Sometimes it is difficult for a person to do certain things stressful situations or severe losing streaks. Depression and despondency reduce the quality of life and lead to depression. The days turn into a bleak, gray existence.

People who use spiritual practices recover morally, replenish internal energy resources and find themselves. You can look at yourself from the outside, study your inner world, and outline paths for personal growth and development.

What it is

Spiritual practices are different, but they all consist of a set of activities that help a person in self-knowledge, strengthen willpower and self-discipline. Such exercises help to know God, look inside yourself, and overcome complexes and fears.

Since ancient times, people have wondered about their origins and the purpose of existence. At a certain point, there was a need to create a certain system that would bring peace and tranquility to the soul. Such systems began to exist thanks to ancient religious traditions. For example, yoga is a Hindu philosophical order.

The concept concerns the study of deep human feelings and experiences (love, happiness, loneliness, joy and others). Practitioners look inside themselves, looking for the meaning of good and evil, life and death.

What are they for?

Every day a civilized person observes basic rules personal hygiene: brushing teeth, showering, washing hands before eating, etc. All this protects against diseases and disorders. In the same way, the soul periodically requires cleansing. Everyday life clogs your internal energy with negative thoughts and negative emotions that destroy harmony and balance. Studying the soul provides the necessary inner rest, moral relaxation and lightness.

Where to start classes

After it has been clarified why sublime psychological quests are needed, you need to decide in which direction to move.

Where to start classes:

1. The choice of high (religious) customs and values ​​(Orthodox, Catholics, Muslims and others). Now there is enough different religions. The main criterion for choosing one’s religion is that a person should feel comfortable.
2. Find a person (mentor) with experience who could answer any questions.
3. From the first days you need to set aside daily hours for exercise.
4. Regular reading of thematic literature is an integral part of classes.

Psychological attitude

Any goal moral activity- calming the mind, changing the worldview, the ability to combine disparate elements of spirituality. Time and regularity are required. It is important to overcome laziness with the help of willpower and do exercises daily to get involved. You shouldn’t break yourself, everything should be a joy, a pleasure.

Physical training

Performing static and dynamic exercises requires certain physical skills. You can’t risk your health, you need to start with such activities so as not to harm yourself. Gradually, the accumulated experience will allow us to move on to more complex tasks and increase your workouts.

Directions spiritual practices

There are a great variety of directions here. It is important to choose the right one. It is not forbidden to try different teachings. If the soul is in peace and serenity from the activities, then there is a result, the choice was made correctly.

Meditation

Going deeper into yourself and focusing on something or someone helps you calm down and relax both your soul and body. Meditation by detachment clears thoughts, pacifies negative emotions. The main benefits of meditation are: Everyday life- the ability to concentrate on the main thing and not react to distractions.

Yoga

Regular exercise not only helps keep your body in good condition. great shape, but also contribute to the development of endurance, tolerance, and attention. There are a sufficient number of yoga courses, but they are all aimed at physical development body, achieving a balance of internal forces, achieving harmony.

Modern directions of yoga:

• hatha yoga is a classical school where they teach breathing exercises, relaxation, the simplest asanas;
• Ashtanga Vinyasa is a yoga suitable for those who like an active pace: the exercises are energetic and fast, good physical shape is required;
• Iyengar is a very slow yoga that requires holding asanas for a long time;
• kundalini - aimed at purifying energy and raising mood;
• Bikram - helps to lose weight, get rid of toxins, as the exercises are carried out in a heated room;
• tantra - classes are held in pairs and open sexual energy, eliminating complexes;
• sukshma-vyayama - joint gymnastics;
• Nidra - effectively helps relieve stress, relaxes the body, calms.

Martial arts

Many people associate martial arts with violence or perceive them as a sport. Indeed, the main thing in martial arts is the development of excellent physical fitness, training of strength, agility, and attention. In fact, many martial arts are complex philosophical teachings.

Here is a list of the most famous and popular martial arts with a moral code:

• taekwondo;
• aikido;
• jujutsu;
• judo;
• sambo;
• karate.

Some use martial arts only as training, for others it is about internal growth and development.

Corporeal-spiritual systems

IN healthy body- healthy mind. An exhausted, sick body will not allow a person to concentrate on his personality, on positive result work. Only a healthy, active and flexible person will be able to reveal the beauty of his body and his soul.

