Here are nine powerful spiritual tools and techniques to boost and maintain your mental health.
With all the pressure and stress in daily life it’s never been more important to look after your mental health. Having well established habits and practices that boost and maintain your mental health helps make day-to-day life easier. As well as this it also means that when life gets challenging you already have good practices in place to support you.
Here then are my top spiritual tools and techniques to support your mental health:
Happiness chemicals and how to hack them
Oxytocin
This often called the love hormone, in fact it’s a neurohormone that is released whenever you get stressed. It’s the bodies natural anti-dote to stress encouraging you to seek comfort and connection with others. Here are some simple ideas on how to boost oxytocin:
- Play with a cat, dog or family pet
- Listen to music that you love
- Try yoga
- Cuddles, hugs and massages
- Give compliments and do something nice for someone else
- Call a friend or relative and enjoy a good, meaningful conversation
- Enjoy a really decent cup of coffee (not the stuff from a tin but proper, ground beans!)
Serotonin
This is a neurotransmitter as well as being a mood stabiliser. It also effects anxiety, irritability, fatigue and insomnia. Here’s what boosts serotonin:
- Meditation
- Walking in nature
- Exercise – including yoga, swimming and cycling
- Bright light and sunshine – 10 to 15 minutes per day
- Massage
- Recalling a very happy memory or funny time
Reframe and mindset
In Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) there is something called a reframe. It is a technique that changes the perspective on a situation, thought, or behaviour to alter its meaning and emotional impact. It allows you to flip a problem or challenge and see it from a new viewpoint that isn’t so triggering. Here are some useful reframes for everyday life:
- Problem: “What can I learn out of this situation?”
- Traffic Jam: “This is a sign to take a deep breath and go slow.”
- Work Deadline: “I actually perform really well under stress.”
- A queue: “This is a chance to practice patience and mindfulness.”
- Cancelled Plans: “Now I have free time to relax or pursue a personal hobby.”
Gratitude
Practicing gratitude rewires the brain by repeatedly activating regions involved in emotion regulation, such as the prefrontal cortex. This increases the production of dopamine and serotonin, fostering happiness and contentment, and strengthens neural pathways, making it easier to experience positive emotions. Here are three ways to start practising gratitude today!
- Each day think if 3 unique things you are grateful for (nothing obvious and no repetitions allowed)
- Start a gratitude journal writing down the things you are thankful for, focusing on positive aspects of your life
- Express your gratitude – start showing your appreciation or recognition. Tell people how you feel about them and the things you value in them. Thank colleagues who have helped you out or made a positive contribution.
Nature
Being in nature can reset mental health and improve mood. It reduces stress, anxiety, and depression by lowering cortisol levels and promoting relaxation. The sights, sounds, and smells of nature stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, enhancing feelings of peace and well-being. Nature also grounds, energises and recharges the mind, body and spirit. Whether it’s a the park, the woods or the beach even ten minutes outside has a huge impact. When you are outside see if you can enjoy some mindful moments using your senses to see, feel, hear and notice the natural world. Connect with your wonder and gratitude for the natural world and its calming and restorative gifts. Don’t worry if you can’t get out! Research has shown that even looking at pictures of nature can help reduce stress and improve mental well-being.
Meditate & Breathing
There is a huge amount of research on the powerful effects of meditation. There are many books to guide, apps and videos that you can access listen to show you how. Even just five minutes every day practicing meditation makes a huge difference. If you don’t fancy meditation then use your breath as a way to centre and connect, also to calm and soothe (as described in the Perspective and reframe heading above). Practice some gentle breaths for a few minutes every morning and or evening and you will soon establish a beautiful calming ritual into your day. You could even focus on some simple breathing techniques whilst you wait for the kettle to boil or as you shower!
Make time for joy
One of the best spiritual tools and techniques for mental health is to do what makes your soul happy. What do you love to do? What lifts your spirits? Who is great company? And are you making the time to do this? It’s very easy for your day to be filled with work and chores and for there to be little or no pleasure. This is a gentle reminder that it’s essential to schedule time for the happy stuff. To plan some soul food into your weekly diary. Fun time doesn’t isn’t necessarily spontaneous – sometimes we have to make it happen.
Downtime
In the relentless pace of our busy working lives, carving out downtime isn’t just a luxury; it’s a necessity for well-being and productivity. Embracing moments of stillness and relaxation will allow you to reconnect with yourself, fostering creativity and resilience. Get creative on how you can integrate small pockets of downtime into your day. This might include:
- Start the day with a mindful cup of coffee or tea
- Take a break and sit outside, stretch your legs and go for a stroll
- Think of some simple steps that officially ‘ends’ your working day
- Develop your own evening ritual that enables you to relax and switch off
- Establish a cut off time for being on your phone and have a digital detox (at least 2hrs before bed)
- Put your phone down and practice being fully present
Get inspired and creative
Getting inspired by something new invigorates the soul by sparking curiosity, expanding perspectives, and rejuvenating one’s sense of purpose and creativity. It also triggers your brain to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and motivation. This not only enhances mood but also reduces feelings of stress and anxiety. Additionally, the sense of accomplishment from acquiring new skills or insights can boost your self-esteem.
There are many courses, classes, workshops and programmes that you can attend or take online. If you don’t fancy a course then pick up a book or read something that’s inspirational. Search out an inspirational teacher and listen to a podcast – people like Jack Kornfield, Byron Katie and Dr Joe Dispenza are all fabulous.
Getting creative is hugely beneficial to mental health. As well as being mindful, creativity nurtures the soul by allowing self-expression and connection with one’s inner essence. Creativity does not just mean art it also encompasses activities like cooking, gardening, writing, problem-solving, and designing, all of which involve original thinking and personal expression.
Stretch and move
Exercise positively impacts mental health by reducing symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression through the release of endorphins. Physical activity also increases the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine, which are crucial for feelings of happiness and well-being. Additionally, exercise can be a mindful practice, as it encourages present-moment awareness and a focus on bodily sensations, such as breath and movement, helping to quiet the mind and reduce mental clutter. Regular exercise promotes better sleep, higher self-esteem, and improved cognitive function, contributing to overall mental well-being.
Conclusion
Incorporating some or all of these spiritual tools and techniques into your daily routine can profoundly enhance your well-being in mind, body and spirit. These practices not only reduce stress and anxiety but also cultivate a deeper sense of joy, purpose, and inner peace. Embrace these tools with an open heart, and watch as they transform your mental and emotional landscape, helping you lead a more harmonious and enriched life. But remember there is not pressure, small steps little and often is always the way forward. So do what works for you.
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Namaste