Simple Spirituality

Spirituality or "being spiritual" is on the rise especially in the western world, and could even be called a buzz word in today's society. More and more individuals are choosing this path over traditional religions, or still follow a certain belief system yet do not involve themselves with particular "house of worship" or set of traditions. Instead, they simply practice on their own and follow the moral and ethical teaching of their faith to the best of their ability. So what exactly is spirituality? There are many schools of thought with various answers to this question; but I'd like to explore the complexities of this subject.

Religion vs. Spirituality

There is a definite separation of spirituality from any religion, but they do run parallel to one another. This line of separation can become blurred to many, and there are certain things we should keep in mind. One can follow a set of rules with unwavering conviction, attend each and every religious function of their faith, and be able to recite uncountable quotes word for word from religious texts. Even so, this does not necessarily make this person spiritual. The main difference between being religious and spiritual, is the application of beliefs and teachings into daily life. What good is following a belief system so strictly if you cannot understand it's true message? Religious texts and traditions are man made and just a small part of the big picture. So many groups argue relentlessly over minute details of interpretation, sometimes taking these writings far too literally. This, and the fact that many religions have not changed at all, adjusting to modern times is just part of the reason many have turned away from organized religion. One who is spiritual is able to follow the teachings they choose and can read between the lines of religious texts understanding and adopting it's message first. We should never allow ourselves to become limited on our paths of learning and spiritual discovery by the words of other men, no matter how long ago they were written. What is good, just, and moral should not be dictated by a set of texts and traditions, but by our own minds and insight.

Communication

The most beautiful part of spirituality is that the focus is on your personal relationship with the Divine. No matter how you see and choose to worship him/her/them. This communication should be two way, and we should not only pray for what we want and need, but also listen. This requires being able to look into oneself unselfishly and openly, asking for guidance and enlightenment. Allowing the Divine to provide you with insight and answers, which can come in many ways. It could come to you like an affirmation, from a conversation with someone, or even a reading. When it comes to communication, a question was posed to me once which I found very interesting. Being in Western society I'll use Christianity as an example. "If you were reading the Bible and God himself appeared before you with a message, would you turn him away or ask him to wait?" This may seem like a silly question and I'm sure everyone would answer emphatically "No." But this does happen quite often to those who are not open to listening. Having an open line of communication with your higher power is of the utmost importance, and really is the heart of spirituality. Just be sure to keep it an ongoing two way conversation.

Spirituality in Daily Life

Doing all we can to live a spiritual life really is key and it can be much easier than we think. Keeping a strong personal connection with the Divine and following moral values is really the cornerstone of spirituality. We are but human beings and we all make mistakes. We should learn from them to become better people, instead of letting regrets weigh us down. Some perceive living a spiritual life as having to let go completely of the material world, being completely selfless, and allowing nothing else but your faith to govern your life. This is simply not the case at all. Whether you are going to work to provide for your family, cooking dinner for your children, helping out a friend, giving advice to someone, and so on... These are not only human acts, but spiritual ones as well. They may seem like just a mundane part of everyday life, but these are the acts of goodness the Divine has put you on this planet to do. I love the saying "You may only be a person in this world, but for someone, you're the world." In daily life, it's all about having positive intentions to help ourselves and others. What could be more spiritual than that?