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SPIRITUAL WELLNESS

An important and often overlooked part of one’s overall wellbeing is the spiritual aspect of life. This of course is so dependent upon an individual’s beliefs and worldview that some people wholly embrace spirituality, some consider it, and some deny or ignore it altogether. The term ‘spirituality’ is often linked with religion, however, in our broader school context it might be useful to think about the spiritual wellbeing as seeking a meaningful connection with something bigger than yourself, which can result in positive emotions, such as peace, awe, contentment, gratitude, and acceptance.

In this light, more often than not, those who engage with, contemplate, explore, consider, and discuss the possible benefits of nurturing their spiritual wellbeing are surprised at the ongoing positive impact this has on their lives. So why not go on an adventure this Term and see if investigating or even nurturing your spiritual wellbeing brings about a positive change in your life?

Remember, you only get to count the points if you complete the activity for the week.

 If you need clarification about any of the following activities, please do not hesitate to contact our Chaplain Mr Webb (lwebb@bmgs.nsw.edu.au).

20 Points Each

  • Gratitude Alphabet. Do you have difficulty getting to sleep? As you lie there at night, try going through the alphabet and for each letter come up with something you are grateful for. Here is an example, however, you will really want to make this one personal so it matters to you - https://gratefulness.org/resource/the-abcs-of-grateful-living-gratitude-alphabet-practice/     You might be surprised at how effective this is - most people do not make it to the letter Z, which is probably good because being grateful for ZZZs (sleep) is difficult if you are still awake!

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  • Prayer. Practise praying each day before your day takes off. While I (Mr Webb) would encourage prayer to the Christian God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit), I am aware that some of you may not believe in God or rightfully question the existence of a higher being or Creator. You can still practice prayer to see if it makes a difference in your life.                                                         

  • “Prayers usually offer praise, thanks, make a request, or simply express one’s thoughts and emotions to help us be in harmony, balance, and peace. It can be done in many ways. Prayers can be said out loud, quietly, through song, dance, art, for example. You can also pray in any position: lying down, sitting, and kneeling, with hands folded, raised, opened, and closed, and so on.” (https://spiritualfitclub.com/spiritual-activities-self-care-begin-today/)

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  • Silence. Spend five to ten minutes each day by closing your eyes, sitting still, and being as silent both physically and mentally as possible (you’ll become better at this the more you do it). You might be surprised by how this little bit of deliberate silence can open up new ideas and possibilities in your life. You may wish to follow your silence with Activity Six, prayer.

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  • Reading. Pick one book that causes you to reflect on something bigger than yourself, preferably something to do with spirituality. I (Mr Webb) would recommend the book of Psalms in the Bible. Read one Chapter per week or even just five pages per day to begin with. For bonus points you may wish to discuss your book with someone you know who has also chosen to complete this activity. For example, you might discuss how what you read has made you think about things you have never thought about before.

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  • Acts of compassion. Each week, show one person a deliberate act of kindness. This can be as simple as making your sister’s or brother’s bed or telling someone one thing you really like about who they are. Remember to keep any applicable social distancing restrictions in mind when doing this but plenty acts of kindness do not require you to be in direct contact with a person.

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30 Points Each

  • Spending time in nature – This may be a difficult at the moment due to Covid-19 and first needs the approval of your parent or guardian. Spend 15 minutes to half an hour each day by simply ‘spending time in nature’. This means leaving all distractions behind if possible and focusing on the beauty of nature. Like activity one, you may wish to keep a simple diary about your thoughts and observations, however, wait until you finish your time in nature before journaling so as not to be distracted. You might even want to try consciously slowing down your thoughts and your breathing as you stroll through nature.

 

  • Contemplation – Keep a diary a week (or more if you are feeling ambitious). This is best if it is a good old fashioned paper and pen style diary so you are not tempted or distracted by your device. Make your diary entries as short and concise as possible so you are more likely to keep writing them each week. Within every entry why not attempt to answer the following questions:

  1. How can I better look after myself this week?

  2. How can I make someone else’s life better this week?

  3. What things have I done in the past week that have truly brought meaning to my life and why do you think this is?

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