I am a fervent journaler. I started journaling 20 years ago when I was a college senior nervous about what was next in my life. I felt compelled to write about those uncertainties in order to gain a better understanding of my experience and to help ease my fears. It worked. Writing my thoughts down on paper felt like talking through those fears with a friend. And it worked so well that I’ve been journaling ever since.

Walking is well known for its physical, emotional, and mental benefits, but it provides important spiritual benefits, as well. For thousands of years, various cultures have used walking in ritual, shamanic practicing, spiritual journeying, and pilgrimages. It’s a well-worn path to spiritual awakening, and practically all spiritual traditions have used walking as a way to deepen connection to the divine. Walking is embedded in our bones, and we can turn it into a simple spiritual act that deepens our spirituality. Below are 5 tips for walking your way to deeper spirituality.

Nearly every Sunday evening for the past 18 years, I drop everything at 8:00 and listen to a Celtic music radio show while drinking tea and writing in my journal. This is a special time that I look forward to each week, and even though for the past several years I listen to the show as a podcast and can therefore listen anytime I want, I have stuck to my Sunday evening time slot because I have established it as a sacred time. I ritualized the experience by having a prescribed set of actions at a customary time, and I elevated that day and time. For me, Sunday evening is a special time that is different from ordinary time, and I watch the clock and know where I will be at 8:00. 

Gratitude is underrated. As the foundation of a spiritual existence, it too often does not receive the recognition it deserves. The simple act of saying “thank you” has more power than we realize. It has the power to make us aware of our blessings, connect us to others, and to help us create meaning out of our experiences. This power is largely untapped, though, particularly because we rarely practice the kind of radical gratitude that can have life-changing effects.