4 Key Practices to Support Your Spiritual Growth

If you have ever felt that there's something more to life than your daily routines and material pursuits, it is often the first whisper of your spiritual nature calling for attention. In our fast-paced, achievement-oriented world, spiritual growth has become increasingly recognized by scientific research, not just as a religious pursuit, but as a vital component of overall well-being.

Understanding what spirituality means and how to cultivate it can transform your relationship with yourself, others, and the world around you. As a conscious evolution author and teacher I’ve spent decades studying different spiritual disciplines. In this article, I provide the science-based benefits of spiritual growth and offer practical strategies to support your journey toward greater self-awareness and connection.

What Is Spirituality? Understanding Spirituality Meaning

Spirituality refers to your sense of connection to something larger than yourself—a transcendent dimension of human experience that involves seeking meaning, purpose, and connection (Pargament & Mahoney, 2002). Unlike the fixed definitions of organized religion, spirituality is deeply personal and can manifest through various practices, beliefs, and experiences that help you explore life's fundamental questions: Who am I? Why am I here? What matters most? Is there something more?

Research on the science of spirituality has demonstrated that spiritual engagement activates specific neural networks associated with self-transcendence, compassion, and well-being (Newberg & Waldman, 2016). Studies using neuroimaging have shown that spiritual practices can literally reshape your brain, enhancing areas responsible for attention, empathy, and emotional regulation.

Pause and reflect: What does spirituality mean to you? When have you felt most connected to something beyond your everyday concerns?

Spirituality vs Religion: Understanding the Difference

One of the most common questions people ask is about the relationship between spirituality and religion. While these concepts overlap, they are distinct in important ways.

Religion typically involves organized systems of beliefs, practices, rituals, and institutions shared by a community (Hill et al., 2000). Religion provides structured frameworks, sacred texts, specific doctrines, and communal worship experiences. You might attend services, follow prescribed practices, and identify with a particular faith tradition.

Spirituality, on the other hand, is more personal and experiential. It's about your individual journey of seeking meaning, transcendence, and connection—whether within or outside religious frameworks (Zinnbauer et al., 1997). You can be spiritual without being religious, religious without being particularly spiritual, both spiritual and religious, or neither.

Research indicates that both religiousness and spirituality independently contribute to well-being, though through different mechanisms (Koenig, 2012). Religion often provides community support and moral guidance, while spirituality emphasizes personal experience and inner transformation.

Consider this: Do you identify more with organized religion, personal spirituality, both, or neither? How has your understanding of the two evolved over time?

What Is Spiritual Growth?

The meaning of spiritual growth encompasses the ongoing process of developing your capacity for self-awareness, compassion, meaning-making, and connection with the transcendent dimensions of existence (Emmons, 1999). It's not about reaching a final destination but engaging in continuous transformation toward greater authenticity, wisdom, and wholeness.

Examples of spiritual growth include:

• Developing greater self-awareness and understanding of your inner life

• Cultivating compassion for yourself and others

• Finding deeper meaning and purpose in daily activities

• Experiencing increased sense of connection to nature, humanity, or the sacred

• Responding to life's challenges with greater equanimity and wisdom

• Aligning your actions with your deepest values

Signs of spiritual growth often appear subtly in your daily life. You might notice increased patience with difficult situations, deeper appreciation for simple moments, more authentic relationships, experiences of transcendental awareness, or a sense of peace that persists despite external circumstances. Other indicators include asking deeper questions about life's meaning, feeling more connected to others' experiences, or sensing that your perspective has expanded beyond purely material dimensions.

An Overview of Spiritual Intelligence

Just as you can develop emotional intelligence—the ability to recognize, understand, and manage emotions—you can also cultivate spiritual intelligence. Spiritual intelligence (SQ) is defined as "the adaptive use of spiritual information to facilitate everyday problem solving and goal attainment" (Emmons, 2000, p. 3).

Emmons (2000) identified five core components of spiritual intelligence:

1. The capacity for transcendence: Your ability to move beyond the physical and material to experience heightened states of consciousness

2. The ability to enter spiritual states of consciousness: Your capacity to access contemplative states such as mindfulness and flow

3. The ability to sanctify everyday experience: Your capacity to infuse ordinary activities with sense of sacredness and meaning

4. The ability to utilize spiritual resources to solve problems: Your skill in drawing upon spiritual practices and perspectives when facing challenges

5. The capacity to engage in virtuous behavior: Your ability to embody qualities like forgiveness, gratitude, humility, and compassion

Research demonstrates that higher spiritual intelligence correlates with better mental health outcomes, increased life satisfaction, and more effective coping strategies during adversity (King & DeCicco, 2009). Like emotional intelligence, spiritual intelligence is not fixed—you can develop it through intentional practice.

