Intrinsic commitment: Having an intrinsic religious or spiritual attitude means that you believe in the religion or the spiritual world as absolute truth. You hold your belief in your religious or spiritual beliefs above all other beliefs. Extrinsic commitment: Having an extrinsic attitude means you see your religious or spiritual beliefs as a means for you to live a fuller life, but do not regard religion above other beliefs you have. For example, you may use prayer as a means to gain relief from a stressful experience. For some people, having an extrinsic commitment to religion helps then fulfill social responsibilities or advancement. [2] X Research source Quest:[3] X Research source The quest dimension describes a kind of person who does not need to believe in a reality where God or any spiritual figure must exist. Instead, you believe that the complexity of religion or spiritual matters is important to grapple with, but you also work to cultivate doubt and skepticism alongside your faith. In other words, you expect your faith to change and grow with you.
The past is a very important part of you and should be used to decide what spirituality or God means to you now. Memory can be a rich source of knowledge that guides your decision making. [4] X Research source Write about important experiences that involved spiritual enlightenment or God’s presence. For example, write about a time you felt profound peace when there was turmoil in your life. Write about important relationships that taught you about spiritual growth or God, or write about relationships that hurt your spiritual life or relationship to God. For example, a relationship with a parent or guardian might have helped you grow closer to God.
For example, a recent change in a relationship like a divorce, having kids, or starting a new bond could have helped move you towards the idea of seeking a more spiritual life. Write down the big questions you have about your relationship to God or the spiritual.
These goals can be spiritual goals such as finding time to talk to God, pray, or read religious texts. They can also be goals that help others with their spiritual needs, like giving to charities, volunteering, or praying for someone.
A famous example of theological book about Christianity is C. S. Lewis’, Mere Christianity. A famous book about the history, meaning and practice of Zen Buddhism is The Way of Zen by Alan Watts. [6] X Research source There are religious bookstores or stores with sections on religion to help aid you in finding texts to read. The internet also has an abundance of information and forums to help you. Consider joining a book club that is reading theological or spiritual books.
Establishing contacts with members of your church, mosque, temple, or place of worship, will help you feel connected to the spiritual community. Talking to another person who is knowledgeable about your faith can also help you make sense of your own spiritual life. [7] X Research source Ask for advice or help from people within your religious or spiritual community. In some instances, the aid given to you by religious or spiritual people will differ from the advice given by people who are outside of this community. You may be challenged to think outside of a self-centred mentality and that might mean being nice or doing good for the people or situations where you have been wronged.
Going to a spiritual small group will help you stay active in your spiritual community. These groups great places to learn about spiritual life, share food, grow, practice spiritual practices together and share the struggles and joys of life together. These groups will help you with a sense of belonging and bring you closer to individuals who share your spiritual journey.
Tell people that you are looking for a good spiritual community. Generally, the best way to find a spiritual community is through word of mouth. One way that you can tell a good spiritual community is by whether the people there seem to have full spiritual lives. If the people who attend the spiritual community seem to be genuinely joyful and excited about their faith or spiritual life, you may want to stick around.
Avoid spiritual communities that make you feel uncomfortable about showing your true self. If you feel stifled by the belief at a particular spiritual community, you may want to keep searching at other communities. Avoid communities that may seem clique-y or are hard to socialize with. For example, a community with an extrinsic commitment to religion may put more value in religious traditions and appearance over spiritual growth and community.
You can find ways to volunteer through your spiritual community or a community organization. Talk to your spiritual leader or a community official about how to get involved volunteering regularly. For example, if you have free Saturday mornings you can volunteer at the local food pantry or kitchen that provides meal services for people in need. [9] X Research source
Research shows that meditation has many health benefits, including decreasing depression, helping with eating disorders, boosting endorphins and decreasing aggression and hostility in individuals. [10] X Research source Many people pray with other people regularly in prayer groups. Praying with others will help you build relationships with people as you cultivate a healthy prayer life.
Write down important or inspirational quotes proverbs from texts to keep you connected and motivated in your spiritual growth.
