
Spiritual Trauma and Self-Care
The concept of spirituality normally evokes the idea of some form of religion. However, this is not necessarily the case, as the broader definition of spiritualism is the unquestionable belief in an idea, something, or someone. This is why spiritual trauma is often sidelined despite its real meaning being the loss of faith and trust in people, yourself, ideas, or other aspects of life. When you are an unfortunate victim of a narcissist’s abuse, you will end up in spiritual trauma with a protracted view of the world.
Spiritual trauma is one of the many types of trauma. It entails the loss of hope of safety in anything or anyone. The common aspects of life that get shaken include dangerous events, including love, kindness, humanity, authority, generosity, people, or self. The effect of the trauma is so profound to a person to the extent that most people cannot articulate their experience with clarity. Consequently, the trauma goes unresolved or even acknowledged, and the effects are devastating.
The process of addressing spiritual trauma starts when we get a platform to share our experiences and be heard. Afterward, we get validated and reminded that there is still hope at the end of the tunnel. During the healing process, it is critical to isolate the unfortunate event because of the actions of a bad person or a bad situation that occurred. Since the incident is a one-off situation that also affects other people, it is ideal to avoid our standpoint and perspective of the world. Therefore, despite how impractical it may seem, we don’t have to change who we are or what we do after a bad experience.
Contemplate what defines you, your values, aspirations, dreams, and plans. Whenever someone or something fails to meet your expectations and hurts you, it should not derail your journey to the betterment or even change who you are and what you believe in as a person. To overcome the trauma, you can view living as a continuous and dynamic process that must continue regardless of obstacles.
When we let spiritual trauma change who we are, we perpetuate the vice and become part of the problem. However, we can opt to be agents of change and leave our footprints in creating a better world devoid of evil. By doing so, we shall be accelerating the healing process and setting new standards for how an ideal society should operate. The fruition of our efforts will give us, and other people, hope that good deeds always triumph.
Have you lost faith in the system? Create or be part of an exemplary system that brings positive change to society. Do you feel that humanity has let you down? Set an example for others on how everyone ought to be. Have you lost faith in yourself? Follow your dreams and passions and put in an extra effort to attain your goals.
Healing from a spiritual trauma largely depends on how well we understand the power of choice. For example, if you are framed and imprisoned for 15 years, you have all the right to be vengeful, vindictive, and bitter about everything. However, you can take the seemingly unfair option of advocating for law reforms or any other system change to ensure that other people do not become victims of an imperfect system.
Besides harnessing the power of choice, self-care is another mitigator of spiritual trauma. When you take good care of yourself, you will rejuvenate and re-energize yourself and be able to reinvent yourself and be an agent of change. For your self-care routine to be effective, loving yourself should be integral.
You can also strive to respect yourself by honouring your choices and commitments and doing what maximizes your happiness without risking your wellbeing.
We have a 30-day self-care program that you can customize for your healing. The approach is holistic, and it ensures that you can be able to transform yourself and disengage from the events or person that brought all the pain and suffering. At the end of the period, the 30 changes will compound and result in an effective self-care routine.
For instance, you may decide to put away your phone and go hiking on a nature trail for your' me-time' undertaking. Letting go of unhealthy food can be a good start for a nutritional undertaking. If you embark on the journey to financial freedom, you may opt for a frugal lifestyle or even grow your skills to increase your income. A good self-care routine has a payoff, and most importantly, it deviates your attention from wallowing in spiritual trauma and focusing on transforming yourself. Like a healthy lifestyle, self-care is vital for your short-term and long-term wellbeing.
Week 1: Physical Self-Care
Stress management
Breathing
Relaxation
Hydration
Physical exercise
Dieting
Having enough sleep/resting
Week 2: Mental/Emotional self-care
Reliving good memories
Introspecting the family circumstances
Recollection of childhood experiences
Establishing triggers
Identifying and understanding your feelings
Having healthy internal conversations
Adopting positive beliefs
Week 3: Lifestyle Restructuring
Create a schedule and follow it religiously
Set up a time for yourself
Establish goals and work towards them
Spend time in nature
Have as much pleasure as possible
Exercise self-control and self-discipline
7. Work in a fulfilling environment
Week 4: Spiritual Self-care
Meditate
Join a spiritual community
Seek closure and work on forgiveness
Manage your ego
Accept your circumstances
Identify your goals, purpose, and vision
Follow your routine physically and mentally
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