All The Live Long Day: Being Spiritual with Amy from Fate-Filled Times

For today, I can give you a very special post from my online friend Amy. Amy and I met through a shared love of tea and have since discovered that we also both like cats, nature and Instagram. I love Amy's blog for the inspiration it gives me and for her earnest approach to art, life, and happiness. In her guest post, Amy is sharing with us what being spiritual means to her and gives some helpful hints on how to bring more spirit into your daily life.

Thanks so much!

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Greetings fellow All The Live Long Day readers!

My name is Amy and I blog over at Fate-Filled Times.

Annika and I met through a tea swap online and we've been pals ever since. Annika is beyond sweet* and I am honoured to be a guest blogger while she is away.

*(Editor's note: you're so kind to say that! x)

Over on my blog, I often write about my life journey with emphasis on art and spirituality.

Today I'd like to share with you what my spirituality means to me.

For me, feeling spiritual involves:

*feeling connected to something mysterious and greater than myself

*a feeling there is a greater force at work all around me

*someone or something I can pray to and who I know hears me

I tend to call this force The Universe.

The reason I like to call my beliefs spiritual is I feel free to create the definition of what I believe in rather than following a prescribed path. I believe in so many aspects of all of religions and belief systems! I can see the benefit of many paths, yet none of them individually and exclusively appeal to me. There are many common threads through various beliefs and I like to think we are all connected through these threads, regardless of our chosen beliefs.

Where Do I Find My Spirituality?

It is important for my psyche and for my heart to have meaningful spiritual moments. I've learned in my life that I feel most connected to the sacred when I am:

*Connected to nature, to the earth, to the sky, to the lakes and oceans, streams, fields, trees, sun and moon.

And

*Expressive in the arts, through writing, blogging, photography, art journaling, painting and creating.

Being in nature and expressing through art and writing unequivocally heal my spirit and connect me to that which is greater than myself.

These are the things that fill me up. These are the places I go when I feel broken down, hollowed out, confused and lost. These are the places where I feel lifted, inspired, connected and content.

These are my pathways to clarity; my spiritual spaces.

Discover what connects you to your spirituality and indulge in it. Treat yourself to adventures, practices, hobbies, spaces and places that are sacred to you.

Ask Yourself:

Your spirituality can be found anywhere meaningful to you!

Spiritual moments might be felt in:

*a hot bath

*meditation

*yoga practice

*the light of a full moon

*reading the words of Rilke

*the sounds of a church choir

*a newborn baby sleeping in your arms

*the crunch of fall leaves under your boots

*driving in your car with your favourite music

*or any space or place where you feel the most

connected to yourself, the world and

that which is sacred to you

Having reminders of these spiritual connections in my home or that I carry with me make a difference in my days and in my energy.

How can you make your space sacred?

*Cleanse your space with open windows, intention, and maybe even some sage smoke.

*Collect mementos to remind you of your spirituality and place them in your space. Create an altar.

*Create a blessing for your home. Say it out loud. Hang it up.

Since I prefer to be in the company of nature and art, I like to have plants in my home, to bring nature indoors. I also enjoy paintings and stained glass in my space. I have many natural stones and crystals as well as feathers, shells and salt lamps.

How can you carry sacred items with you?

*Carry small sacred items with you with you when you are on the go. You can also carry items in a pouch and keep in your bag/purse or wear them.

*Keep meaningful quotes and notes with you that you can refer to.

*Take photos of sacred symbols, places or people with your phone and look through them on your commute.

I like to wear jewelry with precious and semi precious stones as well as jewelry that has been passed down through my family. I keep a small pouch with me that I can fill with whatever item speaks to me (such as herbs, stones and shells) and I keep it in my bag. I like to wear natural materials that are protective and calming while I am out in the busy world. Oil blends are also nice to wear for the benefit of aromatherapy.

Our spirits can very easily be depleted by all the negative energy and toxic people/spaces. Fuel up on the good stuff as often as you can.

And, while you are out in the world, remember...