Spirituality

Spirituality has a ubiquitous bearing on the existence of humanity. It deals with matters of spirit or soul and thus, counterpoints anything which is tinged by earthly sensuality. Spiritual involvements are seen as ways to redeem one's own self from the petty ephemera of life to loftier heights of perpetual truth. Spiritual connections engage the mind to comprehend life as a more composite creation with regards to cosmic bondage. Spiritual practices also refer to affairs of sanity and personal integrity. The meaning of spirituality, is related to perceiving the meaning of life, addressing the values of human nature, appreciating the transcendent nature of life, connecting the soul with the Omnipotent and becoming a better human being. India, being a holy land of saints and hermits, has been harbouring deep spiritual philosophies from ancient times. Spirituality is firmly rooted in the Indian culture and heritage and has significant connotations in a number of religious practices.

Forms of Spirituality

The term ‘spirituality’, is highly related to concept of spirit. In a nutshell, the concept of spirituality is closely related to the religious faith or belief and may be segregated in the following manner:

Faith - It is basically an idea of trustworthiness or belief in the ideals and rituals propagated by the various religious leaders and texts. In this form of spirituality, an individual entirely depends on religious faiths and abides within the preaching’s and customs of the religious community.

Knowledge - It is different from faith-based spirituality which is a belief. People, who believe in knowledge, be it scientific or analytical, possess a different idea about spirituality, and according to them, knowledge is the only power to understand spirituality. Knowledge-based spirituality denotes the understanding of things and the desire through which an individual wants to achieve knowledge about life, based on his or her own goals and vision.

Mysticism - The literal meaning of mysticism is obscure or irrational thought. It is one of the important forms of spirituality that is related to the religious beliefs or faiths. Mysticism is a principle or an idea, which is related to the immediate consciousness of God. It may also be expressed as a combination of one or more than one principles and is also referred to as the direct experience of religious facts or truth.

Spirituality as a Lifestyle

In this world of chaos, competition and stress, everyone is searching for some peace, a balance in life. But then, where and how can this be peace be achieved? There is only one solution to this problem and where your search ends; and that is spirituality. Most people associate spirituality with meditation or ‘tapasya’, where one ventures out in the forests or solitudes in saffron clothes leaving family and career behind. But that is only half the truth. One can adopt spirituality as a lifestyle which follows a certain discipline and requires dedication. Following spirituality as a lifestyle can change the way you live and see the world around you

The basic disciplines or rules of a spiritual lifestyle are:

Practicing yoga and meditation regularly
Doing a spiritual study on a regular basis
Spiritual relationships and responsibilities
Rendering services to humanity

Primary Goals of Spirituality

Self Confidence - Spirituality strengthens self confidence as one comes closer to the inner self and all the positive energies are released, calming down one's agitated mind. Regular practice of meditation, yoga and deep breathing exercises helps one to de-stress and relax. This balances one's mind and builds optimism and confidence.

Self Improvement - It is very important that we make our own decisions however big or small. Meditating regularly and getting closer to the inner self can help us realize what we really want and give us the ability to demarcate the difference between right and wrong.

Inner Peace - Inner peace refers to the peace of the soul existing within the body. The inner peace can only come through spiritualism. Emotions like anger, fear, attachment and suspicion disturb the inner peace which can be restored with love and compassion through spirituality.

Balanced Life - The answer to a balanced life is meditation. One can achieve the balanced state in life only when the mind is at peace with itself and with the world. Discovering one self, recognizing and managing the conflicts and eliminating all guilty feelings through spirituality can lead to a balanced life.

Positivism - Spirituality builds in a positive energy as one gets closer to oneself, acknowledges the eternal truth and moves towards enlightenment. One learns to become an optimist and creates spiritual awareness in others.

Concentration Power - Meditation improves and strengthens one's power of concentration as it helps one to focus and brings clarity in understanding situations.

Wisdom - As one gets closer to the spiritual self, he or she also begins to gradually acknowledge the eternal truth. This brings in a sense of wisdom as one grows intellectually and understands his or her role in life.

Moksha - Moksha is liberation from the cycle of life and death and rebirth.

Nirvana - Nirvana means freedom from the cycle of rebirth and the sufferings of life.