What is Spirituality?

What is spirituality, why is spirituality important and what can you say in the discussion of spirituality vs. religion? 

While growing up I had a strong understanding of religion. I'm a Hindu and an Indian it was normal for us to participate in the religious activities that my mum undertook. We why not very religious, but of course, there was a sense of belonging to Sanatan Dharma. 

My mum had a daily routine, which she follows till today. As soon as she got up, she would go to the small temple that we had made at our home to do a namaskar. She would then take the holy water and spread its droplets in the home. I remember her quiet voice humming mantras while doing this day after day. I loved getting up to that kind of morning ritual. It bought a subtle peace of mind before our day started. To my mum religion has been an anchor to her entire life. She is well aware of all the important days in Panchang and makes sure to bring up their importance in every conversation that we have. And that has made me dig into spirituality and understand it in my own way.  

What is spirituality?

Different people have different ideas about what is spirituality. Numerous books have been written, lectures have been shared and discussions have taken across all over the globe to understand the depth of it. To my little mind spirituality is all about understanding the self. We as humans have the being part of us which is inside. That being part is consciousness, soul, noor, aatma - which guides us throughout our entire life journey. We become good or bad humans in the direction of that being within us. The being is made of Mind, Intellect, and Habits. 

Why is spirituality important?

Spirituality directs our mind and intellect to work in a way that forms better, divine-like habits. It is the understanding of our own actions throughout the day. Many people relate it to karmic philosophy (you reap what you sow), but they forget how deep its roots go. Speaking bad about someone behind their back or allowing your temper to rise or getting involved in incorrect actions is something that we are habitual to doing even unconsciously. And the root of every action is a thought. Our thoughts guide us, create our behaviour, and make us the person that we are today. 

Before we go any further I would like to ask you to do an exercise with yourself.  Just take a moment to think about all those people with whom you do not share good vibes. Just think about how long you have been carrying those quality thoughts in the form of an impression of that person. And now, when that person is not near you, you still feel that resentment, anger, or displeasure whenever you think about that person. This is how we mould our behaviour towards someone. We create Impressions of people in our minds and then see them as are mine in to protect them. We do not allow these Impressions to change because we always feel that we know better. 

Spirituality is important as it helps us to come out of these toxic thoughts. It is about acknowledging that I the being, have the power over my emotions. No one can make me feel low without my authorisation. Spirituality induces a habit of positive self-talk that goes a long way in defining our personalities.

Spirituality vs. Religion

I have been to both sides of the coin. I have experienced religion first-hand and then spent years understanding spirituality. While religion what a daily routine in my life, it was spirituality that taught me e ways to think. It opened my mind ^ of self to a point where I stopped blaming others and took and started taking responsibility for my actions. Spirituality to me has been like liberation from my old thinking patterns. It has made me into a lifelong learner with a keen interest to improve myself. In a world where there are wars being fought within the countries, it has given me e a chance to stay calm and spread positivity through vibrations. 

The Art of Detachment

Almost a year ago, on a flight from Maldives to New Delhi, I surprisingly found myself sitting next to my ex-colleague who looked seemingly pleasant carrying her two year old son. We had an exciting exchange of ‘who is where and doing what’, shared a few details of what we have been doing over the past five years and how life has changed for both of us. After an hour of conversation, I reached for my book signaling the 'let’s take a break from talking and do something productive with time' kind of look. But she failed to take the hint. Instead of winding down gracefully, she went on telling me how her life is evolving around her baby, how she has been managing everything on her own and remains so busy that she can’t even answer phone calls. The monologue lasted for the entire journey and gave the co-passengers headache for a day.

So strong was her wave of ‘I should tell everything’ that she cleared her mind with a pressure. There were times when I tried to stop her but she kept cutting me short, so I just let her continue. Till now I can’t forget her stressed face.

Sometimes we get consumed by our work (taking care of home in this case) so much that we simply forget there is life after that. We are not the only ones living, working, having children, maintaining a standard of living. Countless people have done that before and will keep on doing all the work they can patiently. For most of us, life has become a compilation of activities and when we find that rare window of undivided attention, the opportunity is grabbed instantly to tell what all we have been doing.

Attaching ourselves to the work brings ego (I did right; you should have done it that way, why should I always suffer?) and hinders our self-growth. Whenever you find yourself in a situation where you are describing what you do, always stay honest. Remind yourself that your identity is bigger than your work, take time to refresh your mind frequently and stay healthy by doing exercise. 

In short - speak less; practice the art of detachment more.