Breathing and energy exercises

With the help of breathing-energy gymnastics, a person replenishes energy balance, removes physical or psychological discomfort, and relieves stress. You should start exercising at low intensity for 15 minutes a day. Gradually the number and duration of sessions can be increased.

Asceticism and fasting

To strengthen the connection with God, to maintain moral and physical purity, some resort to asceticism. Asceticism is a voluntary and conscious limitation of oneself.

The following austerities are known:

• asceticism of the body - fasting in food, making pilgrimages, limiting bodily joys and desires;
• asceticism of speech - to tell the truth, not to criticize, not to judge, not to gossip, not to impose one’s point of view, to be able to listen, to avoid scandals;
• asceticism of the mind - strict control of emotions, pacification of pride, avoidance of negative thoughts and emotions.

Static exercises

Not everyone likes dynamic training; for some, static training is more suitable. In yoga, static exercises are considered to be holding asanas for as long as endurance lasts.

Benefits of static exercises:

• endurance;
• flexibility;
• dexterity;
• force;
• weight loss.

These exercises are suitable for older people with high blood pressure, for survivors of trauma. After static exercises, health is noticeably improved. Ideally, it is possible to combine dynamic and static classes.

Reading mantras and affirmations

Mantra is a cleansing word that has divine power and light. Reading mantras not only affects the body, but also frees the mind, filling it with positive energy. Mantras have unique ability attract the desired material benefits.

Affirmation is a favorable statement that gives the mind a mindset to achieve a goal and a positive future. Thoughts, emotions and words color a person's life. If they are initially cheerful, they will have a beneficial effect. Positive, good, good attracts the same from the outside, and, conversely, negative and negative will attract many fears and complexes.

Reading prayers

A believer must constantly communicate with God. Prayer is the easiest thing affordable way establish a divine connection. To pray, you can go to a temple, or you can do it at home alone. Through prayer you can ask for health for yourself and your loved ones. Others need protection. You can also ask for guidance in life. In other cases, the believer in prayer expresses gratitude and praise to the Almighty.

Other types

In the modern world, everyone finds themselves differently. Some methods of psychological research have centuries-old roots and use the experience and knowledge of traditional religions, others exist quite recently.

In addition to those listed above, there are other directions:

1. Ceremonies (rituals) are expressions of gratitude or expressions of requests in the form of certain actions. Designed to calm mental anguish or, conversely, provoke powerful psychological inspiration.
2. Places of power are energetically unique places that change psychological condition people (Egyptian pyramids, Church of the Holy Sepulcher, Lake Baikal and others).
3. Channeling is the telepathic reception of valuable psychological messages from higher channels.
4. Energy practices - energy management for healing the soul and body, for cleansing of negativity, for correcting fate.
5. The study of literature - the analysis of various sacred scriptures changes the personality, allows one to identify the deep meaning of any life events and situations.

What to choose

It is difficult for beginners to navigate the variety of areas of yoga, asceticism, meditation and other things. The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing is that everything should be clear and understandable. What is good for girls may not be acceptable for men.

It happens that partners are looking for their internal path in one system, but this situation must arise naturally. There is nothing wrong when a husband and wife adhere to different teachings (for example, one does yoga, while the other finds himself in martial arts).

For women

Feminine nature is different from male nature. If men more steadfastly perceive various strict restrictions and rules, then for a woman this can turn into a real energy disaster. Moreover, the woman may get sick. For example, infrequent fasting is normal, but more frequent food restrictions will lead to failure. hormonal background, to weakening feminine power. In addition, a lady should enjoy all events. Only in this way can one reach the heights of self-improvement.

For men

The stronger sex strives to develop leadership in itself in order to lead. Therefore, practices focused specifically on this will suit him. A man, by practicing, accumulates masculine energy in himself. Strict asceticism, seclusion, icy dousing, vows of silence - all this suits men perfectly.

Benefits and results

The natural result will be a complete change in both the inner worldview and everyday life. Changes will be required in all areas: from ordinary household details to the way of thinking. You need to constantly listen to yourself, study your body, respond to all transformations of soul and body.

Changing your daily routine

Restructuring a person’s inner world will force the daily routine to change. Basically, the hours of sleep and wakefulness change. For example, after three hours of sleep, a person can remain awake for two hours. During this time, he meditates, performs static exercises or studies the scriptures.

