Religion is a highly debatable topic. As is spirituality. Some insist that they walk hand-in-hand. Some insist religion is the only path to spirituality. Others assert that religion gets in the way of spirituality. Are they the same thing? Are they entirely different? Can a person be spiritual without religion? What is a Religion? Merriam-Webster …

For those who have a passion for spirituality or religion, it may feel like a natural subject to study in college. Luckily for the spiritually inclined, it is possible to study spirituality in college. There are many different avenues to take for studying spirituality at university. Some colleges offer a major that directly leads to …

When you start out practicing yoga, you may notice a prayerful or spiritual element to it. Some yogis like to connect with the divine during their time on the mat. Others like to save spirituality for the temple, church, or other setting and stick to the physical exercise benefits of yoga. For some folks like …

Everyone struggles with this question, regardless of religious affiliation. If you are a sage, priest, monk, shaman, imam, guru, mystic, master, cantor, rabbi, scientist, agnostic, atheist, or any combination of those named, you have confronted the origin of the universe. I have had many friends who have struggled with their perception of spirituality due to …

I sometimes like to cancel outside noise and meditate peacefully for relaxation. Therefore, I usually rely on my noise-canceling headphones to achieve the optimal environment for meditation. Peaceful bliss is what I am searching for, and one of the best methods I have discovered is using my noise-canceling headphones. Now, let’s examine just what noise-canceling …

Do noise-canceling headphones help with meditation? There are a few reasons why you might be wondering if noise-canceling headphones help with meditation. Maybe you’ve tried meditating before but found it hard to focus with all the noise around you. Or maybe you’re interested in trying out meditation but don’t want to invest in a meditation …

Meditation has become quite modish over the last decade or so. Many people practice it regularly to reduce stress and improve their mental health. What types of stones are suitable for meditation? Several types of stones are said to be beneficial for meditation. They range from crystals to gemstones to minerals. Each type has its …

Maybe you’re wondering how old mindfulness meditation is. People have been doing it for a long time, and there are lots of reasons why people might want to know more about it. Maybe you’re curious about what it’s all about. So, how old is mindfulness meditation? It’s quite old! But its popularity has grown exponentially …

Some people might want to do yoga without the spiritual side of things. Maybe you don’t believe in spirituality, or maybe you just don’t want to think about that stuff when they’re trying to relax. There are a lot of reasons someone might want to do yoga without the spiritual part, and that’s totally okay! …

Imagine you are interested in the psychology of spirituality because you are hoping it can help you change your personality. You have always been a bit shy and introverted, and you would like to become more outgoing and confident. Can spirituality help you do that? The simple answer is: yes and no. Spirituality can alter …

From the outside, celebrity life seems so glamorous. People of celebrity status are always posting pictures of themselves partaking in life’s greatest adventures. Champagne on a yacht in the middle of the Caribbean, skydiving off of stunning mountain cliffs in Peru, or lounging on the beach around the world looks like a fun time in …

Yoga is popular.  It’s never been so popular in North America. I doubt I would have discovered yoga had it not become so popular so I’m grateful that it’s been growing like crazy over the last 10 to 15 years. Yet, despite it’s popularity, many people have never tried it and even when they read …

I’m not going to sugarcoat stopping drinking and say it was a walk in the park.  It wasn’t. But, it was and is WORTH IT. Quitting drinking was the hardest thing I’ve every done.  Without a doubt.  It was tough.  It took several attempts.  In fact, after a decent amount of sobriety, I returned to …

I remember clearly the first morning after a particularly bad drunk when I had the thought “I want to quit drinking.”  I was in college at the time.  Like many alcoholics, just because I had that thought didn’t mean I would actually stop drinking.  In fact, I took no steps to stop. However, from that …

While I drank, I worked out … or I went for a workout when I wasn’t too hung-hover.  As my drinking increased, the number of workouts I got done in a given week became less and less. Eventually, at some point, I went to the gym to sit in the sauna and hot tub (which …

Quitting drinking is life-changing.  It was gut-wrenchingly difficult for me.  I suffered a lot before it got better.  I was torn in 2 directions … I needed to heal, but the ambitious and grandiose alcoholic in me wanted to get going with my life weeks after stopping drinking.  I certainly wasn’t gentle with myself, which …

When I drank I smoked … a lot.  I had one to two cigarettes for every drink, which resulted in me smoking nearly a pack (sometimes more) during any given drinking session. As if hammering my liver wasn’t bad enough, I sucked back smoke and carcinogens like it was going out of style.  Yes, I …

Not everyone needs to stop drinking.  I don’t begrudge those who can handle alcohol responsibly. All I know is that every time I got into trouble, I was drinking.  Moreover, the bottom line is I’m a blackout drinker who simply cannot drink responsibly. When I quit drinking, I had many reasons to do so.  My …