7 types of spiritual self-care most people overlook without realizing it

When most of us think of self-care, we imagine bubble baths, a quick yoga session, or binging on guilty-pleasure shows.

That stuff might give momentary relief, but let’s be honest—it barely scratches the surface of deeper, more profound healing. Real spiritual self-care operates on a different wavelength.

It’s the kind of work that makes you squirm a little because it requires absolute honesty about who you are, what you value, and how you interact with the world.

I’ve noticed that many people neglect pivotal aspects of spiritual well-being, often without realizing it.

They think of “spiritual care” as strictly religious ceremonies or, worse, as something optional—like an add-on for the end of the day if there’s time left. But spirituality is woven into every breath you take. Overlooking it is like ignoring your heart when it’s pounding in your chest.

It’s time to dismantle the idea that spiritual self-care is a luxury. If you’re willing to roll up your sleeves and dig into a deeper plane of existence, these seven often-overlooked pathways are where you might want to start.

1. Reconnecting with nature’s rhythm

I’ve trekked through uncharted forests, gotten lost in the middle of nowhere, and sworn at angry mosquitos that seemed to have it out for me.

But amid all the discomfort, I rediscovered something essential: we humans are part of nature.

Yet we live as if we’ve declared independence from our natural habitat—treating it like a resource hub or a backdrop for Instagram. We forget nature has her own rhythms, her own cycles of decay and rebirth. Aligning with these rhythms can give us a perspective that daily modern life often crushes.

I’m not talking about a soft, romantic “let’s walk barefoot on the grass and everything will be fine” narrative.

I’m talking about harnessing the raw power of the elements. You can do this by syncing your day with the sun’s rise and fall, or noticing how your energy shifts when seasons change. The greater your awareness of these patterns, the clearer your understanding of life’s ebb and flow becomes.

Start small: step outside when you’re feeling disconnected. Pay attention to the breeze, the temperature, or how the ground feels under your feet. Listen, really listen, for once. It’s a form of prayer more ancient than any text.

2. Practicing mindful solitude

How many times have you avoided your own company by scrolling through your phone or blasting background noise from Netflix?

We often run from solitude as if it’s a plague. We keep ourselves busy or constantly stimulated to dodge the uncomfortable hush that creeps in when we’re alone.

Here’s the reality check: your inner voice needs space to speak. If you can’t handle even a few moments without external stimulation, how will you ever hear what your soul is screaming for?

Mindful solitude is more than just “me time.” It’s about intentionally withdrawing from the chaos so you can witness your own thought processes.

You might observe some negativity or face an internal critic you didn’t know existed.

It’s not always pretty. But confronting the inner turbulence is how you start to cleanse it.

3. Embracing radical gratitude

Yes, “gratitude” is a buzzword these days—everyone’s heard about making gratitude lists.

But radical gratitude goes beyond scribbling three nice things in a notebook. It’s the willingness to be grateful even for what you perceive as negative experiences.

Why would you be thankful for struggle?

Because it’s often the only language life uses to wake us up.

Challenges force us to confront limitations we never knew we had. Obstacles can spark the evolution of our character. So, being grateful for them isn’t self-delusion; it’s a savage acceptance of reality’s duality.

If you want to cultivate this mindset, try acknowledging what you normally take for granted: your working limbs, the water in your tap, your capacity to think. It’s not about sugarcoating pain; it’s about grounding yourself in a more expansive understanding of life’s gifts.

4. Engaging in honest communion (not just ceremony)

Religious or not, most people equate “spiritual care” with formal prayer or liturgies.

But there’s a colossal difference between going through the motions of a ceremony and engaging in raw, honest communion with whatever you believe is bigger than you—call it the universe, God, cosmic energy, or your own higher self.

How often do we recite prayers or mantras on autopilot? We check a box and assume we’ve done our “spiritual duty.” That’s like offering a handshake to your best friend instead of a genuine hug.

If you do follow a particular tradition, breathe new life into it. Ask yourself if your heart is fully present.