Normalization of the nervous system

New look life makes a person perceive familiar things differently. Smells, colors and tastes are experienced differently. Feelings and emotions are experienced more intensely and vividly.

Changing your diet

Exercise brings about more than just psychological changes. Over time, a person will need to change his diet.

Practitioner's diet:

1. Pure water. Various drinks familiar to everyday life will no longer satisfy. There will be a need to drink more water per day. Water accumulates positive energy and removes negative energy.
2. Proper nutrition. The system forces you to listen to your body, so giving up unhealthy, heavy food will become natural.
3. Refusal of dyes, preservatives, harmful additives.

Increased sensitivity

As a result moral development there is a high probability of exacerbation of sensitivity. Most likely, there will be a feeling of aversion to non-natural materials. The skin will instantly react to synthetic fabrics in clothing, for harmful components cosmetics.

Restoring normal body weight

After starting classes, fluctuations in body weight may be observed. This is also affected by changes in diet and daily routine. In order not to acquire extra pounds, you should exercise regularly.

Increased energy reserves

Changes in the energy system cannot be avoided. Over time, the practitioner begins to feel the auras of those around him. Feels the quality of energy: negative or positive. Sometimes a practitioner begins to feel someone else’s state of mind, feels it as his own, so it is difficult for him to go to places with large crowds of people (shops, markets, concert performances, etc.).

Video

The video tells how to improve the quality of your life and achieve spiritual growth.

Internal development is the first step towards happy life. By turning to spiritual practices, a person strengthens his biofield, replenishes energy resources and finds his true purpose.

It is easier to follow the path of spiritual improvement if you adhere to several spiritual practices that transform a person. They will help you achieve enlightenment, become closer to God, know yourself and... There are some spiritual practices you can do every day that won't take much time but will have beneficial effects.

The most popular spiritual practices

In the modern world there are a huge number of spiritual practices that help a person find personal happiness, abundance, spiritual and material prosperity. Through creation, we become an integral part of the Universe, which begins to act according to our desires and preferences. Spiritual practices will help you cleanse your soul and body, recharge with positive energy and reveal your hidden potential.

Meditation

Meditation has various shapes and types. The goal of this practice is to achieve inner harmony by bringing the body into complete physical relaxation. Such exercises allow you to get out of constant thought process and concentrate all your consciousness on one specific object.

Meditation helps to separate the mind from the intellect with all its stereotypes, patterns of behavior and complexes, and allows you to completely immerse yourself in yourself. It is the most effective of all spiritual practices. This is due to the fact that meditation gives us the ability to control the mind, which influences our consciousness.

Prayers, mantras, affirmations

Prayers, along with mantras and affirmations, affect the energy centers responsible for the emotional, intellectual and communicative functions of a person.

Affirmations are short affirmative sentences, continuously repeated in thoughts or out loud, somewhat reminiscent of mantras. Stable expressions help manage emotions and move away from stereotypes and established beliefs.

Mantra, unlike affirmation, as a rule, does not carry any meaning. It helps reduce vibrations in the mental field, gives energy, brings the mind to a state of peace and is often used for meditation.

Prayer is the most popular spiritual practice. It is expressed in mental or oral communication to the Higher Powers. People ask for help, support, with words of repentance or gratitude. Thanks to prayers, our emotions and energy are purified, more energy and inspiration appear, mental balance is restored and a feeling of relief appears.

Asceticism, abstinence and fasting

Asceticism means the renunciation of something at will. In Slavic peoples it is expressed in the form of fasting. This practice is used in every religion. It can also be expressed in fasting, sexual and verbal abstinence, and seclusion. The meaning of asceticism is that attention and Vital energy bodily and emotional areas are redirected to the spiritual sphere. Asceticism helps control emotions and instincts, develop willpower, accumulate energy, improve health and get rid of stress. However, excessive restrictions can cause harm, so this practice should not be taken too far.

There are many different spiritual practices, all of which contribute to the development of our inner world. The above-mentioned practices are best known throughout the world and are used in various religions and peoples. With proper and regular use, you can achieve positive changes in your life and find your true purpose. Be happy, good mood, and don't forget to press the buttons and

16.07.2017 04:27

Every day a person has new needs and desires. Exist effective practices that help attract...

I am sure that many will be interested, so I am posting it here too.

