Many people think spirituality means following rituals, chanting, avoiding certain foods, or refraining from physical intimacy. But true spirituality is much more than this.

Before we discuss how to bring spirituality into family life, let’s first understand: What is spirituality?

What is spirituality?

Spirituality means connecting to your spirit or soul to find inner peace and fulfillment.

For some, playing sports or being in nature could be spirituality, And for others, it could be seeking a vision of God. In fact, it could even be raising children with love and care for some people.

The important thing to note here is that spirituality is personal and unique to each person. What works for one may not work for another. So, before you bring spirituality into your life, you must first ask: What does spirituality mean to you?

What does spirituality mean to you?

The challenge here is that — you must practice spiritual discipline to know what spirituality means to you. And you must know what spirituality means to you to figure out which spiritual discipline to follow. It’s like a chicken and egg story.

Therefore, Hinduism suggests we follow some spiritual discipline, which can help us discover what spirituality means to us. These simple steps, which I will discuss, can be done by anyone, whether a monk or a person living in a family.

1. Karma Yoga — Doing your duties without resistance or complaint. Whether at work, with family, or in personal matters, you take responsibility not because you are forced to do that but because you wish to bring discipline to your mind and life. Karma Yoga teaches you acceptance, which gives you peace in the long run.
2. Reading — It may seem simple, but reading helps train your mind to focus. This eventually helps you meditate better, connecting you with your soul. In fact, I suggest you don’t even start meditation until you can read with the utmost concentration for at least 20–30 minutes.
3. Fitness — Take care of your body. Exercise for 20–30 minutes daily — yoga, walking, or any activity that keeps you fit. This promotes peace and well-being. You can even chant mantras while walking or running to save time and convert a fitness routine into a spiritual discipline.

It‘s not just for monks!

As you can see, none of the spiritual disciplines I listed have anything to do with your lifestyle or clothing choice. Trust me, spirituality doesn’t require you to be a monk. This misconception has been spread by corrupt people in robes.

Monks have a ton of time, so they do many spiritual disciplines. Personally, I believe most of these are just an overkill. It’s like putting out a fishing net to catch a whale when all you need is a fish!

Those living in families tend to be busy. So, we aim for simplicity and effectiveness. That is, we spread out a smaller fishing net and catch just the fish we need. This is really it, and I speak from experience here.

Love, 
Sri Devi Om