitude is the simple act of giving thanks for everything. It is a simple statement of "thank you" that makes everything enough. Gratitude strengthens our self-esteem, improves relationship and strengthens our mental health. People who practice gratitude on a regular basis are more empathic and compassionate. If you want to be happier, express gratitude. If you want to be healthier, tell your body how much you appreciate all that it does for you.

Affirmations are statements of truth you speak to yourself to overcome any erroneous ideas you may have of who you are. Spoken in the first person, I Am is followed by the truth of your being. It is a statement that calls to the highest expression of your spiritual self. Affirmations challenge false beliefs and negative thoughts. The words that follow I AM are very powerful, for they are the words of truth.

Visioning, as opposed to visualization in which you decide what you want, is a process of listening to what the Universe/God wants for you. 
Rather than declare what it is you want, you drop out of your head and into your heart to let the answer be revealed. Visioning asks 5 questions with time after each question to be quiet and receptive to what comes.

Spiritual practices are intentional activities used to deepen our  relationship with the sacred, with ourselves and with our larger world. They help us to uncover our deepest desires, assist and strengthen our connection to the Divine and aid in our search for meaning and wholeness. Spiritual practices allow us to connect to our true essence in recognition of ourselves as spiritual beings. Spiritual practices help move us from where we are to where we want to be. Spiritual practices activities are intentional and are meant to be practiced on a regular basis. The list of spiritual practices is long and varied.

Journaling is simply the writing down of thoughts and feelings, without editing, or judging. It can be stream of consciousness or writing for a specific reason. Journaling can be therapeutic when writing about personal experiences and the reactions and feelings we have about those experiences. The benefits of journaling range from stress relief to goalsetting. It has also been shown to strengthen mental health and can help to ameliorate some physical conditions. Sometimes using a journaling prompt can be helpful when needing to focus on a specific issue. Journals can be kept private or shared with trusted others. Journaling is most effective when done consistently.

Meditation is a practice of training the attention and awareness of the mind to achieve a clear, calm and stable state. Meditation benefits both our emotional and physical well-being, allows us to remain centered and helps us to create inner peace. There are many types of meditation  including: Mindful ness Meditation in which you pay attention to the thoughts passing through your mind; Focused Meditation such as paying attention to your breath as it flows in and out of your nasal passages to help you focus your attention;

If you want more money, look at what you have and say thank you. It doesn’t matter how much or how little, just say thank you. Suggestion: Each night before bed write down the things in your day you are grateful for and explain why. Can’t think of anything? Well, was there sunshine today or were you able to breathe, did you have something to eat? Look around. There is always something to be grateful for. If you need to start your nightly writing with only 1 or 2 things, do that, then, as you find it easier, increase the number. The magic of gratitude is that the more you look for it, the more experiences of it you will have.

Use words that lift you up. "I AM loved" "I AM healthy" "I AM ... any positive word". One of the values of affirmations is that they can be spoken or thought in mere seconds. Want something that you don’t currently have in your life? Use an affirmation. State your affirmation in the current tense, "I AM in the perfect relationship now." Keep it current, not in the future. All we have is now, so the future never gets here, it is always out there. And if you want to really give your affirmation strength, stand in front of the mirror and say it to yourself.

1. What is the highest vision for my life/work/etc.?

2. What must I become to bring this vision to fruition?

3. What must I let go of to bring this vision fully into being?

4. What strengths, capacities and talents do I already possess to make this vision a reality?

5. What is my part in bringing this vision into experience?

Because this is a heart exercise, the answers can be revealed through any or all of the five senses. Whatever you hear, see, smell or feel don't discount it. Write it down. This process works well for individuals or groups.