5 Ways You Can Be More Spiritual Without Being Religious

Once upon a time, a wise person said, “The truth shall set you free, but first, it'll make you mad.”

That's paraphrased a little bit, but the sentiment still rings true. Once an individual accepts and receives new “truth” within themselves, something deep inside begins to shift and change.

Many Millennials may not follow their parents' steps along religious or spiritual paths.

Yes, there are those who remain steadfast in their own journey with God, Jesus, Yahweh, Muhammad, Buddha, a higher power or whatever they choose to seek beyond themselves.

But, others have totally rejected this as nonsense and moved along into a world filled with logic and reason, and they have lived their lives along this path.

I'm definitely not going to debate which path is right or wrong. You are smart enough, Gen-Y, to make the choice for yourself.

Yet, I wonder what elements, taken from the vast universal spiritual traditions available for all of us, might fit in the Millennial world.

So, I want to present five concepts that might form a tapestry of Gen-Y spirituality.

These are not etched in stone or “thou shalts” one bit. They're simply offered in a spirit of gentleness.

Let's get started.

1. Sit down.

No, I'm serious. Sit the hell down.

Put the smartphone away. Turn off the 100-plus channel DirecTV or Roku box.

At first, this might seem so hard to do because people are always on the move. We are moving and grooving all the time, whether it's to work or family gatherings or another emergency call from those in need.

Listen, sitting down is a spiritual act, and I'll tell you why.

There's always a time to be in action and moving. Yet, the need to sit down and just quiet your body and mind for a few minutes is quite enthralling.

What do you do when you sit down? Well, you might read something that stirs your mind.

You might meditate. You might simply listen to some peaceful music and bliss out.

Again, all of this starts by sitting the hell down. So, sit.

2. Breathe.

Right now, in this moment, are you aware of your breath?

Are you conscious of whether or not you are breathing deeply or shallowly? Are you able to take deep breaths?

Sometimes, we're so caught up in life that breathing deeply becomes an afterthought. If you aren't breathing, then guess what? Yeah, you are pretty much on the road to death.

Getting in touch, though, with your own rhythm of life does involve breathing from a conscious level.

3. Close your eyes.

You know how much stimulus from the outside world we take in each day?

From TV and social media to magazines and newspapers, we take in a ton of stuff. There's also healthy stimulus from being in nature or going to the gym and working out.

In this Gen-Y spirituality, though, I'm raising the prospect of just closing your eyes and going within yourself.

Imagine sitting down, taking a deep breath and closing your eyes. There's a calming sense that comes over your body when doing so.

At work, aren't there just moments when you sit back and close your eyes for a few seconds? Yeah.

See, closing your eyes for just a few minutes is doing something good for yourself.

4. Meditate.

For those who seek some sort of spirituality, there are millions of people who talk about the benefits of meditation.

This is a practice of quieting the mind, being present in the moment and not worrying about one damned thing.

I'm talking about a period of time that is solely yours, one in which the the mental chatter shuts up.

Meditation does involve your body, mind and spirit. Ultimately, this is a practice that is totally up to you in how it looks.

I'd simply suggest taking a look at the benefits of meditation and keeping it as a resource.

5. Move your body.

Hit up a yoga class. Go out for a walk. Grab those running shoes, and get the heart rate up.

As I said earlier, some gym time never hurt anyone. And if you can't physically get out and get your pulse thumping, you can “move your body” through the simple acts of being present with your breath, your pulse, your heart rate and your energy.

Whether it is up or down, the connection that you have to your own energy allows you to forge a special path to body movement.

There are those who also might receive physical therapy on a regular basis and get their bodywork in this way.

Remember, all of these Gen-Y spirituality concepts are presented in a gentle spirit. I'd simply encourage you to move your body more at a conscious level.

These five concepts might honestly not make one damned bit of sense to you at all. You might be just fine and dandy with your life right now.

If this is you, then carry on. Yet, if you are someone seeking to find your own path that involves a little spiritual love, take a few minutes to consider these concepts and pick which ones might work.

May you find comfort in your life, your love, your journey and always your heart and soul.