Spiritual practice

Review of techniques and practical tips (site navigation)

This page was created, first of all, for those who do not like to read a lot or dive deeply into theory, and want to try practice as quickly as possible. Here are links to all the techniques offered on the self-knowledge website, as well as additional materials that are directly related to them and can help on the path of spiritual growth.

Advanced readers may ask why the practice here is called spiritual, because the site does not have a specific religious orientation, its author is not a follower of any religion, and the techniques bear little resemblance to any spiritual rituals and methods of comprehending God or the Absolute.

The difference between spiritual practice and life improvement practices

The difference is for what purpose you use the techniques, exercises, meditations and other tools offered on the site. Most people, when taking care of themselves, want to improve something in their lives, get rid of psychological problems, sort out your feelings and desires - do, so to speak, a cosmetic overhaul of your life. Then it is simply a practice to improve life, and it can hardly be called spiritual.

And if, while practicing, you set the goal of self-knowledge (that is, you want to know your true nature), are looking for the real meaning and purpose of life, want to comprehend some Higher Laws, to know the truth, to develop in oneself good qualities character for the benefit of everyone - this is closer to spiritual practice. And the highest goal of spiritual practice is returning to God.

As for the techniques outlined on the site, they work in both cases, if, of course, you apply them as written and stick to them general rules and recommendations. A “cosmetic renovation” can be the beginning of a serious spiritual practice and a new stage in your life.

Overview of techniques

Before you begin to practice, you should carefully read the Warning, rules and recommendations and try to follow them. If something is unclear in theory or practice, you can ask on the forum by following the link at the end of each article, write a PM to the admin, or use the feedback form to send a letter to the mailbox.

In some sections of the ancient Vedic scriptures, awareness of identity with Brahman is considered only a part of self-knowledge (the first stage), since Brahman is one of the three aspects of God ( Absolute Truth). It is argued that after the first stage, the second and third will follow (if you engage in appropriate spiritual practice), after which the person (consciousness) gains eternity, knowledge and bliss. The second stage is the awareness of Paramatma (Supersoul - the aspect of God that is in the heart of everyone) and Bhagavan - the personal Aspect of God, that is, God as the Supreme Personality. By cognizing all three aspects of God and his eternal relationship with Him, a person gains complete knowledge, eternity and bliss, and never returns to the material world, remaining in the spiritual world. However, it should be understood that, despite the fact that man is not qualitatively different from God (created in the image and likeness), he is different quantitatively, just as a spark, being a particle of fire, is neither a flame, nor, moreover, source of fire. And from this point of view, Advaita (the doctrine of non-duality) is considered incomplete knowledge.

As for the practice of self-knowledge proposed on the site, the stated goal here is disidentification with the body and mind, which leads to awareness of one’s true nature (qualitative identity with Brahman), as it is described in the article “Soul. The nature of the soul." However, this is not a reason to discount the other two aspects of God, so if you are interested, study this topic further, there are many relevant sites, lectures, seminars and books.

By the way, chanting the names of God is part of the spiritual practice that is recommended in the Vedic scriptures to understand the personal aspect of God through developing a relationship with him. This is a separate and very large topic called bhakti yoga; it is interesting, fascinating and worthy of study, but has not yet been discussed on this site.

Joke

At the end of the lesson on atheism, the teacher says to the children:
- And now, children, let’s shout “There is no God!” three times into the sky.
Suddenly he sees that Vovochka is not involved in the process. Asks:
- And you, Vovochka, why don’t you shout with everyone?
To which he replies:
- If God is not there, why shout? And if there is, why spoil the relationship?

Spiritual practice, spiritual techniques and meditation are direct practical exercises in various spiritual traditions and directions, which a person who has embarked on the path of self-knowledge and spiritual development begins to follow.

Stages of spiritual practice

At a certain stage of spiritual practice, the seeker enters a more universal path, when he is not limited by the framework of one religion or one teaching, the approach to knowledge becomes integral, and the main goal is to know oneself as the Self, the True Reality, the Space of the Highest. From now on, this will become the main task of the practitioner. And it is precisely this task that will require the practitioner to perform auxiliary real action, which will be spiritual exercises, spiritual techniques and spiritual meditations that will help the seeker achieve inner silence, silence, establish peace within himself, and concentrate will and attention.

