Comment intégrer une nouvelle pratique spirituelle dans ta vie de tous les jours?

For many years, I’ve been integrating spiritual practices into my life.

It began when I started to meditate.

At first, I remember how challenging it was to set aside the time for my practice. I kept forgetting it and doing it on and off.

At that time, it was much easier to meditate in group. I loved going to the meditation center, and attending workshops with my spiritual community.

These moments in community made it much easier for me.

And gently, with a lot of devotion, I began to hold my own practice, hold my own structure for my meditation practice.

The way I did it was to observe and feel in my body the benefits when I did the practice, how I felt more anchored, more clear and more calm.

The most important part of this process is to feel - in your body - the impact when you practice and also when you don’t.

I noticed how I felt less grounded and more distracted on the days I didn’t do my meditation.

Eventually, I began to meditate because I deeply wanted to. It wasn’t an obligation, or an idea that I ‘‘should’’.

St Exupery has this beautiful quote :

‘‘If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.’’

What I have found is that it’s much more enjoyable and sustainable to do a practice that I desire to do.

Instead of seeing it as something that I ‘‘should’’ do, which brings obligation - and quite frankly a form of beating yourself up - I recommend to transform them into desires.

Get curious for what it would look like if you were to put it into practice.

When we want to start something new, we want to use force, discipline or scheduling to make a new practice happen, but often it leads to beating ourselves up for not doing it and being disappointed in ourself.

It is so much more rich to feel a desire for it, to feel inspired to do it. And most importantly - that we can feel the benefits of it in our body.

Recently, I’ve been wanting to integrate more physical activity in my daily routine because my body has been asking for more movement.

I realize that when I have a nice run or a good yoga, I feel more energized, I sleep better and I have more creativity flowing through me.

I was also surprised to feel that I need to do this almost everyday for my body to feel good.

And so, I took on to create this new practice in my life - which I feel is also spiritual.

Some days, I don’t do it and I can feel the consequences on my sleep and energy levels.

When I fail to do my practice, I don’t beat myself up - I find a deep compassion and understanding. Because what I’m building now is not just a quick training, it’s the foundation for all of my workouts to feel good and effortless.

It doesn’t happen overnight.

It’s more important for me to build this new foundation. Once it’s created then going out for a run or a swim is going to be nobrainer, easeful and fully integrated.

Just like my morning meditation is fully integrated into my life now.

With each new practice, each new adjustment, there is a new foundation to be built and that takes time.

So I want to invite you to be compassionate towards yourself, and keep practicing - what you are building is not just today’s practice it’s a whole new habit.