Types of people
There are two types of people; the worldly (material) and the spiritual- the outward and inward. The former prioritizes the body and mind while the latter gives precedence to the soul and Supersoul. In the modern world, spirituality is understood as various mental acts like reiki healing, faith healing, crystal ball reading, herbal therapy, aromatherapy, astrology, vastu sastra, tarot card reading etc.
Spiritual awakening
It is said that we are all spiritual entities having a worldly experience. On this worldly journey, spiritual awakening starts with the query of ‘who I am?’ ‘where have I come from? And ‘where do I go after my death’? These queries lead to realizing one’s spiritual self, the soul, as something different from the body and mind. In fact, most people, not realizing this reality, remain disconnected from existence’s spiritual dimension.
Purpose of religion & spirituality
The word religion is derived from ‘religare’, meaning reconnect with the Supreme Lord. But, most religions have gone haywire and failed to help followers understand about self and God. So, they exist as empty words merely propagating dogmatic beliefs and rituals. The religions of the world have catapulted into sectarian belief systems. In fact, it has to be a process to connect to the Supreme. As suggested in Gita, there are ways of devotion like Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga, and Dhyan yoga.
The yog systems are elaborately described in various scriptures, and they are processes directed towards connecting with or establishing communion with God. The very word ‘yog’ means to connect.
So, spirituality is an inquiry about the true self and the ultimate, incorporating the essentials of Cosmic reality and connectedness with all in the Universe and the cosmic consciousness itself.
What Is Spirituality?
Spirituality is a sort of buzzword in today’s world. When people call themselves spiritual, they are, in general, projecting three things: 1. a belief that there is more to the world than meets the eye, meaning, more than the mere material existence. 2. trying to attend to their inner life — to their mental and emotional states — to gain self-knowledge. 3. valuing certain virtues like compassion, empathy and open-heartedness.
Spirituality is looked upon in various ways with multiple definitions. The Dalai Lama once quipped that ‘while the West was busy exploring outer space, the East was busy exploring inner space.’
Spirituality & relatedness to soul
Spirituality rhymes with the word spirit, the principle of life that animates the body of living things. The word spiritual relates to the intangible spirit or soul, not physical nature or matter. Spirituality is a qualitative state of being dedicated to spiritual and long-lasting values contrasted with temporal ones. Spirituality is the holistic quality beyond the limits of the fragmentary outer mind. Our material mind is given to likes and dislikes, pleasures and pains and will never be able to touch upon that which is spiritual. We need to understand the cost and efforts that need to be put in to be spiritual in the true sense.
Spirituality & transcendental journey
Spirituality is the broad concept of a belief in something beyond the self. It may involve belief in a higher power, but it can also involve a holistic belief in an individual connection to others and the world.
Spirituality offers a worldview that suggests there is more to life than just what people experience on a sensory and physical level.
Instead, it suggests that something greater connects all beings and the Universe itself. It firmly believes in ongoing existence after death. It strives to answer questions about the meaning of life, how people are connected, truths about the Universe, and other mysteries of human existence.
Positive attributes of spirituality
Spirituality is a positive aspect of human life and is helpful for physical, social, and mental well-being. It helps develop harmony, peace and happiness. A spiritual person who feels affection for God shall get at the spirit of spiritual quality.
Spirituality has been a source of comfort and relief from stress for multitudes of people. While people follow multiple paths to find God or express their spirituality, research shows that those who are more spiritual use their spirituality to cope with challenges in life, reaping many benefits to their health and well-being.
Scientific evidence
Neuroscientific research shows that meditation, as a practice of spirituality, brings about the growth of the brain cortex, marked by the increasing size of the grey matter and more gyrification. This could serve as a spirituo-physical evolutionary step for humanity, with meditation opening the doorway to changes and developments that we currently term spiritual but which may be deemed normal, even basic?
