5 Ways to Strengthen Your Faith in the Universe

If you find yourself frequently down and out, unsure of your place in the world, or doubtful of whether life will ever go your way, then you’re the perfect person to start a faith practice. If you have a hard time letting go and can’t help but want to control every experience and outcome, then a faith practice is right for you. If you want to experience more ease and flow in your life, then… a faith practice would benefit you.

What is Faith

When you hear about faith you probably think about organized religion. Most often you hear Christians espousing the necessity of having “faith in God.” But faith is non-denominational. It’s outside the bounds of religion. It’s universal. The only single requirement is that you believe in something bigger than yourself.

I believe in the Universe, God, Spirit, or Life. I most frequently call it the Universe. But to me, it doesn’t matter what name I give it. It’s all the same thing: the all-encompassing force from which and through which all of life is created and destroyed, from the ants on the ground, the birds in the sky, the aliens in space, and you and I.

So you believe in the Universe. To have faith in the Universe means that you have complete trust. You trust that the Universe has your back. You trust that the Universe is loving and benevolent. You trust that the Universe always has your (and everyone’s) highest and best interest at heart. It means that you can relax your body and mind and know that everything is going to work out perfectly.

The Signs and Symptoms of a Lack of Faith

When you’re stuck in the cycle of no faith there are clear signs and symptoms in your life. Here are a few…

Anxiety

A big part of faith is trusting even though you have no clue what’s coming. For you, that might create intense levels of anxiety. You begin to feel nervous energy circulate in your body. Your mind won’t stop spinning thoughts of worry. And you feel uneasy and are unable to relax.

Emotional Upset

When the Universe really wants you to practice faith, you’ll get a huge upset. For instance, something won’t turn out like you expected. The Universe wants you to be all cool and at ease. But you become emotionally upset or even unstable. You get angry, frustrated, sad, or withdrawn. You start to be negative and complain about your situation.

Body Tension

The body-mind connection is a strong one. When your mind won’t quiet your body will eventually reflect that tension by producing tension in your body. Your shoulders inch up towards your ears. Your neck muscles squeeze and send pain up your head. And your stomach flips and flops from unsettled feelings.

Controlling Behavior

When you have no faith you want to control everything. You want to make plans, tell people what to do, and insist on your way only. You’re less likely to yield to others or situations. The actions in your life and your experiences become tightly confined by order and control. There’s no room for magic, synchronicity, or flow.

How to Strengthen Your Faith

The above signs and symptoms can be challenging to deal with. Over time, these problems accumulate and lead to worse problems either in your health, relationships, or career. When you choose to go at it alone without faith in the Universe, then your small human body and mind will soon give way to the enormous pressures.

Yes, you are a creator and you have every right to guide, direct, and influence your life. But you are not the sole creator. You are a co-creator. You must work in harmony with the guiding force that is the Universe. And to do that you must have faith in the Universe. Here are five ways you can strengthen your faith every day.

1. Meditate

Meditation will help you develop awareness which is the first step on everyone’s evolutionary path. As conscious humans, awareness lights the way to greater levels of consciousness. Learning to have faith in the Universe is one level of consciousness. And to get there you must first be aware of your like lack of faith.

As you meditate, you’ll become more sensitive to your thoughts, feelings, and actions. You’ll notice the connection between the three. Eventually, you’ll become so aware that you can’t just sit by and watch anymore. You’ll be compelled to take action and make changes — to have faith.

2. Breathe

Breath has the power to demolish worlds. In one inhale and exhale, you can release decades of tension in your body and mind. In those moments when you find it hardest to have faith, one simple breath will bring you space and clarity. From that place, you can choose faith. Practice breathing in for four counts and out for four counts. Repeat this for as long as needed.

3. Pray

Prayer is essential for strong faith. Prayer opens the connection between yourself and the Universe. It’s your personal conversation with God. If you’re not praying, then how can you develop a relationship with the Universe. It’s understandable that if you don’t have an open relationship with God, then how can you have faith? So start with a dialogue. You can do this internally, physically with pen and paper, or verbally while alone.

4. Move

The signs and symptoms of no faith often derive from an OCD-level of fascination with one’s own mind. You get so consumed with your own thoughts that you lose sight of the bigger picture. And you lose touch with your body. When you get out of your head and into your body you help to regulate the body-mind system. Exercise helps. Gyms are great but for better results get out into nature. Go for a walk or hike. Ride your bike. Rollerblade. Do yoga. Try tai chi or qi gong. Do a movement that becomes meditative and rhythmic. The intention here is to loosen the grip of your mind, not fitness. Although that’s a pleasant by-product.

5. Affirm

Here’s one for you: “I have complete faith that what’s occurring is in my best and highest good.” That’s for those moments when you don’t agree with what’s going on. Let’s say you didn’t get the project you wanted at work. Repeat this affirmation and choose to believe that there’s an even better project out there for you.

Or if you’re unsure about what will happen in the future, like if you missed a window to buy tickets to Burning Man but you have another chance coming up, then you can say, “I have complete faith that everything will work out perfectly.” That doesn’t mean you’re going to get tickets to Burning Man. But it primes you to trust that the Universe knows what you want and knows what’s in your best and highest interest. Which means that if you get tickets, then that was in your highest interest. If you don’t get tickets, then it wasn’t meant to be for this year. Try again next year.

Final Thoughts

Don’t expect to be a faith-making machine after one day of practice. The Universe will challenge you in more ways than one. In fact, it’s a lifelong journey. Let that sink in — it’s never-ending. Don’t let that defeat you though. Because on this beautiful journey that is life, you get ongoing opportunities for the Universe to impress you with its magic. And you get the opportunity to see just how rad you are by being willing to go along for the ride.

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Photo by Dmitry Kotov on Unsplash