I recently saw a request from someone who was wondering about becoming "more spiritual", and they had come up with a list of various "shoulds" and "shouldn'ts", about what they were supposed to do to become more spiritual. It was a pretty standard list: no meat, no sex, no drugs, no modern technology, avoid conflict, practice meditation, fasting and discipline. All these things are pretty par for the course when it comes to mainstream ideas about spirituality, but is this really what it means to be "spiritual"? If it is, I'm not a "spiritual" person, nor do I want to be.
Seems to me that a whole lot of conflict occurs over the definition of words. Two different people use the same word in two different ways, and then argue over which one is "right". In some ways, both people are "right", and in some ways, neither person is "right". It's a foolish thing to argue over in the first place, we all see things a little differently. We should seek to understand each other without expecting the other person to conform to our own understandings.
If I look in the dictionary to tell me what "spiritual" means, I see two main definitions that in many ways contradict each other. One simply means "of Spirit", while the other means "concerning religious values". I like the first definition, "of Spirit", but Everything is of Spirit, so calling anything spiritual is a little redundant. That makes the term "spiritual" all inclusive, which is not the way I see most people using the word. People talk about their "spiritual life" as something being separate from their "normal life". This is a very limited way of thinking, people are using this belief about "spirituality" to cut their life in half. Do not cut your Life in half, seek to make it Whole.
The definition, "concerned with religious values", doesn't necessarily have anything to do with Spirit. This is where all the rules come from that I was talking about originally. Because Guru Shama Lama Ding Dong is a vegan, and he's supposedly enlightened, we're all supposed to be vegans if we want to be enlightened. This is a very religious type of thinking, that there's a "right" path to God that you're supposed to follow. I got nothing against veganism, but that's a choice for each individual to make, the belief that being vegan makes you more "spiritual" is very much a religious idea. I want nothing to do with that brand of spirituality.
For many, the spirituality they practice is nothing but a more elitist form a religion. One set of limitations is traded in for another set of limitations. One's religious dogma is simply "upgraded" into a spiritual dogma and often only requires superficial changes to their belief systems. One can walk the path to God infinitely, yet actually reaching God is another matter entirely, it takes a complete paradigm shift. God is not somewhere in the "future", at the end of some path, God Is Here and God Is Now. Searching for God is like searching for water when you're standing in a Lake. The original premise is deeply flawed, and the search itself denies the Reality of the matter.
I'm not sure you can divide mainstream spirituality from the spiritual ego either, and for many that's part of the appeal of being spiritual. To the ego, being spiritual makes it superior to all those "unspiritual" egos. It knows the "truth", it's on the "right path", and it doesn't have to listen to anybody else. For many this is reinforced by the fact that a big spiritual ego can also lead directly to illusionary wealth and power. Spiritual egos are in high demand, and it's quite common for them to sell tickets so people can come watch the ego promote its belief systems. Upgrading a regular ego into a spiritual ego can be very expensive, and often requires numerous spiritual retreats, books, and other assorted spiritual paraphernalia. On the other hand, letting go of the ego is completely Free.
If your thought about what "spirituality" means is all-inclusive, if it simply means "of Spirit", that's wonderful, and that's not the definition of "spirituality" I'm addressing here. Someone that recognizes God in All Things, and acts with Love, is this person "spiritual"? I'd simply call them an intelligent Human Being, I wouldn't group them in the same category as the people who meditate all day long and do things like fasting or the various other spiritual practices. If Love and God are your spirituality, go for it, if your spirituality is made up of a bunch of rules and rituals, I don't recommend it. None of those things, in and of themselves, get one closer to Spirit. It's not about what you are doing, it's about Who You Are, Being. A tree is not spiritual, a rock is not spiritual, the whole concept of "spiritual" is a belief within the mind. Another idea rooted in the illusion of separation.
Blessings,
Will & The Galactic Free Press
http://soundofheart.org/galacticfreepress/
I, Will, the author of this piece, release it into Public Domain. You are free to share it, and even modify it, without any conditions.
Comments
Thank you, Will
Thank you so much, Will, and especially for the part about the "spiritual egos who charge money for people to watch them talk." I used to wish I could be like that. I thought they were "better" than I. Wow, did I dodge a bullet!
Blessings,
Astreia
Thank you for addressing these issues...
When I first started becoming conscious of the Light and Love of my Source, I spent years struggling through what the new age community told me I should be. Funny, that is why I left traditional religious structures behind me a decade before that, but it was not enforcable and centralised dogma, so I didn't see it right away. I was embarrassed that I had habits that were generally viewed as "unenlightened" or otherwise damaging to spiritual growth, such as being a heavy meat-eater in my dietary preferences (especially when doing the "work") and it stopped me for quite a while from putting myself "out there" (part of my job). I think these dogmatic themes distort the values underlying the core values of experiencing our Source-self embodiment that many of the "enlightened gurus" out there are trying to be way showers of. If we can't even stop judging each other in the reletively small lightworking community, how can we expect to help unify the world?
Thank you, Arianna
I used to go to a New Age-y church and they all gossiped about me and said I "laughed too much." I left and never went back.
Blessings,
Astreia
Thanks
Totally agree-great message and hope all read this. This is not the time.
AWESOME!
This will help so many people.. Thank you bro'! You're not alone in this, u know that right? :) ONE LOVE!
Thank you Ionut!
Thank you Ionut!
The whole Truth & nothing but the Truth
Thanks for not mincing about your words. Many in the light.community profess a different variation to that of the traditional religions. Same salad different dressing.
To me , the true mark of spirituality is a life modelled after the prayer of St Francis. You know, the one that goes something like- make me a channel of your peace, where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury your pardon etc.
But more importantly, if someone is not into this prayer or, in short, not exactly spiritual, then to regard this person as part of you, part of Source and therefore VERY SPIRITUAL.
What Is Spirituality (to me)?
Spiritual people tend to be more open to new ideas involving our spiritual journey, are concerned with doing good and forever mindful of how our actions impact the world, all living things and others around us. Being religious means following the rules of religious teachings. Christ was spiritual but the Pope is religious. ˘◡˘
What is spirituality?
Dear Will
I thank you for your lovely words, every one a gem and humming with authenticity and serenity.
Also enjoyed your thoughts on spiritual egos, I call them 'New Age Junkies' because so many are seeking the Holy Grail of enlightenment.............from someone or somewhere external to Self.
For anyone out there who is confused about how to become enlightened, may I offer the following tips:
1. Stop waiting for authority figures from other dimensions to come via star ships and replace the authority figures you already have...............
2. No one actually knows how things will unfold with the coming of December 21, so choose to create what you want to unfold for yourself (isn't that what all the gurus tell us to do?)
3. Dance in your kitchens and sings songs to your children, dogs, cats and elderly parents. And send good vibes to complete strangers. That is being generous of spirit, and what you send out in ripples comes back to you in waves.
4. Participate in the ascension process by being the best version of yourself, everyday.
5. And if you occasionally lapse into a lesser version of yourself, don't make yourself feel bad about it. Just re-calibrate and move on.
Blessings to you, american friends
artytracey from Australia xx
"everything in life is holy"
"everything in life is holy"