Enhancing your ability to connect with spiritual energy can help you find a sense of balance, joy and peace. Here we share simple ways to connect with the spiritual energy around you
Spiritual energy is the energetic force that exists beyond the physical self. It has roots in all religions but exists beyond that too. In Chinese philosophy and medicine, it is known as ‘qi’, in yogic meditation and practice it is called ‘prana’. And it exists in the scientific world too, psychologists call it a state of ‘flow’. Flow is a theory discovered by the psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and is defined as a cognitive state where your brain behaves differently allowing you to be totally immersed and focused on the present. It is often related to activities that engage the brain's creative side such as art, music, meditation or yoga. And the benefits of a state of flow are endless. Studies have shown it boosts happiness, increases concentration and reduces negative thoughts. So why wouldn’t you do it? Read on to discover five simple and easy ways to help tap into your spiritual energy every day and let the positivity in.
1. Practice mindfulness
“One of the best ways to connect with our spiritual energy is with mindfulness,” advises spiritual teacher, Gabriel Gonsalves. “Mindfulness is about focusing on the present moment. Your mind will want to wander and that’s ok, each time bring it back to the present. By doing this you are engaging the right side of your brain which is emotional, creative and intuitive and the practice will strengthen the nervous system and retrain the brain so that little by little you begin to develop sensitivity towards spiritual energy around you.”
Try our Mindfulness for Modern Life masterclass to discover the basics.
2. Embrace negative emotions
“A battery has both positive and negative polarities,” says Gonsalves. “The negative receives energy and the positive transmits it. It needs both to be able to function and humans are the same. We have to be able to embrace and acknowledge our negative feelings in the same way we do the positive emotions so that we feel fully. This helps us to connect with the spiritual energy around us.”
How to do this? “Let yourself explore emotions you don’t want to. Sit with them for a few minutes and really think about how they feel. Acknowledge them, then move on without feeling guilty for having felt them.”
3. Ground yourself
“Taking a walk in nature can really help you reconnect with the energy that’s around you,” says reiki healer, Natali Kelly.
“Even better is if you can take your shoes off and ‘ground’ yourself to the earth. By placing your bare skin on the sand, grass or soil, you are putting your energy force in contact with the world’s energy source. If you can shut your eyes and take a few moments breathe deep and listen to the sounds around you - it will calm your mind and encourage that connection with the energy levels that are beyond your body.”
4. Run a salt bath
“If I’ve had a particularly negative energy day, where I’ve absorbed lots of other people’s bad energy, I run myself a salt bath,” says Natali. “Salt baths are known to relax and soothe muscles and lower stress levels, all of which you need to be rebalanced to realign your own energy. You cannot possibly connect with spiritual energy when you feel depleted in your own.”
5. Visualise love and healing
“The body has seven major chakras and they can become blocked due to illness, trauma and our lifestyle, which can cause various physical and emotional imbalances. Reiki healing aims to unblock the chakras to allow energy to flow,” explains Kelly.
“A simple way to help with any blockages at home is to visualise holding each chakra in your hands, one at a time and take 10 deep breaths. With every breath send yourself love and healing. For those who are advanced you can also imagine the colour and do the sound that matches each chakra.”
The 7 chakras, colours and sounds
Crown chakra = place: on top of the head; colour: violet; sound: none, just listen
Third eye chakra = place: in between the brows; colour: indigo; sound: “Aum”
Throat chakra = place: in the throat; colour: blue; sound: “Ham”
Heart chakra = place: centre of the chest; colour: green; sound: “Yam”
Solar plexus chakra = place: just above the navel; colour: yellow; sound: “Ram”
Sacral chakra = place: below the navel; colour: orange; sound: “Vam”
Root chakra = place: base of the spine; colour: red; sound: “Lam”
This article is part of our energy masterclass, to help you fill your life with positive energy and unlock your full potential. For a more positive outlook on life, our energy masterclass reveals everything you need to know to energise your body, mind and soul in small, easy, ways. Delve into our series of inspiring articles, videos and an exclusive soundscape - designed to help you feel more energised - that can be completed individually or as a 72-hour masterclass.
