Spiritual Practices in Everyday Life

The term “walking in spirit” can bring many images to mind: the monk or nun with an expression of serenity; the absent-minded individual with her head in the clouds; the psychic with a palpable awareness of the “otherworld”; the yogi in his state of bliss; the shaman shaking her staff at the sky. Indeed, the contemporary term for “shaman” in Korea is man shin, which means, “10,000 spirits”.

A broad definition of spirituality, separate from religious dogma, might be, “that which feeds us” – emotionally, mentally, creatively, intuitively – that which provides sustenance to us, enriching our lives, enhancing our daily activities. This can come in a myriad of forms; for some it's art or music, for others scientific or philosophic pursuit. For some it's social connection, for some solitude, and for others a balance of the two. It may be perceived as metaphysical, or transpersonal, that which is beyond the personal human experience. Many conceive of spirituality as a deep connection to the natural world, while for others it may be a sense of the otherworld, the immaterial realm – and for quite a few, these two are as closely related as the yin and yang aspects of the taiji symbol.

Depending upon one's worldview and personal definition of spirituality, many aspects of our daily life may be deemed spiritual. If your primary source of spirituality is found in nature, interaction with a pet is not only companionable but can be a manifestation of your connection to the natural world. Eating and drinking become spiritual acts as we take in the sustenance that Nature provides. A walk beneath the trees or in a park can feed your spirit, or a hike in the mountains, or sitting at the beach. The Mongolian shamans consider the “Eternal Blue Sky” to be their ultimate form of spirituality. If you perceive a 'spirit world', this can readily be experienced in the same settings. If 'spiritual' is equated to 'universal consciousness' or the sense of connectedness to all human beings, any form of meditation can access this experience via your own unconscious. Setting aside time for meditation is ideal; the 30-minute ride on the ferry, or in the bus, or even 5 minutes in the elevator can also provide some space each day for this practice.

Too often we separate our spiritual self from the rest of our experience, thinking that we must pursue spiritual acts in time that's delineated for this purpose. While this is surely beneficial, it's also often unrealistic in our busy lives – though the argument could be made for making our lives less 'busy' for the sake of our physical, mental, emotional and social well-being in addition to our spiritual dimension. Regardless, who we are spiritually remains an integral part of our personhood, not distinct, and so too our daily spiritual practices ought to be fully integrated into our lives.

Giving a few coins to someone in need as we move from one form of transportation to another provides us with an opportunity not only to contribute to the well-being of a member of our human family, but also for reflection upon our own inner state. Stepping aside for someone, holding the door or a hand, saying “good morning” to a stranger, responding with a smile and an understanding of human error rather than getting angry or judging another who disturbs us – these too are spiritual acts, which feed and sustain the best parts of our inner selves.

Mindfulness, a Buddhist practice, is both supreme awareness and detachment: paying close and careful attention to everything around us while detaching emotionally and from ego. We can, and in fact must, maintain compassion for those around us and for ourselves as well, but we can experience and then let go of emotions, rather than holding onto them or letting them define us or our experience. This is a form of meditation that can be practiced anytime and anyplace: I can be aware of my breathing, of the food I'm eating, of the trees along my path, of the people I pass who – just like me – are craving human interaction.

Eventually, with increased awareness of the world around us and our daily experience of it, coupled with a sense that everyone and everything is sacred, and a detachment from ego, all aspects of our daily life become some form of spiritual practice. And we find that, like the shaman, we are walking in spirit.

Dr. Anne Hilty

Dr Anne Hilty is an integrative psychologist practicing in Central. She can be contacted at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .