The people of the 21st century are the ones who are moving towards an awakening. But what is spirituality exactly? Have you ever wondered?
When we were born, we came empty-handed. As we grew, we learnt what others told us to learn. We picked up the language of our parents, the lifestyle of our family, imitated the other children of our age and then went to school to learn what everyone else was learning. Our dressing, walking, in fact even thinking was somewhere an imitation of something or someone. Even the things we learnt from books, influenced us. Everything we ever saw, heard or felt influenced us.
But now what? Think.
What if you wanted to see what you could become without imitating someone or something? What if you wanted to be empty again just like you were when you were born because the way you are right now is not working out for you? What if you wanted to unlearn and re-learn and become a completely new person, take birth again? That is when you embrace spirituality.
The dictionary meaning of spirituality is, ‘the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things’. If we break this dictionary definition down, it gives us two focus words – human soul and getting rid of materialism. Well, it is somewhat correct.
Spirituality is a journey, not a quality. It is a journey that lets you die and take birth again while you are still breathing, in the same world, around the same people. It is about re-inventing yourself. It is a process to find a window, go to it, look out and exclaim, “That’s my soul!” Only that window will be somewhere inside you.
But this entire hulla gulla about doing away with materialistic things and punishing yourself does not make sense. Choose to keep the things that help you – do away with the rest. The idea of decreasing the burden is practical. Lighter the luggage, better the journey.
Don’t let people tell you what you must do on the journey. You make your own dos and don’ts. If you once again imitate people – the yogis and the gurus – it is futile. Let them guide you but then you set your own goals, standards and decide what works for yourself.
Yoga, meditation, Zen, prayer are all vehicles for the journey – you can choose whatever suits you or choose none at all.
Spirituality can be as simple as sitting and watching the ocean or spending a day all alone thinking about yourself. It could be anything that helps you heal and make you happier. It is simple. Let’s not complicate it.
Happy journey, folks!