Below, this section contains a variety of meditation techniques, practices and spiritual exercises from different spiritual directions and traditions.

Spiritual practices and techniques - description:

How to achieve business success - this question is relevant today for a considerable number of “active users” of business. Success in business depends to a large extent on how well its subtle component is known, in other words, the metaphysics of business.

The Laws of the Creator are advanced and universal esoteric knowledge, which was transmitted by the Creator of our Universe to humanity in the form of cosmic signs - highest form transfer and transformation of knowledge.

Paschimottanasana (seated forward bend) is the pose with the most fatal technique errors. Instead of stretching, we get traumatic excessive bending of the back. Instead of full-time work with back surface legs - the illusion that we are reaching our knees with our heads.

Not everything that is difficult will certainly give good result, and not everything that is simple is ineffective. It is through experience that you are convinced that often the simplest and most easily implemented techniques and techniques give remarkable results, and this significantly affects the overall well-being and health of the body.

Wonderful and pleasant, and most importantly - affordable, uncomplicated and taking only 5 minutes of your time, Chinese self-massage. And the effect is a feeling of an influx of energy, gaining youthful activity in the body at any age for the whole day. In any case, for a very long time. :)

The problem of the cleanliness of the planet is equally important for all people, no matter what state they live in, no matter what nationality they belong to. The ecology of the planet, like a mirror, reflects the state of consciousness of the people of Earth. And therefore, caring for the cleansing of the planet is caring for the cleansing of our consciousness, our souls. Because the planet and I are an indivisible whole.

I love the planet Venus, its manifestations and emanations, so I focused on the number 6. In Vedic numerology, this number corresponds to the planet Venus. If you look at Six as a number life path, then we are talking about the fact that it allows the soul to feel itself in the role of an educator. But first, let's remember how to calculate your number.

Do you notice in what mood you move from sleep at night to wakefulness? If you observe yourself in the first moments after waking up, you will record special condition consciousness, which is very plastic and receptive. This period of time is very suitable for programming and managing your reality, in other words, this is your time to create your reality.

There is probably no practitioner who has not encountered such an obstacle as internal dialogue, which is the chaotic movement of thoughts in our head. Even the sages of antiquity noticed that our thoughts are like cunning, agile monkeys that do not allow our attention to concentrate on the main thing. Thoughts involve us in the process of digesting ourselves and... dominate us. But, nevertheless, there are ways to tame them.

We have probably noticed, more than once, how in moments of greatest stress our breathing rhythm changes: we either involuntarily hold it, what is called standing, “with bated breath,” or we breathe restlessly in a rapid, shallow rhythm. And in the same way, it has been noticed how quickly self-focused, deep and rhythmic breathing balances, balances and calms us.

Meditation - Lake of Love

Right now, for just 15 minutes, immerse yourself in the beautiful sounds of this wonderful spiritual practice, and find harmony and fullness of love, which is enough to change everything that surrounds you for the better - relationships, work, neighbors - whatever you want.. .

Spiritual practice - tasks and goals

One of the goals of spiritual practice is to eliminate the influence of the mind, which consists of thoughts and desires. The Higher Self is beyond all this. To know the Self, one must eradicate the mind

Part of spiritual practice includes techniques for quieting thoughts and increasing serenity. In this way a person can gradually draw closer to God. Such a person not only enjoys peace himself, but can also bring peace to others.

Spiritual practice can be called a special type of work - spiritual work, as natural as any human activity, but even more necessary, without which a person cannot fully exist on earth.

A genuine system of self-directed spiritual practice does not assign any new unusual qualities and does not give us something that we never possessed - it only returns us to our own GREAT BEGINNING, to the Source of Life, which we never ceased to BE.

The purpose of spiritual techniques and meditations - results

Spiritual practice has the goal spiritual awakening, comprehension of oneself as I, God, in other words - one’s true nature; awareness of unity with the Supreme and knowledge of the Supreme Reality as Eternal Life.

Anyone who takes the path of self-knowledge will certainly eventually see these goals, because nothing else is given.

Results of spiritual practice

Performing spiritual practice leads to the purification of the inner space, emotional and mental conductors, a person becomes more confident, calmer, more serene, this also affects his ordinary everyday life. After all, spiritual practices are also significant because they change our ordinary everyday life. A person who performs spiritual exercises and engages in meditative spiritual practices changes his character: he becomes more even, harmonious, resistant to stress, he is not easily enraged, and such a person is difficult to manipulate.