Reflect on this: Which components of spiritual intelligence feel most developed in your life? Which areas invite further growth?

The Science Behind Spiritual Growth and Well-Being

The benefits of pursuing spiritual growth extend far beyond subjective feelings—they're supported by strong scientific evidence. Research in psychology, neuroscience, and medicine has documented numerous well-being benefits associated with spiritual engagement.

Studies show that regular spiritual practices are associated with:

• Reduced anxiety and depression: Spiritual practices activate the parasympathetic nervous system, reducing stress hormones and promoting calm (Newberg & Waldman, 2016)

• Enhanced resilience: Spirituality provides meaning-making frameworks that help you navigate adversity more effectively (Pargament, 1997)

• Improved physical health: Meta-analyses reveal correlations between spiritual involvement and reduced mortality, better immune function, and faster recovery from illness (Koenig et al., 2012)

• Greater life satisfaction: Spirituality contributes to sense of purpose and fulfillment that transcends material circumstances (Emmons, 1999)

• Stronger relationships: Spiritual practices cultivate empathy, forgiveness, and compassion—qualities that deepen interpersonal connections (Worthington et al., 2007)

Neuroscience research reveals that meditation and contemplative practices associated with spiritual growth produce measurable changes in brain structure and function, particularly in regions associated with attention, emotional regulation, and self-awareness (Tang et al., 2015).

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality: Staying Grounded in Reality

As you move forward in your spiritual growth journey, it's essential to understand what emotionally healthy spirituality looks like. Genuine spiritual development doesn't involve escaping reality, bypassing difficult emotions, or denying life's challenges—practices sometimes called "spiritual bypassing" (Welwood, 2000).

Emotionally healthy spirituality means:

• Integrating rather than escaping: Using spiritual practices to engage more fully with life, not to avoid uncomfortable feelings or responsibilities

• Balancing transcendence with embodiment: Honoring both your spiritual nature and your human needs for connection, rest, and pleasure

• Embracing physical and spiritual: Acknowledging your full humanity, including difficult emotions, rather than using spirituality to create dissociation

• Maintaining spiritual boundaries: Developing discernment about teachers, communities, and practices that truly serve your growth

• Grounding insights in action: Translating spiritual understanding into ethical behavior and compassionate engagement with the world

Pargament (2007) emphasizes that healthy spirituality supports psychological integration rather than fragmentation. Your spiritual life should enhance—not replace—good psychological health practices, including processing emotions, physical self-care, maintaining relationships, and seeking professional support when needed.

Ask yourself: Are your spiritual practices helping you engage more fully with life, or might they be serving as an escape from difficult feelings or situations that need attention? Honest self-reflection is key to spiritual maturity.

Four Key Practices to Support Your Spiritual Growth

Now that you understand the foundation and benefits of spiritual growth, let's explore practical approaches to cultivate your spirituality. These evidence-based practices can be adapted to your unique needs, beliefs, and circumstances.

1. Introspection and Self-Inquiry

Introspection—the practice of examining your own thoughts, feelings, and motivations—is foundational to spiritual growth. Regular self-inquiry helps you move beyond automatic patterns and connect with deeper wisdom.

Research indicates that reflective self-awareness is associated with better decision-making, increased emotional intelligence, and greater life satisfaction (Sutton, 2016). Neuroscience studies show that introspective practices strengthen connections between brain regions involved in self-awareness and emotional regulation.

How to practice:

• Set aside 10-15 minutes daily for quiet reflection

• Ask yourself meaningful questions: What truly matters to me? What patterns do I notice in my reactions? What am I grateful for today?

• Notice your thoughts and feelings without immediate judgment

• Explore the "why" behind your behaviors and choices

• Consider perspectives different from your habitual viewpoints

The key is creating spaciousness for self-observation rather than getting lost in rumination. You're cultivating witness consciousness and metacognition—the ability to observe your experience with some distance and curiosity.

2. Journaling for Spiritual Development

Journaling transforms fleeting insights into tangible wisdom you can revisit and integrate. Writing engages different cognitive processes than thinking alone, helping you clarify values, process experiences, and track your growth over time.

Research demonstrates that expressive writing improves both psychological and physical health outcomes (Pennebaker & Smyth, 2016). Spiritual journaling specifically has been shown to enhance meaning-making and facilitate processing of difficult experiences (Park, 2010).

