Spring is finally coming, and what better way to start March than participate in a 7-day spiritual self-care challenge? This won’t be your average self-care challenge. This will be a 7-day spiritual self-care challenge to recharge, be intentional with our spirituality and find our connection to Source (or God, or Buddha, whatever your belief may be) again.

What is Spiritual Self-Care?

If you asked me a year ago what my idea of self-care was, I would have told you something along the lines of relaxing on a chair at the beach while sipping on some Mojito. But truth be told, self-care can be as simple as reading a book. According to Psych Central, “Self-care is any activity that we do deliberately in order to take care of our mental, emotional and physical health.”

When I talk about spiritual self-care I am not talking about the kind of spirituality where your soul is separated from your body. Spiritual self-care for me is all about being in touch with your beliefs and participating in activities that nurture our connection to Source.

Spiritual Self-Care Challenge

With that being said, I designed this spiritual self-care challenge to help you form healthy habits by making spiritual self-care a part of your daily routine. Let’s jump right into the challenge!

DAY 1 - FAST AND DETOX YOUR BODY

To kick off our spiritual self-care challenge, I thought what better way to start than with fasting and detoxing. On this first day, also spend some time setting your intention about the spiritual journey you will be embarking on over the next few days.

How often we forget that our bodies are temples—especially when deciding what to eat! Fasting is a great time to remember the spiritual connection we have to our physical bodies. Without the toxins we put in our bodies, we not only give our bodies a break from the digestive process, but we also allow our spirits to be detoxed. By fasting, we cleanse the soul, heal the body so that we can fill ourselves with fresh energy from Source.

You can choose to fast for an entire day, half a day (that is opt to end your fast at noon) or by simply just skipping a meal. Here are some guidelines on how to fast, if you have never fasted before

DAY 2 – PRACTICE YOGA OR QIGONG

At the heart of both yoga and qigong is the concept of a vital life force energy that sustains life everywhere. In yoga it is referred to as ‘prana’ and in qigong it is the same ‘qi’ which makes up part of the name of the practice. Both of these practices work on harmonizing this energy within us. In yoga there is the concept of Chakras, and in qigong there is the concept of Dantien. Both of these refer to centres of energy which affect the surrounding tissues of the body, and also different aspects of the functioning of our whole being.

By practicing yoga or qigong, you can become more in tune with the natural energy cycles of your body so that you can improve your mental, emotional and spiritual well-being. You can learn more about the chakra system here, and check out YoQi Youtube channel for free online yoga and qigong classes.

DAY 3 - READ A SPIRITUAL BOOK

We can’t have a spiritual self-care challenge without reading a spiritual book, right? When I first had my spiritual awakening, I was so confused with many thoughts and “super natural” experiences that happened to me in such a short time. Fortunately, I was guided to read multiple spiritual books that really gave me clarity into what was happening to me, and how to develop a relationship with Source by understanding myself first.

The three must-read spiritual books that I recommend are:

• A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose – Eckhart Tolle
• Journey of Souls – Dr. Michael Newton
• The Art of Happiness – Dalai Lama

What’s your favourite spiritual book? Comment below, I would love to hear!

DAY 4 – DO A GOOD DEED

We live in a world that’s very self-centered. It’s usually all about doing things that stands to benefit us. Seldom do people do things willingly unless there is something in it for us. But there are so many people around us that are hurting and in need, especially in these difficult times.

If you believe in the concept that we're One and we all stem from the same Source, helping others is helping ourselves, then for today’s challenge I want you to focus on doing a good deed. Here are some ideas to get you started: volunteer at your local food bank, donate for a charity or a cause that you want to support, give gift cards away to the homeless, donate items to your local food bank or clothing bank.

DAY 5 – HEAL WITH SOUND

Given that everything has a vibrational frequency, including ourselves, it makes sense that sound frequencies impact how we feel. That's why particular songs and types of music often bring about specific types of emotions from us. Sound healing, which is an ancient healing technique that uses tonal frequencies to bring the body into a state of vibrational balance and harmony, plays upon this as well.

During a sound healing session, also known as a sound bath, you'll typically lie down on the floor or a yoga mat, perhaps cuddle up with a cozy blanket, and simply listen up as a practitioner plays a variety of instruments and you "bathe" in the soothing sounds and vibrations. The sound frequencies then slow down brain waves to a deeply restorative state, which activates the body's system of self-healing.

Singing bowls, gongs, Tibetan bowls, tuning forks, and drums are the instruments that practitioners most often use in sessions. There are multiple playlists on YouTube with different frequencies that you can listen to depending on your needs.

(image from https://www.thedailymeditation.com/)

DAY 6 – RELAX WITH AROMATHERAPY

Humans have used aromatherapy for thousands of years. Ancient cultures in China, India, Egypt, and elsewhere incorporated aromatic plant components in resins, balms, and oils.

Aromatherapy is simply a holistic healing treatment that uses natural plant extracts to promote health and well-being. Sometimes it’s called essential oil therapy. These natural substances were used for medical and spiritual purposes. They were known to have both physical and psychological benefits.

Essential oils are available online, in health food stores, and in some regular supermarkets. It’s important to buy from a reputable producer since the oils aren’t regulated by the FDA. This ensures you’re buying a quality product that is 100 percent natural. Here’s a list of the most popular oils and their benefits to your well-being.

DAY 7 - MEDITATE WITH CRYSTALS

Meditation is one of the best ways to take care of yourself. If you’re new to the idea of meditating, it might feel weird at first. Stick with it and we’re certain you’ll wind up wondering how you ever lived without meditation.

Taking time out to meditate and be still can improve your mental and spiritual well-being and reduce anxiety. Spend 15 minutes every day meditating to help you on your road to self-care and enlightenment.

If you struggle maintaining focus during meditation, light a scented candle to create a calm, relaxing atmosphere and hold a clear quartz crystal in your hand as clear quartz helps you focus and amplifies your intention during meditation. You can use different types of crystals in your meditation session as each crystal has its own metaphysical properties and can help you manifest depending on your intention. You can also wear crystal jewelry such as bracelets or malas to help you focus while citing mantra or affirmations.

Final Thoughts

While I do agree that self-care shouldn’t just be about treating yourself, it’s important sometimes to treat yourself to something nice or pamper yourself as an act of self-care.

I hope that you thoroughly enjoyed this challenge and walked away with spiritual self-care activities that you can incorporate into your regular routine. What are some spiritual self-care activities that you participate in regularly?