Spiritual development practices inevitably affect physical body: a person feels much better, he is able to control the processes of his body, he is able to engage in self-healing if necessary and recovers much faster.

Spiritual Exercises and Practices Today

It is worth adding that the personality improvement exercises that have become so popular in Lately and spiritual practices are still different things. Now many people are interested in all kinds of coaching, various trainings for personal change and growth, and these are also practices that help a person change, better adapt to life, adapt more easily to society, establish contacts with people faster, solve their own problems more successfully, etc. All this has its place and can be very useful, but you should understand that this is not a spiritual practice, but an exercise in personal improvement. These are completely different things, and they should be distinguished.

About the qualities of a student

Practices of spiritual development require aspiration, will and awakening of inner fire from the seeker. And of course, awareness is very important in performing spiritual practices. Indeed, as a result of our performing spiritual exercises, meditations and other practices of spiritual development, it is our consciousness that changes, which is our most important achievement. After all, not a single significant change on the scale of humanity is possible without this component - without a change in its consciousness. So the one who consciously engages in spiritual practices works not only for himself - he works for the benefit of everyone and for the sake of harmonious development everyone. After all, each of our little “I” is a drop in the ocean of the Higher Self. This is how we comprehend Unity in the process of spiritual practice of life.

If you are seriously interested in spiritual practices, then you have probably noticed that information on the Internet on this matter represents “information chaos.”

It’s easy to get confused in it, or even fall into the trap of unscrupulous “gurus” - brainwashers. It is in their custom to create a kind of “mystical fog” around “spiritual spirituality”.

The more “fog” there is, the higher the likelihood that the person himself does not understand what he is teaching. Or, worse, deliberately misleading you.

In fact, there is nothing mysterious about spiritual practices. On the contrary, their key quality is simplicity and clarity, crystal transparency. They are intuitively clear to every seeking heart.

And, even if something seems complicated to you at first, it’s enough to practice calmly and regularly for a while - and now, it becomes as integral a part of your life as sleep and food.

In this article we will begin to look at the main types of spiritual practices and the benefits that each of them brings.

1. Meditation

Essence: Meditation is the practice of going within oneself, concentrating on some external or internal object. This can be contemplation of a candle flame, body sensations, or internal visual images.

The main thing is freedom from extraneous thoughts and emotions during meditation, purity of mind. Visual meditations are now popular, where the participant goes through a real internal journey, with a transformational effect as a result.

Benefit: Calming and relaxing the mind and body, putting the brain into an alpha or theta state (slower waves compared to everyday mode). And also - the skill of concentrating consciousness on the main thing, which is often necessary during responsible work.

2. Yoga, martial arts and other bodily-spiritual systems

Essence: A healthy mind in a healthy body, one does not work without the other. A weak and sick body cannot withstand increasing vibrations and energies. And in general, it’s difficult to concentrate on success or personal growth when it hurts here, it doesn’t bend there...

Various psychophysiological systems, both ancient and modern, are designed to strengthen the spirit through the body. It is important to regularly and consciously perform physical exercise and listen to the coach.

Benefit: Health, beauty and flexibility of the body. Classes develop will, patience, attentive listening to oneself and other people, the world around us (intuition).

Masters of yoga and martial arts, at a certain level, begin to “see” the energy of people and the surrounding space, which allows them to make the right decisions in any situation.

3. Breathing and energy practices

It could be included in the previous paragraph, but I’ll highlight it separately. Entire schools have already developed on breathing, and it deserves a separate point.

Essence: Breathing is the most important mechanism of life and self-regulation of the body; the work of most systems of our body is built on its rhythm. The essence of breathing practices is to observe and control your breathing. Also, mental images of the movement of energy during breathing are connected here, which enhances the effect.

Benefit: Breath control and management changes quickly brain activity(slowing down or significantly accelerating it), which affects consciousness. As a result, a person experiences specific sensations, can see images, “pull out” and work through psychological trauma.

And, of course, with the right approach before exercising, you can strengthen the body and even heal some diseases (since the lungs are pumped well, the blood is better purified and reaches the usually “deprived” corners of the body).

4. Asceticism

Essence: A voluntary vow or self-restraint aimed at achieving spiritual goals. This is a very effective and useful practice. But, unfortunately, due to the association with religious “mortification”, asceticism is not so popular now. I'll try to fix this.

