Spirituality - A Meaningful Discussion

I wish to present my first guest post differently. As I always love to converse with people about spirituality, I thought I could make my write up based on some spiritual conversations I have had in the past. Some are based on some common queries that come to the mind of a young Spiritual Seeker (SS). While going through this post, typically I want to frame a path that can help readers to gain some insights and drop some wrong notions that could be in the minds of spiritual seekers of today. 

Given below are a Baker’s Dozen of such questions - though not a popular number, this list of 13 in unconventional style can help clear the air about spirituality. These are purely my thoughts and I would love to know what you as readers think about it. I would love to read your comments and valuable feedback on the same. 

The Spiritual Discussion Begins

SS: Why choose this as a topic of discussion?

Me: When we mention the word ‘spirituality’, most people assume that it is not meant for young adults. Hence there is need to explain some facts to the entire population as a whole. The term ‘spirituality’ plays a significant part in our daily life. While some of you are well aware of this, many others are still searching its inner meaning. There is a common misconception that spiritual life is for the ‘retired’ and hence can only be pursued once you are free from worldly responsibilities. Some in the younger generation even look at spirituality as a taboo, only to be touched when they hit their retirement age. They perceive spirituality as being full of psychological promises without even reading a single line from spiritual teachings. I humbly differ with such opinion as I feel spirituality is meant to be practiced in simple forms in everyday life. 

SS: What is the right age to practice spirituality?

Me: Many of our sacred scriptures advocate not the ‘right age’ but the ‘right stage’ to practice spirituality in one’s life. If a life span of a person is around one hundred years, the first two-quarters of stages will be spent on studying and earning, respectively. The third stage can be devoted to practicing spirituality. When practiced in moderation and at every stage, it can offer more than just contentment. If one fails to follow as mentioned in all the three stages, there is no relevance in doing it at the fourth-stage. The aspect of spirituality is something which may intrigue us at any stage, otherwise not at all. In my opinion, the day you start questioning about spirituality seems to be the right day for you to begin your quest.

SS: What is the precise definition of spirituality?

Me: As we see, the above question has different answers. Also, the answer depends on who we ask as the term spirituality is perceived differently by different people. Hence, there is no single and widely accepted definition of spirituality. For ordinary people, spirituality implies the quality of being related to the human spirit or soul as opposed to material things. Spirituality according to me is not about devotion to one particular God though that is a common perception. It ultimately aims to see the oneness of everything. Not that everything is the same, but the power that touches, connects and combines them all.

SS: Why is spiritual practice vital to us?

Me: As a human being, we need to find happiness in all our worldly pursuits. This basic need is common for everyone regardless of religion, gender, status, etc. Spiritual and psychology research states that people feel happiness only 20% of their time. The high percentage of unhappiness occurs due to problems in life. However, many of us are not aware of the fact that the root cause of such unhappiness is not only physical and psychological but also spiritual. Spirituality practices reduce such unhappiness and make us live a happy life.

SS: More often, spirituality refers to ‘Self ’- Can you elaborate?

Me: Most of our scriptures are written to cast away our ignorance and make us understand the purpose of life or true knowledge. It is tough for everyone to stay away from the world in which we are born. That is why spiritual leaders often insist on the underlying truth of self, which is eternal and hence the worldly existence. This truth is kept concealed under many layers of worldly attractions. Spiritual practices play a role in unearthing this very Truth. Even a small effort such as quietening our mind is capable of offering glimpses of higher truths.

SS: Why spirituality urges us to detach ourselves from worldly life?

Me: A detached umbilical cord makes every a newborn cry. The child cries due to separation from the warmth of the mother’s body to a cold and strange environment that it cannot understand. Hence, at first, the child seeks comfort in the mother and gets attached to her fragrance, her caring touch, her loving voice, etc. Slowly, the child’s attachment extends to its father and other members of the family.

As the years roll by, these attachments grow strong that we as an adult get entangled in them, forgetting our real Self. If not controlled such attachments which are meant to create comfort and happiness become the cause of pain. It is here; the aspect of spirituality steps in to show the path of understanding the Self.

SS: More often, we see spiritual leaders use mathematical signs like 0 & 1, Infinite and so on. Can you explain why?

Me: Yes, it is right. It is evident now that spirituality is a science as well as an art. Also, such words can be interpreted in many ways as they combine to form various meanings.

