3 Ways to Make Exercise a Spiritual Practice

Learn to breathe, learn to listen, learn to appreciate.

Spirituality doesn’t have to look like the traditional forms we’re familiar with. While most people consider spirituality to consist of church, prayer, meditation, fasting, I believe there is one often overlooked method to reach spirituality, to tap into your spiritual self: Movement.

Movement is a powerful practice. Indeed, if your body does not move in alignment, your mind will not be aligned.

“When your body is not aligned,

The inner power will not come.

When you are not tranquil within,

Your mind will not be well ordered.

Align your body, assist the inner power,

Then it will gradually come on its own.”

- Ancient Chinese Guanzi text (26 B.C.E)

How movement can be spiritual

I just came inside from a workout on my back lawn, on a beautiful spring evening. I had my bare feet in the grass, the cool air on my skin, and I watched the sunset. I’ve never felt more connected to myself and to the universe than I did for that hour.

I practiced nasal breathing for my entire workout. I was in a parasympathetic state the whole time. My body was relaxed, my mind was at ease and focused on the task. You could say I was in a flow state.

Movement allows deep access into who we are; what it’s like to be in this body, right now. It’s a powerful form of meditation. You can’t help but feel the breath going in and out of your lungs. The sun on your skin. The grass beneath your feet. Movement forces you to be present in this moment, within yourself.

It clears the mind; thoughts come and go in passing, without even a conscious effort to let them go. When a thought comes in, you can’t help but let it go as you focus on putting the next foot in front of the other, moving to your next yoga pose, or lifting your next set of deadlifts.

You are present. You are breathing. You are in tune with your body. You can feel where there is tension, where your body is asking for more attention and love. This is the essence of spirituality.

Dr. Suhas Kshirsagar, author of Change Your Schedule, Change Your Life, explains this well:

“Through exercise and movement, you breathe deeply and unblock the body’s channels… It gives you energy, mental clarity, passion, and a general enthusiasm for life… When you breathe deeply, you connect your heart and your brain instantly… Conscious exercise puts your daily problems on the back burner and enlivens the heart and mind… While it’s tempting to think of exercise solely as a means to fitness or weight loss, it’s really much more about making you feel alive in your body.”

How to increase the spirituality of movement

Breath work — breathe

The deep power of the breath comes to the forefront during movement. You can direct this even further with conscious breathing; always inhale through your nose, and exhale through your mouth. Your body will stay in a parasympathetic state, and it will create immense amounts of relaxation. It will almost feel like meditation. At the end of your session, you will feel alive in your body.

Get outside — appreciate

Let your bare feet touch the earth. This allows the negative ions produced by cellular metabolism in your body to be absorbed by the earth as a result of the earth’s magnetic field. Grounding or earthing, as this practice is known, helps improve sleep quality, regulates our circadian rhythm, and reduces inflammation in this body.

But not only does it have myriad health benefits, placing your bare feet on the earth will enhance the spiritual aspects of your movement. You will be more mindful — aware of the feeling of grass beneath your feet. You will feel more in tune with yourself, and with the universe. You will pay more attention to your surroundings and the beauty around you.

Meditate — listen

Meditate when you’re done. For an even bigger effect, meditate before you start. Journal. Be still. How does it feel to be you right now? This is what spirituality is about; tapping into yourself and to the universe around you. Listen to your body. Listen to your mind. Listen to the universe.

Let movement be a spiritual practice. Tune you into your body. What is it like to be you, right now, in this body? How do you feel? What is your breath doing? Where is there tension in your body? How can you support yourself in this very minute?

Exercise can provide an incredibly spiritual experience. Learn to breathe, learn to listen, learn to appreciate, and I promise that your next workout will be profound.