Asceticism does not necessarily involve torture and self-torture. Many mature religions, by the way, have already abandoned this.

Asceticism, in essence, is only redirecting your energy and attention from comfort and luxury to personal growth, goal achievement, clarity of consciousness (“Divine grace”).

Asceticism includes
fasting (fasting, giving up certain foods),
abstinence (sexual, verbal - for example, not speaking swear words or complete silence, refusing to watch TV),
hermitage or loneliness,
labor (for example, restoring a temple with your own hands)
and much more.

The severity and time of asceticism, as well as its purpose, you determine yourself.

Benefit: Self-esteem and willpower increase - because you cope with your asceticism, feeling your strength and control over primitive instincts.

The freed energy is directed towards your goals. Check for yourself: even a small asceticism - for example, not watching TV for three days - immediately opens up colossal resources of energy and time for you.

A side effect may be improved health (for example, physical cleansing of the body occurs during fasting) and clarity of thinking.

5. Affirmations

Essence: Short verbal positive formulas that need to be repeated regularly. Affirmations for money, self-love, and a good mood are widespread.

It would seem that the word is newfangled, but in fact, this practice is ancient.

For example, in Christian religious practice there are “affirmations” (assurance, defense, confirmation of the truth of something).

In pagan cultures, conspiracies were common, the essence of which also boiled down to changes in the human subconscious.

Benefit: when repeated frequently, they are written into the subconscious and change thinking and lifestyle. Those. the person himself begins to believe in his statement and act accordingly.

When composing affirmations, it is important that the phrase is pronounced without “not” (“I am healthy” instead of “I am not sick”), pronounced in the present tense and in the first person.

6. Prayer

Probably the most ancient and popular of spiritual practices. Even an inveterate cynic difficult situation says “Oh God”...

Essence: Mental or verbal appeal to the Higher Powers (God, angels, nature spirits and other spiritual beings - it all depends on specific religious views).

This is the most important component of the spiritual life of every person, an intimate process of his Soul.

Prayers can differ in content - there are laudatory, grateful, repentant, petitionary - depending on what the person wants to express.

Benefit: Helps you feel connected and unified with the Supreme, feel supported.

During prayer there is always a feeling that you are heard, understood and accepted, that you are never alone.

This significantly helps a person balance his psyche in difficult times. life situations, as they say, “to relieve the Soul.”

7. Ceremonies and rituals

Essence: Beautiful rituals, actions, the purpose of which is the dedication of Divine energy (to God, the cosmos, world peace, etc.)
They usually do not carry any practical significance in everyday life. This is precisely a sacred act, not a “worldly”, but a spiritual act.

Ceremonies and rituals have been known to us since ancient times, many have become part of our lives. Dyeing eggs for Easter, Slavic rituals for Kupala or laying out a cosmic spiral from stones are just some examples. I think you will bring many of your own.

Benefit: They harmonize human consciousness and space, create a special solemn, reverent mood.

Depending on the occasion, they can cause a feeling of peace or, on the contrary, powerful spiritual uplift.

It is believed that ceremonies are similar to prayer - it is an appeal to higher powers with requests and thanks, only in the form of actions. Intention during rituals really works many times more powerfully, allowing us to attract what we want into our lives.

8. Working with places of power

Essence: pilgrimage to special places on our planet. It is believed that their energy influences human consciousness and is capable of changing our psyche and even our body.

Usually these are significant historical and religious centers (Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, Egyptian pyramids, Stonehenge). Also - various corners of nature, often very beautiful or unusual, anomalous in their structure (Arkaim, Mount Shasta, Mount Kailash, Lake Baikal).

It is advisable to visit the main places of power in person, especially since it is also an entertaining adventure.

But, firstly, not all of them are available for physical visiting. And, secondly, sometimes the trip is very difficult in terms of time, money or health.

Therefore, there is such a spiritual practice as a mental (meditative) journey to places of power.

Benefit: Each place of power affects a person differently. There are healing places, there are places that absorb negativity, and there are places that fill you with new awareness and spiritual strength.

A special group includes the Places of Ascension. They are used to raise the vibrations and level of awareness of people. Some of them have physical embodiment on Earth, some do not.

Alena Starovoitova

Mastery Keys