Men! THIS is how to come out of the spiritual closet

Why are men often so much more scared of embracing their spirituality than women? David Hamilton explains how to turn it around

As a male, spirituality is not the kind of thing we tend to do. I’m not speaking of all men, of course, but a majority.

But why is this? Is it that the ideas of spirituality, including the healing arts and a belief that we are part of something bigger, don’t apply to men? Not at all.

Spirituality is innate. It’s in our nature to be spiritual. And, as we grow into adults, spirituality is our ‘go to’ when things get overwhelming. When compared to women, though, it just sometimes takes a bit more of a push to bring it out in men. So, how can we allow ourselves to be more spiritual?

Try mindfulness meditation

Science is a good bridge that can help males embrace their spiritual side because it reveals that what we thought was soft and fluffy actually has a strong basis in science. Take mindfulness mediation, for example. Research shows that just as muscles get bigger when we work them out, so mindfulness does something similar. Working out a brain region causes neuroplasticity, where the brain region gets bigger and more powerful. Specifically, mindfulness meditation works out the prefrontal cortex (also referred to as the ‘brain’s CEO’). And just as having stronger muscles enables a person to lift more, so developing the prefrontal cortex makes us better able to do everything that the prefrontal cortex is used for. This includes concentrating, self-control, feeling positive emotion, feeling compassion, and also helps us access more of our spiritual side.

Step 1: Start with light ‘weights’ then. Sit comfortably with your back straight and set your watch or a timer for two minutes. Start the timer and close your eyes. For the set time, give all your attention to your breath. Hear the sound it makes. Notice how it feels as the air moves through your nostrils. Feel your tummy or chest as they move while you breathe. When your timer goes off, open your eyes. That’s your workout for the day!

Step 2: Increase your duration by one minute a day for seven days, so that after a week you’re able to meditate for eight minutes.

Step 3: Increase by a further minute a day for the next week until you can do 15 minutes of meditation a day at the end of two weeks.

David Hamilton is a Scottish author with a PhD in organic chemistry, who tours the UK giving speeches on the mind-body connection. Go to drdavidhamilton.com for more information.