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What is Spirituality : |
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The meaning of spirituality is the inner search to know our true selves. It is also to discover the real nature of consciousness. This has been the foundation of all the spiritual teachings. The inner path of spirituality enables a person to discover the essence of their real I. Spiritual practices and techniques include meditation, and contemplation, these are intended to develop an individual's true identity; such practices lead to an experience of connectedness with the Cosmic Consciousness, which is the creator of entire cosmos known as the Shiva.
The self known to us is the individual's ego. By ignorance of our true selves we derive a false sense of identity by our actions or role in the world and interactions with other people. Our this nature derive lust, greed, anger, hatred and jealousy. This derived sense of identity is always under threat, and our attempts to maintain it are responsible for our "self-centered" behavior.
Beyond this identity, there is deeper sense of identity known as the "true self" or “real I”. Our thought patterns, feelings and appearance may vary from person to person but the essence of mind remains the same. We all are different people but still we feel the same sense of "I". According to spirituality this sense of "I-ness" is the same for everyone, and in that respect there is something universal that we all share.
When we experience this deeper sense of self, we are freed from many of the fears that make us worry unnecessarily. We discover a greater inner peace and an inner security that does not depend upon events or circumstances in the world around. As a result we become less self-centered, less needy of the other's approval or recognition, less needy of collecting possessions and social status, and become happier, healthier and more loving people. This state of mind is called "self-liberation".
Spiritual teachings maintain that when one comes to know the true nature of consciousness, one also comes to know the Divine. The search to discover the nature of one's own innermost essence is the search for Divine.
Spirituality is the resolute pursuit of cosmic consciousness. Spirituality aims at enabling a person to manifest in all its fullness the Chaitanya (Divine Cosmic Consciousness) that is present both within and outside oneself. It means getting rid of one’s animal nature and developing the divine tendencies within one. It means breaking down the barriers between God and Nature and establishing their essential oneness. Today, people think that spirituality has no relation to mundane life, and vice versa. This is a big mistake. True divinity is a combination of spirituality and social obligations. National unity and social harmony are founded upon spirituality. It is the Divine that links spirituality and social existence.
-BABA |