Faith

By Keith Dixon, MSMFT 

Studies have shown that faith and spirituality can protect us against symptoms of depression. Having faith is a way to take care of yourself. Our faith can give us hope when we feel hopless and guide us when we feel lost. But how do I know where to start?

Talking about Faith with other people and thinking about how it applies in our own life can be difficult. For many people, faith is associated with religious organizations and a bad experience, while for others it feels like an abstract idea that does not matter to daily life.  People go about their daily living trying to make good choices, lean on friends and family for support, and hold back when they feel at risk of danger.  But when our marriage falls apart, job security can not be counted on, we lose a loved one, have an injury or chronic medical condition, we feel alone and suddenly we are looking for something more to stand on. 
 
Faith is the trusted beliefs we have about the unseen parts of our existence. The parts of our existence we can not see, feel, demand, control, or run away from.  It is something or someone bigger than our worldly understanding. For example, beliefs that answer questions about: Why we are here? Is there good or bad in people? Our faith is confident trust in aspects of our existence that apply to us all and connect us all. Some say it is our guiding light that can direct us, comfort us when we are in pain or heal us after a tragic experience.  Faith is the guide for our spirit.  Some say Faith is a source of strength that is there when we feel weak. 
 
In 2015, a European study done found that participation in faith communities reduced depressive symptoms and provided a ‘sustained happiness’ throughout people’s lives into old age. In addition, when people volunteered or were involved in activities that moved them spirituality they were less likely to report feeling depressed. So in other words, Faith was the key to having joy in life despite the natural pains that brings us down. In a time where depression levels in our culture are ever increasing, one of the ways we can take better care of ourselves and our loved ones are by cultivating a Faith system. 
 
The hardest part about faith is that it is something we believe, and therefore can’t be proven. That makes it hard to cultivate in our lives as there is no formula to get there. The question is then, how can I explore our own faith? Let me give you three doors into the abstract process of building our faith. 
Be open and seek out spiritual experiences: A common characteristic of those who report a strong faith are experiences that connect them to the larger open world. Being in nature or by the ocean often elicits feelings of being connected to something bigger than ones self. We feel a calmness, inspiration, or lightness inside. It clears our mind and gives us clarity and energy.  Activities like meditation, yoga, or prayer can also have an effect on us deep inside.  We feel refreshed and rejuvenated. Our body feels empowered.   The key is allowing for time to participate in these activities that may seem like a waste of time.  Instead, allow for that space to exist and see what happens.  
 
Participate in a Faith or Spiritual Organization: Our own faith and spirituality is something that we have to discover and cultivate, however in the process we will always need some way to organize what we are experiencing. There are many different ways people have found to organize their experiences of connection to a larger aspect of our existence. There are very defined ones such as religion, but also thousands of other ways such as continuing education, teachings, podcasts, and books that help us to understand and organize the spiritual experiences.  The process of study offers a language to communicate about your faith journey.  It puts words to common experience and makes us feel like we are part of something bigger with others.
 
Connect the world: Finding time and space to dig deeper into our emotional and spiritual side and then learning about what that is and how we use it allows us to share something new with those in the world around us.  Doing actions that help out others brings us all together. These experiences often help us build our own ideas of what is most important in the world, and the value of each of us. Volunteering at a shelter, being a part of a clean up project, or even just getting people together to help out a friend in need are all ways that often help us get more connected with what we may believe about people and the world in greater ways! 
 
All three of these are doors that can enter us into a journey of discovering our Faith and lead us to a more powerful, intentional, and joy-filled existence. Each one of them does not create our sense of faith alone, but will often lead us into the other doors and as we risk, feel, and meditate on our experiences. Wherever your faith journey is today, start taking care of yourself by taking a new step toward a Faith that will give hope when there is none, directions when you feel lost, and joy when you need it.