Nurture Your Spiritual Being
It will make you happier and healthier. :: BY GARY GREENBERG
O
rganized religion may be on the decline in the U.S., but spirituality in many other forms is on the rise.
And that’s a good thing because
numerous studies show that people who believe in a higher purpose and seek to connect with it tend to live happier, healthier lives. “There have been broad cultural
trends away from religion,” says Andy Tix, Ph.D., who teaches psychology and religious studies at Normandale Community College in Bloomington, Minnesota. “Belief in God and the Bible has
been diminishing while the percentage of people who say they are spiritual but not religious has increased.” Evidence-based research suggests
that practicing spirituality can reduce stress, improve mental clarity, boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, enhance heart health, and increase longevity. The best part is that all of these
benefits, and more, can come from low-cost or free practices, and they can be done with a group or solo. “Spirituality means something
different to everyone,” says Stuart Nelson, president and CEO of the Institute for Spirituality and Health in
Houston. “And if you’re outside of a particular religious framework, it’s really the Wild West in what you might associate with.” Here are some popular ways to
nurture your spiritual being: Meditation is as old as Methuselah, but particularly effective in hectic modern times. Focusing on your breathing, a sound, word (mantra), affirmation, or any other singular thing distracts you from worries or other stressors. Shoot for 10-15 minutes a day, but even a five- minute session can help. Mindfulness requires you to tune
out the past and future and think only of the present — what you feel now. Try to distance yourself from yourself so you can observe your sensations, thoughts, and emotions with objectivity, curiosity, and love. Forest bathing is one way to immerse yourself in nature. Once again, you want to focus on the moment as you use all five senses to feel and connect with the life and energy of the flora and fauna around you. Gratitude is a way to filter out
negative thoughts by appreciating all you have rather than what you may lack. It fills you with positive energy and contentment.
Focus on the moment as you use all five senses to feel and connect with the life and energy of the flora and fauna around you.
Breathwork encompasses many different practices, including the popular 4-7-8 breathing technique (inhale slowly through your nose for four seconds, hold
your breath for seven, and exhale forcefully through your mouth for eight). This shifts your physiology from fight-or-flight to a calmer feeling, slowing your heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and relieving anxiety. Yoga and tai chi are ancient
practices that combine physical poses and/or movement along with breathwork and mindfulness. Tarot is a practice of self-reflection
using cards that represent different aspects of life. Contemplating the symbolism and interpretations of the cards can give people a deeper understanding of themselves and their place in the world. Prayer is perhaps the most common
spiritual practice in the U.S., and research suggests it has many of the same health benefits as other forms of spirituality, including lowering stress, elevating mood, reducing anxiety, and boosting heart health. “We tell people to keep an open
mind and an open heart (in trying different practices), and that provides fuel for the spiritual fire,” Nelson tells Newsmax. “When you balance openness with
intention and discipline, that’s when the magic spark happens.”
NOVEMBER 2025 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 103
FLOWER/MARY LONG©ISTOCK / FOREST/PAMELAJOEMCFARLANE©ISTOCK
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