Life Kit: How to Create Your Own Spiritual Practices
Host: Marielle Segarra | NPR | Release Date: February 27, 2025
In the February 27, 2025 episode of NPR's Life Kit, host Marielle Segarra delves into the often-overlooked aspect of human well-being: spirituality. Titled "How to Create Your Own Spiritual Practices," the episode explores the diverse ways individuals can cultivate a spiritual life, whether through established religious traditions or personal, secular practices. Through insightful conversations with experts and personal stories from listeners, the episode offers a comprehensive guide to integrating spirituality into everyday life.
Defining Spirituality and Religion
The episode opens with Marielle highlighting the significance of spirituality in providing purpose and meaning, backed by research linking spiritual practices to improved mental and physical health. She introduces Anna Yusum, a psychiatrist and clinical assistant professor at Yale, who shares her transformative journey from a non-spiritual upbringing to embracing spirituality after experiencing personal and emotional struggles.
Anna Yusum (00:18): “When I was growing up, spirituality wasn't part of my life at all.”
Marielle elaborates on the distinction between spirituality and religion, emphasizing that while religion typically involves structured beliefs and communal practices centered around a higher power, spirituality is a broader, more personal connection to something greater.
Personal Journeys into Spirituality
Anna Yusum recounts her unexpected venture into spirituality during her travels in South America, which led her to explore various spiritual traditions, including Buddhist meditation in Thailand and studying at a Kabbalah center in New York. This journey not only reshaped her worldview but also enriched her professional practice, allowing her to address both psychological and spiritual needs of her clients.
Anna Yusum (02:00): “Even though it never was something I identified with, there was a part of me that just felt drawn and things came into my life that made me see the world a little bit differently.”
The Importance of Connection
A central theme of the episode is the concept of connection as the cornerstone of spirituality. Ruth Tam, the reporter, discusses this idea with listeners who express varying definitions of spirituality, all converging on the need for a connection to something beyond oneself.
Isaiah Yong (06:12): “We are assuming that kind of everybody else has something to give and to offer to us, but we don't really know what it is we're bringing.”
Distinguishing Spirituality from Religion
The discussion clarifies that one can be spiritual without adhering to a specific religion and vice versa. Statistics from a 2023 Pew Research Center report indicate that 22% of U.S. adults identify as spiritual without affiliation to any religion, highlighting a growing trend towards individualized spiritual practices.
Marielle Segarra (07:01): “You could be both spiritual and religious. Your connection could be to God, whatever form that takes.”
Integrating Different Traditions and Practices
Anna Yusum provides an illustrative example of a spiritually diverse weekly routine that incorporates elements from various traditions, such as yoga, meditation, prayer, and even psychedelic ceremonies. This eclectic approach raises questions about the coherence and underlying beliefs that tie these practices together.
Anna Yusum (08:32): “They might today go to yoga and then come at night and do a little bit of a sitting meditation from a Buddhist or Tibetan tradition.”
Isaiah Yong addresses the importance of understanding one's cultural and familial background as a foundation for building meaningful spiritual connections.
Isaiah Yong (09:27): “I think it's really important for people, whatever kind of cultural context they come from, to realize they do have a context, they do have a history…”
Building a Spiritual Practice: Key Takeaways
Throughout the episode, Ruth Tam distills the conversation into five key takeaways for listeners seeking to develop their own spiritual practices:
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Spirituality as Connection (06:33): Spirituality is fundamentally about connecting to something greater than oneself, whether it's God, collective consciousness, or universal values like love and trust.
Anna Yusum (06:51): “For some people, that something greater could be God. For other people, it's a collective consciousness.”
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Recognize Your Spiritual Starting Point (10:14): Understanding your spiritual lineage and inherited beliefs helps in identifying what aspects you wish to nurture or modify in your practice.
Isaiah Yong (10:54): “Understand those histories of their own ancestors first as a way to ground them into exploring community relationships with other cultures.”
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Spiritual Practices are Not a Closed Loop (14:15): Spiritual traditions are living entities meant to evolve. Individuals can renew and adapt practices to fit their personal journeys.
Isaiah Yong (14:36): “These traditions are living. We get to, in this time, inherit certain things, but we also get to add or change.”
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Respectful Relationship with Cultural Practices (17:11): When inspired by traditions outside your own culture, it's crucial to engage respectfully and support the originating communities.
Isaiah Yong (17:28): “It’s important to be in relationship with the communities that they come from, to support their storytelling and legacies.”
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Practice Discernment (18:09): Be cautious of organizations or leaders who exhibit closed-mindedness or claim exclusive truth, ensuring your spiritual journey remains authentic and safe.
Anna Yusum (20:56): “I would be cautious of anybody who believes that they have a monopoly on truth. I would run.”
Expert Insights
Isaiah Yong, an associate professor of spirituality, emphasizes that spirituality should transcend personal happiness and aim to foster meaningful relationships with the world and community.
Isaiah Yong (09:38): “To be a person is actually to be in relationship with the world.”
He further advises against conflating spirituality solely with productivity or self-improvement, advocating for a deeper, more liberating connection.
Isaiah Yong (21:28): “Spirituality is about becoming free. Free from any dominant narratives to lead our lives.”
Personal Stories from Listeners
Listeners like Gwen Vogelsang and Raina Javeri share their unique spiritual journeys. Gwen discusses overcoming religious trauma by embracing spirituality outside traditional religion, fostering connections with nature and community.
Gwen Vogelsang (15:17): “Spirituality to me is in the chaos that we're living in. Being able to sit in my sunroom and feel the sun on my face…”
Raina Javeri highlights the role of music in her spiritual practice, emphasizing presence and self-acceptance through improvisational singing circles.
Raina Javeri (19:00): “I make up things on the spot, which means I have to be extremely present, extremely attuned…”
Conclusion
The episode concludes with a recap of the key takeaways, reinforcing the notion that developing a spiritual practice is a personal and evolving journey. Marielle underscores the value of connecting with something greater, understanding one's roots, respecting cultural traditions, and maintaining discernment in spiritual engagements.
Marielle Segarra (23:36): “If you resonate with the idea that spirituality is a connection to something greater, then you don't need anything special to experience it.”
Listeners are encouraged to explore and nurture their spiritual lives thoughtfully and authentically, embracing both personal growth and communal connections.
Key Takeaways
- Spirituality as Connection: Define spirituality as a connection to something greater than oneself, tailored to individual beliefs and values.
- Recognize Your Spiritual Starting Point: Understand and reflect on your inherited spiritual beliefs and cultural background.
- Spiritual Practices are Not a Closed Loop: Embrace the evolving nature of spiritual traditions and practices.
- Respectful Relationship with Cultural Practices: Engage with spiritual practices from other cultures respectfully and supportively.
- Practice Discernment: Be mindful of the groups and leaders you involve in your spiritual journey to ensure authenticity and safety.
By integrating these principles, Life Kit provides listeners with a thoughtful roadmap to cultivating their own spiritual practices, fostering a deeper sense of purpose and connection in their lives.