Approaches to try:

• Gratitude journaling: Write three things you're grateful for each day, noting why they matter. If you're looking for a dedicated journal, explore my Minimalist Gratitude Journal.

• Stream of consciousness: Allow thoughts to flow onto the page without editing for 10-20 minutes.

• Dialogue journaling: Write conversations between yourself and your higher wisdom or higher guide.

• Prompt-based reflection: Respond to questions like "What is calling for my attention right now?" or "What would my wisest self say about this situation?"

• Dream journaling: Record and reflect on dreams upon waking.

Consistency matters more than length. Even five minutes of daily writing can create profound shifts in self-awareness and self-connection over time.

3. Mindfulness Meditation

Mindfulness meditation—the practice of paying attention to present-moment experience with openness and non-judgment—is one of the most well-researched spiritual practices. It cultivates the witness consciousness that allows you to observe thoughts and emotions without being controlled by them.

Extensive research documents mindfulness meditation's benefits, including reduced stress and anxiety, improved attention and cognitive function, enhanced emotional regulation, and increased compassion (Tang et al., 2015). Brain imaging studies reveal that regular practice increases gray matter density in regions associated with learning, memory, and emotional regulation while decreasing density in the amygdala. The amygdala is your brain’s relevance hub linking feelings, body needs, and goals to helps assign importance (good, bad, or uncertain). Mindfulness and contemplative practices ensure that the amygdala becomes less over-alert, more discerning, and better tuned to genuine signals of importance instead of reacting to things as a threat when they are not.

How to begin:

• Start with just 5-10 minutes daily, gradually increasing duration

• Find a quiet space where you won't be disturbed

• Sit comfortably with an upright but relaxed posture

• Focus attention on your breath, a body sensation, or a simple phrase

• If your mind wanders (which it will), gently return attention to your focus point without self-criticism

• Notice thoughts, feelings, and sensations as they arise and pass

Remember that mindfulness isn't about achieving a blank mind or special state—it's about developing intimate awareness of your experience as it unfolds and increasing your capacity to regulate and direct your attention and focus. The practice is in the returning, not in never wandering.

4. Exploring Different Spiritual Traditions

One of the richest paths to spiritual growth involves learning from diverse wisdom traditions. Each tradition offers unique perspectives, practices, and maps of consciousness that can illuminate different aspects of your spiritual nature.

Exposure to multiple traditions helps you:

• Recognize universal spiritual truths that transcend cultural boundaries

• Find practices and frameworks that resonate with your unique nature

• Avoid dogmatism by understanding that many paths lead to similar destinations

• Develop spiritual intelligence through comparative understanding

• Create a personal spiritual practice that integrates insights from various sources

Traditions to explore:

• Buddhism: Offers advanced practices for developing mindfulness, compassion, and insight into the nature of mind and reality

• Indigenous traditions: Offer earth-based spirituality emphasizing connection with nature, community, and ancestral wisdom

• Contemplative Christianity: Provides practices like centering prayer and lectio divina that cultivate direct experience of the divine

• Hindu/Yogic traditions: Present comprehensive systems including meditation, breathwork, devotional practices, and ethical living

• Sufism: The mystical branch of Islam emphasizing direct experience of divine love through practices like zikr (remembrance)

• Taoism: Teaches alignment with natural flow through practices emphasizing simplicity, spontaneity, and harmony

Learning from humanity's collective wisdom about connecting to something greater than oneself is sacred. It’s worth approaching with respect and curiosity. Consider reading primary texts, attending introductory classes, or sitting with teachers from different lineages.

Reflect: What spiritual traditions are you curious about? What questions would you like to explore through learning about different approaches to spirituality?

Moving Forward on Your Spiritual Journey

Spiritual growth is not a linear path with a fixed endpoint—it's a lifelong journey of deepening awareness, ongoing awakenings, expanding compassion, and discovering meaning. In my own spiritual development journey, I’ve discovered that enlightenment is a process rather than an ultimate destination. The cosmos and higher consciousness are vast. There is no end to the discoveries and expansiveness you can access. Some periods of expansion can bring deep insights and transformation, while others involve quiet integration and steady practice. Both are valuable.

As you engage with these practices, remember that consistency matters more than intensity. Regular, modest practice creates more sustainable transformation than sporadic intense efforts. Start where you are, use what resonates, and trust your own inner guidance about what serves your growth.

The practices outlined here—introspection, journaling, mindfulness meditation, and exploring diverse traditions—provide a solid foundation for developing spiritual intelligence and experiencing the well-being benefits of spiritual growth. They help you cultivate emotionally healthy spirituality that enhances rather than escapes from your full humanity.