Remember a chain of various numbers of ‘dots’ in telegraphy, 0-1 binary language used in computers carry a different meaning when used in multiple combinations.

Zero or Sunya represent emptiness, a condition that our mind needs to practice all spiritual activities effectively. Meditation calms our mind to attain the zero state. Hence 0 has a deeper connection with spirituality. One or 1 represents the oneness of every soul. 

Infinite indicates that our soul exists forever. Also, it is an easy term to conceptualize God. Spirituality itself is Infinity. In spiritual perception, the Infinity is a Zero with a twist. 

In the realm of spirituality, infinity is not perceived as a large number but denotes the endlessness of our universe. We are just reflections of the infinity with different expressions of the same being.

SS: What are the paths a seeker needs to follow to know the Self or God?

Me: There are various generic paths available, which are designed to suit the temperament and personality of the spiritual seeker. Some of the crucial paths include devotion, chanting, singing, dancing, ritualistic worship, worshipping work, visiting holy places, meditation and so on. To sustain any path, the seeker should not have many personality defects.

SS: How to practice spirituality in our daily life?

Me: Practicing spirituality in our daily life is a great thing. There are innumerable ways available for spiritual seekers. Here are a few ways that can be included in your daily spiritual plan:

Be with yourself: Say ‘It is my time’ and make use of this ‘me time’. It allows you to step and dive deep into yourself and the questions that are hidden inside of you. 

Read good books: Cultivate the habit of reading good books and about spiritual matters. This practice, when followed religiously, goes a long way for the seekers to understand spirituality in a shorter time. Spend at least ten minutes a day reading such good books. 

Meditate: This is a tested practice of controlling your mind as well as your body. Spending thirty minutes in the early hours of the day can enhance both your physical and mental health. Doing physical exercise and walking are the other options. 

Practice mindfulness: Concentrating on the task you do refers to mindfulness. Being mindful helps you cleanse your mind. Cleansing the mind takes time, like cleaning the ink bottle. The hard stains remain but eventually, if you are persistent you can shake it off. 

Prayer: Never miss your daily prayer time. It is a hotline to God. Pray unconditionally in silence.

Experience nature: Exploring nature is one of the essential things in spiritual practice. Visit parks, enjoy beautiful flowers, admire the sunrise or sunset or just gaze at an endless water mass or the star-filled night sky - it all helps.

SS: How spirituality differs from religion?

Me: Often 'religion' and 'spirituality' have been mistaken to be the same thing. But actually, they are two sides of the same coin. Religion came into being to guide the path to infinity. 

Religion instructs us to learn from the experience of others, while spirituality urges us to seek our Self. 

Religion demands faith from the teachings; Spirituality demands truth beyond faith and thought process.

Spirituality opens its doors to all seekers, including an atheist, who is considered to be spiritual when he is completely humane. 

However, the religion as we see today is far from the one it should be.

In simple terms; Religion is Man-Made, while Spirituality is God-Made.

SS: Does a seeker need a spiritual teacher?

Me: Perfect spiritual practices require specific spiritual techniques which ensure higher growth. With a teacher or Guru, such practices become easier for seekers. Many seekers stagnate or even give up spirituality due to lack of proper spiritual guidance. However, choosing the teacher makes all the difference.

SS:  What is your advice to the young spiritual seekers?

Me: I am not a spiritual leader to answer this question. However, I happily welcome young spiritual seekers. By perfect practice and guidance, they can elevate themselves to a higher plane of Godly experience. They need to come out of their comfort zone and start questioning everything they hear about spiritual science. The path of spiritual growth is never-ending; hence one needs to have the ‘will-power and not necessarily just high-intellect. Also, it is wise to have a Guru to support your efforts. 

SS: Will spirituality and its learning exist forever?  

 Me: Yes, there is no iota of doubt about the existence of spirituality in human life. Though we live in a dominating materialist world, spirituality has its place and it is essential to offer the right balance to life as we know it. It will exist until the last perishable body survives to convey the meaning of life.

Spirituality has no end. That’s why it is linked to infinity, the vastness, the expanse, etc. Spiritual learning is an experience, something like breathing - you keep doing it till the end. 

It is important to keep learning, keep growing, keep maturing, keep living, keep experiencing and keep going……    

Discussion Ends