The Role of Intention in Spiritual Practices

What comes to mind when you think of spirituality? 

Maybe the first thing that comes to mind is religion. Maybe your own beliefs. Or perhaps you're imagining a bunch of crystals, chanting, and saying "Namaste". 

Spirituality is a lot more straightforward than that. At its core, it's about setting intention, an anchor to remind you of what journey you want to go on, and what you want to achieve. Your goal could be something as simple as personal growth or finding joy (Ezealah, 2019). 

In a fast-paced, confusing world, setting an intention like this helps you avoid losing sight of what truly matters. 

A good starting point is to ask: Why do I want to engage in spirituality? 

Understanding your “why” helps clarify what will work for you. Say you want to feel more peaceful. 

You aren't just limited to prayer and meditation (though they're both great ways to start!). If those activities don't work for you, things like walking in nature, or exercising - the options are endless.

Focus on your intention, and let it naturally guide you to activities that help you achieve your goal, rather than following the beaten path. 

Mindfulness is also important to this process. It means being fully present and aware of our present thoughts, emotions, and surroundings, through non-judgmental attention (American Psychological Association, 2022). With this, you should keep reflecting on whether your actions are still serving you, because as our lives change, our spiritual needs evolve too.

In the end, spirituality is less about reaching a destination and more about walking the path with awareness and intention. Take some time today to set your own spiritual intentions!

Written by: Kelly

01/2026

References

American Psychological Association. (2022). Mindfulness. American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness

Ezealah, I.Q. (2019, December). The Role of Self-Reflection in the Spiritual Quest to Make Meaning. Clemson University. https://open.clemson.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3519&context=all_dissertations