Feeling Lost? Stuck? Find Purpose and Connection in Spirituality

Finding your spiritual path, the one that works for you, will connect you with something much bigger than yourself. (Article and video included.)

Photo by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay for Canva Pro

What if I told you that spirituality isn’t about rules, rituals, or even religion? That it’s something much simpler—something deeply personal?

For many of us, especially women navigating big life transitions, that connection can be life-changing. If you’ve been feeling lost, stuck, or like something’s missing, spirituality can help.

What is Spirituality?

At its core, spirituality is about connection and kindness—

• To yourself

• To others

• To something greater than yourself

Unlike religion, which is structured around specific beliefs and practices, spirituality is more fluid. It’s about what resonates with you. It might involve traditional practices like meditation or prayer, but it could also be as simple as feeling awe when you watch a sunrise or finding gratitude in your daily life.

The key is that it’s personal. No single path is right for everyone.

(Watch on YouTube for more personal stories)

Why Does Spirituality Matter?

Science backs up what many spiritual seekers already know—having a spiritual practice can improve your mental and emotional well-being.

A 2017 study in Psychology of Religion and Spirituality found that people with a strong spiritual connection reported greater life satisfaction and resilience.

In times of uncertainty—whether it’s perimenopause, job loss, or shifting relationships—spirituality can be an anchor. It offers a way to find clarity, direction, and inner peace.

Select Spiritual Paths

There are many ways to explore spirituality. Here are just a few:

Tibetan & Zen Buddhism

Both offer rich traditions of meditation, mindfulness, and self-discovery. You can get involved with them in a structured way, so they’re more like a religion, but you can also use them to explore yourself and place in the universe. They’re philosophies for a more centered life.

Nature-Based Spirituality

Feeling connected to the earth, whether through time in nature, rituals, or seasonal awareness, can be a deeply spiritual practice.

Forest Bathing is a popular Japanese practice. Simply power off your electronic devices and go walk or sit in nature. Concentrate on the sounds around you, like birds chirping, the smell, feel and sensation of being outdoors.

The point is to disconnect with your worries and your To Do list and to be present with the nature around you.

Indian Yoga Philosophy

Beyond the physical postures, yoga is a spiritual practice that integrates breath, movement, and mindfulness to create harmony between mind and body. Yoga is not just going to a class and getting into poses - it’s an entire philosophy that includes breathing, meditating, and living a life of awareness and balance.

Rooted in ancient Indian traditions, yoga encourages self-inquiry, discipline, and a connection to something greater than ourselves. It teaches that true well-being comes from aligning mind, body, and spirit—not just through movement, but through how we think, breathe, and interact with the world around us.

Qi Gong & Tai Chi

Both are ancient Chinese practices that combine gentle movements, breath control, and meditation to cultivate energy and balance.

These practices, often referred to as moving meditations, are designed to harmonize the body's energy, or qi, promoting physical health and mental clarity.

Rooted in Taoist philosophy and Chinese medicine, they emphasize flow, relaxation, and mindfulness, helping practitioners develop a deeper awareness of their inner and outer worlds.

Mysticism & Contemplative Traditions

Many traditions, from Christian mysticism to Sufism, focus on direct spiritual experiences, meditation, and a deep connection with the divine.

Sound & Energy Practices

Chanting, sound baths, Reiki, and energy healing modalities help shift awareness and create a sense of peace. I’ve been doing energy work for the past year, and it’s helped me immensely.

The key is to find the right healer, a person you connect with who has the qualifications. Just taking a course doesn’t necessarily make someone a good healer, so you need to be careful in finding the right person.

I also want to note that I’m not purposely leaving out Christianity or Judaism - I figure most of you are familiar with one or the other or both. At their core, both Christianity and Judaism offer spiritual frameworks that guide people toward meaning, reflection, and a connection with something greater than themselves. While they’re most often categorized as religions, their spiritual dimensions—through prayer, contemplation, and acts of service—can be just as profound as any other path.

How to Find Your Own Spiritual Path

If you’re curious but don’t know where to start, here are a few simple ways to explore spirituality:

Start small

Journaling, deep breathing, or simply setting aside quiet time is a good start.

Try meditation or mindfulness

Even five minutes a day can create shifts. I have an article about meditation for more information, but all you need to do is breathe and focus on your breath or on one particular thing. It’s as simple as that.

Connect with nature

A walk in the park, sitting under a tree—nature has a way of grounding us. I used to live in the East Village in Manhattan which is the center of cement city. There’s not much green right there, except for Tompkins Square Park. It was only a couple city blocks big, but I would wander through there and look at all the flowers and trees.

As an aside, in the center of the park, smack dab in the middle of a paved area, sits a huge elm that people call the Hare Krishna tree. In the 1960s, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada began chanting the Hare Krishna mantra under the tree with his followers.

It was the first time the mantra was spoken outside of India. Beat poet Allan Ginsberg was part of the crowd. It’s now considered a sacred spot and the birth of the Hare Krishna movement in the West.

There are two red-tailed hawks that live in the trees there - at the time it was Christo and Dora. I was fostering a small chihuahua and was taking him for a walk early one morning. I was appreciating a huge, beautiful flower but felt something.

I turned and one of the hawks was perched on a railing no more than six feet away, just staring from me to my foster with a hungry, determined look in his eye. I was like, fu….., he’s going to eat the dog for breakfast. It was totally cool but, trust me, I grabbed the dog and carefully backed away. It was scary, but totally cool.

And had I not been practicing mindfulness, I probably would have missed the experience.

Learn about different traditions

Read, watch, and explore spiritual paths that intrigue you. If you don’t know where to start, try YouTube.

If you have any interest in Tibetan Buddhism, I’d suggest “An Open Heart” by The Dalai Lama and Nicholas Vreeland as a starter book.

Find community

Spirituality doesn’t have to be a solo journey. Seek out like-minded groups or retreats. In-person is the best, but there are online communities everywhere.

Spirituality is a journey, not a destination. It’s okay to evolve, question, and change paths along the way. If you don’t know where to start, you can listen to podcasts from Sounds True or look into Wayne Dyer and Michael Singer for their talks.

Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to explore spirituality. It’s about connecting—with yourself and the world around you—and following what feels right for you. May you find your path.

Diane Hatz is an author, organizer, and inner activist. Join her email list to get personal newsletters and more. You can find info on her books and writing on her website and through her email list.