Your Spiritual Love Type

What’s your “chicken soup”?
Just as food fuels our bodies, we all have spiritual needs: traits that feed our souls, whether we’re aware of it or not. Just as food nourishes each of us in different ways, the same is true for our spirituality. The ways in which we can best meet those needs varies from person to person. In getting to the heart of your own spiritual issues, you need not look further than your own interests in life. Once you are conscious of what feeds your spiritual side, you can make better decisions. Are you a mover and a shaker – or a follower? Do you find peace within yourself, or among others?

Spiritual expert Jonathan Ellerby, PhD, tells us that our spiritual tendencies fall within these four categories: body, mind, heart and soul. These are the keys to our spiritual success.

If you’re a body kind of person, you might notice that you tend to jive with people that enjoy physical activity. Whether it’s raking leaves outside or pumping iron at the gym, a mate who marches to a physical drummer is more likely to appeal to you. It’s also common for this type of person to have a competitive edge, so it’s important that you and they are willing to compete sometimes – and acquiesce at others. Nobody wants somebody who is prone to the outbursts of a sore loser.

Also, when it comes to meeting your matches, don’t limit yourself to the obvious venues such as health clubs and sports fields. You might find someone in a tai chi class, at a mind-body movement outlet or during a simple meditative walk at your favorite park or on a cherished hiking trail.

If all matters of the mind drive your spiritual whims, you’ll find yourself connecting with the deep thinkers and brainiacs in your world – the bookish, analytical types. If you’ve noticed that you have a tendency to over-think things in your life and relationships, you might attribute that to your intellectual side. You’ll tend to seek out people who get you out of your own head – and sometimes even into theirs. They will feed your need for intellectual stimulation. Be cautious about connecting with someone who is too dependent on others for spiritual fulfillment, but do plant yourself in situations that give you you the opportunity to mingle with other like-minded individuals. Don’t know of any? Form a group of your own.

If you fashion yourself as a social butterfly, you’ll share your beliefs with others. Your spirituality is driven emotionally – more easily to those whose lives are driven by the heart. Be careful to stay true to your own needs, though: it’s easy to let your partner’s desires overshadow your own, so make sure you’re with someone who knows the importance of finding an individual spiritual path.

If you see yourself as more of a mystic – with a heightened sense of awareness – you’ll want a lover who can meet and connect with you on that level. You’ll have a tendency to push yourself to the limits, so you’ll want someone who shares that level of passion – or at least respects and loves you for yours. If you are both a little soul-centered, it will be important to stay grounded before you embark on spiritual journeys together, so try the shallow waters before you dive in too deep. Strive to find that balance between the intense pilgrimages you desire and more casual walks in the woods As you move forward and begin to discover where you fall on your own spiritual spectrum, you’ll gain insight into finding a soulmate who not only meets your needs – but also enriches your life.

Whether you want someone who shares your own beliefs or a person who opens you up to paths beyond your current level of comprehension, the choice is yours. Knowing where you fit will give you a better chance of finding someone who enforces and expands your own spirituality.