Your spiritual nature is not something you need to create or acquire—it's already present, waiting for your attention and cultivation. These practices simply help you remove the obstacles that obscure your deeper wisdom and connection.

Deepen Your Spiritual Practice

Understanding spiritual growth concepts is valuable, but transformation happens through direct experience and consistent practice. If you're ready to move from understanding to embodiment, consider enrolling in my How to Connect to Your True Nature course. It’s a comprehensive course I designed based on what I found effective for my own spiritual growth and development. It’s designed to guide you through practical, science-informed spiritual practices tailored to modern life.

In this course, you'll:

• Develop a personalized spiritual practice that fits your lifestyle and beliefs

• Gain practical tips to practice meditation, introspection, and self-inquiry

• Explore frameworks from multiple wisdom traditions to find what resonates

• Receive guidance on navigating common challenges in spiritual development

• Integrate spiritual insights into daily life for lasting transformation

Your spiritual growth matters—for your well-being, your relationships, and your contribution to the world. Take the next step on your journey today.

References

Emmons, R. A. (1999). The psychology of ultimate concerns: Motivation and spirituality in personality. Guilford Press.

Emmons, R. A. (2000). Is spirituality an intelligence? Motivation, cognition, and the psychology of ultimate concern. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 10(1), 3-26.  

Hill, P. C., Pargament, K. I., Hood, R. W., McCullough, M. E., Swyers, J. P., Larson, D. B., & Zinnbauer, B. J. (2000). Conceptualizing religion and spirituality: Points of commonality, points of departure. Journal for the Theory of Social Behaviour, 30(1), 51-77.  

King, D. B., & DeCicco, T. L. (2009). A viable model and self-report measure of spiritual intelligence. International Journal of Transpersonal Studies, 28(1), 68-85.  

Koenig, H. G. (2012). Religion, spirituality, and health: The research and clinical implications. ISRN Psychiatry, 2012, Article 278730.  

Koenig, H. G., King, D. E., & Carson, V. B. (2012). Handbook of religion and health (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press.

Newberg, A. B., & Waldman, M. R. (2016). How enlightenment changes your brain: The new science of transformation. Avery.

Pargament, K. I. (1997). The psychology of religion and coping: Theory, research, practice. Guilford Press.

Pargament, K. I. (2007). Spiritually integrated psychotherapy: Understanding and addressing the sacred. Guilford Press.

Pargament, K. I., & Mahoney, A. (2002). Spirituality: Discovering and conserving the sacred.

In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of positive psychology (pp. 646-659). Oxford University Press.

Park, C. L. (2010). Making sense of the meaning literature: An integrative review of meaning making and its effects on adjustment to stressful life events. Psychological Bulletin, 136(2), 257-301.  

Pennebaker, J. W., & Smyth, J. M. (2016). Opening up by writing it down: How expressive writing improves health and eases emotional pain (3rd ed.). Guilford Press.

Sutton, A. (2016). Measuring the effects of self-awareness: Construction of the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire. Europe's Journal of Psychology, 12(4), 645-658.  

Tang, Y. Y., Hölzel, B. K., & Posner, M. I. (2015). The neuroscience of mindfulness meditation. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 16(4), 213-225.  

Welwood, J. (2000). Toward a psychology of awakening: Buddhism, psychotherapy, and the path of personal and spiritual transformation. Shambhala Publications.

Worthington, E. L., Jr., Witvliet, C. V. O., Pietrini, P., & Miller, A. J. (2007). Forgiveness, health, and well-being: A review of evidence for emotional versus decisional forgiveness, dispositional forgivingness, and reduced unforgiveness. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 30(4), 291-302.  

Zinnbauer, B. J., Pargament, K. I., Cole, B., Rye, M. S., Butter, E. M., Belavich, T. G., Hipp, K. M., Scott, A. B., & Kadar, J. L. (1997). Religion and spirituality: Unfuzzying the fuzzy. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 36(4), 549-564.  

About Kidest OM

Kidest OM is an author, teacher, and educator guiding individuals through personal development and consciousness evolution. As a futurist and co-creator, she offers insightful perspectives and practical tools for manifestation and cultural evolution. Her books include "Manifesting Health & Longevity: New Realities from Quantum Biological Human Beings" and "Nothing in the Way: Clearing the Paths to Success & Fulfilment" which are available globally in eBook, print, and audiobook on her website and through online book retailers. You can also find more inspiration and motivation from Kidest on her blog and social media channels.