If you’re agnostic or atheist, honest communion can be a moment of silent awe at the cosmos, a direct conversation with your deeper conscience, or a feeling of interconnectedness with humanity.

The key is sincerity, not the shape of your worship.

Sometimes, to reignite the spark, I immerse myself in tribal music or a drum circle—letting sound vibrations carry my consciousness to a place beyond words. But it doesn’t need to be that dramatic. A simple, heartfelt reflection before bed can be transformative if you engage with genuine openness.

5. Dismantling your mental frameworks

Here’s a blunt truth: a lot of your spiritual discontent stems from the outdated mental frameworks that shape your view of reality.

We all absorb cultural norms, parental expectations, and social rules that keep us from thinking freely.

Spiritual self-care is about courageously unraveling these frameworks.

For me, this questioning started when I realized how many spiritual dogmas were controlling my life.

I tore them down, one by one, and discovered an inner freedom I never knew I was missing.

If you’re sick of going around in mental circles, start by scrutinizing each assumption you hold. It’s not comfortable—it can shake up friendships, family dynamics, and your own sense of identity—but the price of staying oblivious is far too high.

Is it time to question your beliefs about who you are, what the world is, or what matters most?

If it is, grab that sledgehammer and start swinging. And if you need practical guidance with this, you might find my Free Your Mind masterclass useful. I’ve poured my experience into it, offering tools to break free from mental cages and explore spirituality with both autonomy and intensity.

6. Facing the “shadow” in your spiritual practice

Our culture loves to highlight positivity. Smiles, good vibes, and a never-ending supply of motivational quotes flood social media.

Yet we rarely discuss the darkness within—the anger, jealousy, fear, or self-loathing that quietly simmers in the background.

Avoiding your shadow is spiritual malpractice.

True self-care means peeling off the glossy veneer and looking directly into those dark recesses of your psyche. It’s like rummaging through a dusty attic—you might find some horrifying things, but also old gems and hidden tools you never knew existed.

Whenever I sit in ceremony—whether in nature or in a personal ritual—I invite my darkest thoughts to emerge.

It’s not always pleasant.

But confronting them breaks the illusion that we must be perpetually “light” to be spiritual. There’s immense healing in shining a lantern on your own monstrosities. You become more authentic, more integrated, and ironically, far more compassionate toward others.

7. Creating an ongoing dialogue with your body

We love to talk about mental health, emotional health, and spiritual health like they’re separate planets.

But you’re one ecosystem—mind, body, and spirit are inseparable. Neglecting your body’s signals is like ignoring half of the spiritual conversation that’s trying to happen within you.

Aches, tension, fatigue, even that random bout of anxiety can be more than just physical or psychological noise.

They could be direct signals that your soul is in revolt against how you’re living. The way you treat your body—what you feed it, how you move it, how you rest—directly influences your spiritual clarity.

Alan Watts once quipped: “Zen does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes.”

In other words, true spirituality can be found in how you engage with the most mundane physical tasks. When you fully inhabit your body, you make space for spirit to flow without obstruction.

I sometimes incorporate intense physical challenges, like long bike rides or climbing rugged trails, to force myself out of mental chatter.

When your muscles are screaming, you can’t help but tune into your body’s immediate reality.

That’s a form of spiritual grounding that can be just as powerful as meditation.

Final thoughts

If you find yourself longing for more than just another self-improvement trend, these seven aspects of spiritual care might shake you awake.

Explore them at your own pace, but be prepared for upheaval. The spiritual path is a wild, unpredictable ride—and that’s exactly why it has the potential to transform you in ways you can’t even imagine.

Don’t wait. Don’t sit around waiting for a “perfect moment” or the “right” mindset. Life is happening now, and you owe it to yourself to embrace the chaos and beauty of it all. By daring to see beyond the surface and confronting what you’ve left unexamined, you open a gateway to authentic spiritual growth that can redefine every facet of your life.