The Essence of Spirituality
We keep hearing this term frequently used or many of us taking for granted, how spiritual they are. But what exactly is to be spiritual and how does it affect our life? Some link spirituality to religion or God, while others think they are spiritual by renouncing materialistic aspects from their existence by gaining knowledge on ancient scriptures, narrating and declaring the same as often as they can. Some take it as a means to go to higher levels of consciousness through yoga and meditative practices. Spiritualism is the study of the spirit, which defines that the whole cosmos is interconnected, interrelated and interdependent as one absolute spirit, which permeates, pervades and penetrates all that exists in this universe. It has no connection to any man-made religion, God or any separate individual. It can neither be created or destroyed with the sum total remaining constant. The spirit in its absolute state is considered to be pure and in separation from its source or center, becomes dual and illusionary in its characteristics, behaving in opposites; boy/girl, god/devil, positive/negative, happiness/sadness etc. The spirit when existing in body-mind, makes the mind aware to become conscious in order to experience and realize the characteristics of relativities in life. The series of experiences which the mind goes through develops an individual’s consciousness depending on his own level of awareness. However, each one of us are unique and we thrive in ego-consciousness due to this separation of the oneness from its absoluteness. Only in total awareness, does one realize Pure consciousness referred in spiritualism as Self-Realization. In such a state, body and mind dissolve into the spirit to become one with the absolute, which is not possible in a normal state of living. To exist in such a state where you are one with the absolute with zero duality, in pure consciousness with total awareness is given the status of Soul, Atman or the Witnessing Self. To be on the path of spiritualism, the only way is to live with the spirit/awareness in mindfulness. The mind with its chattering thoughts and never ending desires can only exist in ego in self-interest. The thoughts are designed to think in the past and relate that to the future, in order to discern, discriminate, judge and choose in self-interest. In order to balance the body, mind and spirit, one needs to connect the mind with the now, being with the presence of his awareness from one moment to the next. Further, spirituality demands selfless attitude, compassion for all and non-attachment from your thoughts and actions. In order to be spiritual, you need to focus and contemplate in the now. With such a state of mind in the present; you are spiritual whether walking in the woods, seeing the sunset or collectively and dedicatedly working with any group etc.The moment you ‘connect’ the now with what you are doing, you are away from the past and the future, the spirit connects instead of the mind with all that you do, all three body, mind and soul start to function in consonance with each other. The problem is mind is constantly in fear and insecurity, it requires something to lean upon and transfer its guilt or inflate its ego, in triumph. For mind’s own convenience and generations of faith and belief, one is dependent on one’s own God and separate religion. Spiritualism on other hand, insists only in oneness of all that prevails whether it is God, religion or country. But, when you are in tune with the spirit, there exists only One. In fact, the purpose of our existence in spiritual living is how to come as near as possible to the center or its equilibrium. No amount of speaking, talking or hearing of traditional scriptures, religious rites or superstitions are going to make you realize that spirit within you. Spiritualism does not force upon you, the choice of dualities; we need to have both worlds to live in wholesomeness – both material and spiritual living. We have a material mind in a material body, and we have the spirit to balance them. There may be certain differences in the ideologies presented by various spiritual gurus but even if their paths differ; their purpose leads to the same realization – that ultimately we are all one. The absolute content in both good and bad are the same, it is the mind, which separates the Absolute into dualities. However, Spiritua- lity essentially means the spirit or the degree of awareness, which manifests as self- awareness within us, forming our individuality. It is this witnessing force, which arises from the field of unified consciousness and is responsible for balancing our inner perceptions with the external ones received from our sensory organs.
In the dialogue between science and spirituality, a rift will always remain; spiritualism being the inquiry into one’s inner self, to be experienced and realized; and science relying on the outer self to quantify everything physically and mathematically, needing physical proof of what it states.
The three main concerns of our existence revolve around health, wealth and wisdom. After ensuring health and wealth, one should ponder the question of who I am. Common sense tells us that in separating ourselves through self-centeredness, from our fellow men and environment, science and religion have failed to give us the answers to the meaning of life. Spiritualism goes beyond, to unite this separation into one.
The Upanishads divided the whole domain of spirituality into four aspects, thousands of years before any formal religion existed:
? Reality is permanent and changeless. It exists, encompassing everything, manifesting as part of a complete whole. You may refer to this as spirit, energy, soul or pure consciousness, which cannot be created nor destroyed.
? The spirit, in manifesting through the mind, becomes aware and conscious of what one is about to experience.
? This awareness in individual consciousness reveals our ignorance. Otherwise, the mind remains in a state of illusion or maya, till it reaches its final destination of oneness, from which it has been separated by duality.
? Conscience in every human is a part of the total grid of consciousness in continuum; remaining as intelligence–energy in the form of spirit, transmigrating from one cycle of birth and death to another.
Therefore, the essence of spirituality lies in knowing your real Self. The self we know is a separated individual one, but being aware of the Self within, leads us to the wholesomeness and fulfillment, where we come to know, experience and realize the difference between happiness and peace and the purpose behind living for that Oneness.