5 Places to Find Divine Inspiration 

Could you use a little help from above? Maybe you’re stalled on a difficult project or having deeper, existential questions about your purpose in life and where you fit into the universe. Where can you go to get divine inspiration? 

Finding a place that brings you a sense of solace and belonging isn’t easy. Times change, homes get built and big box stores spring up where mom-and-pop cafes once lined the streets.

However, that doesn’t stop the human spirit from reaching out for connection with something higher than themselves. Where can you go to have a one-on-one chat with the Creator? Here are five places to find divine inspiration. 

1. Your Favorite Natural Setting 

Is there anything more inspiring than a cascading aqua-blue waterfall contrasted against red rocks and green juniper? You might not be fortunate enough to live near one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but even the urban jungle of New York features the 843-acre Central Park. 

Mother nature has impressive curative powers regardless of your religion. Here are a few of the perks you can reap from venturing outdoors to find divine inspiration:

• Lower your blood pressure: Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women, and high blood pressure contributes. The Creator put you here for a reason, so lower your systolic and diastolic readings and stay here longer to fulfill your purpose.  
• Boost your immune function: Research on forest bathers shows they have more vital immune cells that help fight disease. 
• Aid digestion: Have you heard of taking a post-meal constitutional? A gentle walk outdoors stimulates your digestive system and helps keep you going. 
• Ease anxiety and depression: Spending time in nature has proven to improve mental health symptoms and your mood and concentration ability. 

If possible, create an oasis close to home where you can routinely confer with the divine. For example, line your patio with plants, using species like fast-growing bamboo for privacy and create a meditation site even amid the city. 

2. In a Church

You don’t have to be among the faithful to find divine inspiration in church. Within these hallowed walls, you’ll find blissful silence that people will respect. 

However, it’s vital to respect the rules of each religion. While most places of worship open their doors to the curious, a few locations prohibit individuals who aren’t members of their faith. 

Even in open locations, you should obey the desired dress code and refrain from taking photographs or doing anything that may interrupt the silent reflection of other practitioners. Ask if you aren’t sure — some religions prefer you to remove your shoes, while others, like Catholicism, invite visitors but reserve certain sacraments to baptized members of the congregation. 

3. On a Yoga Mat 

Practitioners have used yoga to find divine inspiration since before recorded history — most of what we know about its origins stems from ancient Vedic texts. Before that, monks and gurus passed down the tradition through word of mouth to their devoted students. 

Yoga creates the right physiological and psychological “soup” to make breakthrough insights. The gentle exercise dispels stress hormones like cortisol and gets your body in a deep, relaxed state even as you move. Deep breathing further activates your “rest and digest” parasympathetic nervous system, and combining it with chants and intention can alter your brain waves and induce a highly meditative state. 

In the past, you would have to find a studio or shala, which is a challenge in some rural areas. However, scores of talented guides have taken their practices online, letting you flow through asanas in the privacy of your living room — or download videos to your phone to do in your favorite natural location. 

4. Through Working With Others 

Many of the world’s leading spiritual leaders advise their followers to live a life of service to others — think of Mother Theresa, for example. Many believe that our purpose in life is to support and nurture fellow life (including our own), and performing acts of kindness can help you find divine inspiration. It’s also a great way to meet new friends, especially if you recently relocated.

Volunteering or simply doing good deeds without prompting is the perfect antidote to an economic system that pits people against one another, encouraging competition over cooperation. This idea may heal your soul if what has you uninspired is a sense of disillusionment with daily life. 

Performing acts of kindness also creates a healthy psychological environment for communing with the Divine. It releases a flood of feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin to burst through that melancholy and inspire you. 

5. At the Tip of Your Paintbrush

You don’t have to be the next Picasso to find divine inspiration at the tip of your pencil or paintbrush. Free drawing or painting is a fabulous way to process your emotions and work through some of the psychological gunk that can leave you feeling stuck. 

Get playful. If you aren’t the sort to draw or paint, why not create a mood board with clippings of those things that inspire you? You know you loved making collages back in school — is there any reason to stop as an adult? 

Places to Find Divine Inspiration 

Are you feeling stuck in a boring routine? Do you crave a change but don’t know what’s lacking? Perhaps you need a heart-to-heart with the universe to sort out your emotions. 

Look to the places above to find divine inspiration. You’ll feel better and find the insight you seek.