[Republished from an original post in March 2009 to an old blog of mine]
Typically, it’s far easier to teach a scared person [or one
suffering from their own mistakes] spiritual practices that help ease the pain
or fears associated with their condition.
It’s like taking up the practice of “foxhole praying” when times are
bad… “Get me out of this and I’ll…”
I found an extensive [although undocumented] article on
Wikipedia that does a fairly good job at defining spirituality, in terms of
what it is and is not. It’s one of those
words that is best defined by what it can do for you rather than what it
actually is, much as love is a difficult word to define because of its scope
and depth. Rather than regurgitate what
is written there, it might be a good idea to go to Wikipedia.org and read it.
Having been a member of a twelve step fellowship for many
years, I have often heard the term bandied about and presented as an absolutely
essential part of the recovery program.
In fact, it really is the
recovery program. It is the glue that
binds its membership together via their primary purpose of helping those still
suffering.
For me in my life, it has become an essential goal to strive
for as I attempt to increase my spiritual life in service to others.
Quesak.com says it’s about “gaining insight, knowledge &
a better understanding about life.” I’ll buy that.
I think that quite often there’s a stigma of spirituality
being some sort of mumbo jumbo or religious thing that needs to be overcome. While many associate spirituality with
religion (it is a vital part of any religion I know of), it doesn’t necessarily
have the same rigid requirements as a belief system that must be adhered to.
My personal quest for spirituality has given me many
wonderful things. I shall attempt to
list some of the more important ones that come to mind:
A feeling of togetherness:
I used to have awful feelings of loneliness all the time, like being alone
in a crowded room. That is no longer the
case; I sense a deep connection with
like-minded beings around me.
A general sense that everything will be OK, even if it
doesn’t feel that way. Sometimes it
takes time to look back and see the reasons things happen or the benefits that
sometimes result. Even financial
concerns are not as huge as they used to be, especially when I know I am doing
the best I can.
A view of the BIGGER PICTURE… As I become more and more aware of the
tapestry of my life being woven, seeing the various threads and recalling where
I was when they were being woven, I witness the big picture taking shape. Then
suddenly the things I thought were so important get re-prioritized.
A feeling of purpose… As I see the big picture take focus, I
see whose lives I might have touched as our lives intersected and realize some
purpose I may have been unable to see. I
have learned they my primary purpose is to be of maximum service to God (as I
understand Him).
How about you and your quest for spirituality? I’d love to hear from you.
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