What is your definition on Spirituality?

[Marcus]

Why not be a part of a little joint project? I am collecting on my blog, a bunch of definitions about what people feel spirituality is. There are so many possible answers that I feel it would be a great collective resource.

So if you feel up to it - and want to contribute - I would love to hear from you! Head on over to my site and fill in a comment, it doesn't matter how small! All are welcome and appreciated! All the responses will then be collated into a single post, your definition will be attributed to you - along with a link to your site (if you have one)!

Let me know your Definition on Spirituality

Look forward to seeing your thoughts!

[absvan]

Spirituality is about knowing where you came from - knowing your spirit and hence regaining your awareness.

[Michael Chui]

A synonym to "magic".

[Anagogy]

Spirituality is the process by which illusions are dispelled, though many practice the opposite, and pass it off under the same name.

[Subhi]

Spirituality means feeling at one with that which we call the Divine.By Divine i mean our own most evolved qualities, our profound human capacity for empathy, for love, our striving for justice, our hunger for beauty , our yearning to create .When i think of spirituality i think of love in action

Subhi

[Betrade]

I would say it's about waking up and being aware of just how incredible you are, that you're supposed to exist, regardless of the circumstances of your birth (such as "unplanned" pregnancies). It's becoming conscious/aware of your place in the universe and your connection to all that is.

[Clarity]

It is about realizing you aren't just a human body, you are a vessel of a soul. Spirituality is being in touch with one's soul and communing with its creator. Spirituality is living in the Kingdom of God at the same time as living in the earthly world.

[Euragios]

Originally Posted by Subhi

Spirituality means feeling at one with that which we call the Divine.By Divine i mean our own most evolved qualities, our profound human capacity for empathy, for love, our striving for justice, our hunger for beauty , our yearning to create .When i think of spirituality i think of love in action

Subhi

I also believe this definition of yours to be true; some religions see some kind of God as the Divine if I'm not mistaken.. I see the Divine the way you describe.

Thus, I would conclude that we actually have a body, in stead of just being a body. i've had lots of discussions with people about this, and I normally find that those who think they are a body don't contribute in their personal development.

[Mark Lapierre]

Originally Posted by Euragios

I normally find that those who think they are a body don't contribute in their personal development.

How do they approach personal development, or at those particular people not concerned with personal development at all?

[hollowman]

I used to think that spirituality equals religion. Now i think that such equation is very narrow indeed.

Perhaps spirituality can be examined as macro-spiritual and micro-spiritual.

Macro-spirituality is universal set of the spiritual realm. Religion is a subset of spirituality in this context. Reminds me of Final Fantasy: The Spirit Within about Gaia, spirit of the Earth.. (something like that)

Micro-spirituality is individuals' spiritual essense. Every individual has their unique essence. Individual in this case does not mean human or living things only, but include plants, water, rocks, mountains etc.

I am not sure sure if i can clear of what i am thinking about . Since this is an area that has always interest me, i just let my mind go free in search of definition of spirituality.

[Euragios]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

How do they approach personal development, or at those particular people not concerned with personal development at all?

We are having these classes at school where the professor talks about spirituality and related stuff, and I must say 90% thinks his words are absolute rubbish, nonsense and that he is making a fun of himself by talking about such subjects. Then there is 5% of people who listen, think a bit about it and then conclude they don't like what he says. The remaining 5% wants to continually develop his/her own being to become the best possible "I" he/her can become.

So 95% isn't really concerned with their personal development and their overall happiness, currently. They just live there lifes, see what comes to them and react to it. Sure, they go to the gym or practice sports to become a bit healthier, but they don't see the overall picture of personal development at this moment, or they dont want to see it. Don't know what the future brings, though

--

Perhaps spirituality can be examined as macro-spiritual and micro-spiritual.

Perhaps we should discuss this a bit deeper. I like the idea that everything has a spirit; a plant has a purpose, so it should have some kind of spirit. So why can't a rock have one too? I've never looked at it like this, but is a interesting point of view. So, what do you all think?

[TomStaijen]

Originally Posted by Euragios

Perhaps we should discuss this a bit deeper. I like the idea that everything has a spirit; a plant has a purpose, so it should have some kind of spirit. So why can't a rock have one too? I've never looked at it like this, but is a interesting point of view. So, what do you all think?

Personally, I'd would rather say spirituality is the act of actively trying to reach your purpose or higher awareness, which (imo) requires a thinking mind. To take this to plants and rocks; they can hardly deviate from their purpose, which is imo just: exist.

Then again, I tend to be pragmatic..

[Euragios]

Originally Posted by TomStaijen

Personally, I'd would rather say

You may do so, I won't hold you back. It's just my opinion vs. yours, and it really doesn't matter who is right. It's all our thinking and our view of how things are.

[Mark Lapierre]

Originally Posted by Euragios

We are having these classes at school where the professor talks about spirituality and related stuff, and I must say 90% thinks his words are absolute rubbish, nonsense and that he is making a fun of himself by talking about such subjects. Then there is 5% of people who listen, think a bit about it and then conclude they don't like what he says. The remaining 5% wants to continually develop his/her own being to become the best possible "I" he/her can become.

So 95% isn't really concerned with their personal development and their overall happiness, currently. They just live there lifes, see what comes to them and react to it. Sure, they go to the gym or practice sports to become a bit healthier, but they don't see the overall picture of personal development at this moment, or they dont want to see it. Don't know what the future brings, though

Are you sure you're not imposing your beliefs of what personal development should be onto them? Perhaps for them the most beneficial form of personal development is the development of a healthy mind and body, and that, for them, a healthy mind is one which questions.

But of course you're in the class, not me, so if you say the 90% don't even give the professor a chance, well, I'll take your word for it. I just hope you've considered their point of view without colouring it with your opinion of them.

Originally Posted by Euragios

Perhaps we should discuss this a bit deeper. I like the idea that everything has a spirit; a plant has a purpose, so it should have some kind of spirit. So why can't a rock have one too? I've never looked at it like this, but is a interesting point of view. So, what do you all think?

Hmm... The definition Subhi used, which you agreed with, defined spirit as a combination of divinity and human qualities. You'll need to redefine spirit (or human) if you want to include plants and rocks. By that definition a rock (or plant) would need to experience emotions, and if they do it's certainly not in any way we're aware of (unless you believe those people who say they can talk to plants).

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

Hmm... The definition Subhi used, which you agreed with, defined spirit as a combination of divinity and human qualities. You'll need to redefine spirit (or human) if you want to include plants and rocks. By that definition a rock (or plant) would need to experience emotions, and if they do it's certainly not in any way we're aware of (unless you believe those people who say they can talk to plants).

I think he was actually agreeing with Clarity.

It may be worthwhile to take a look at Pantheism and Henry David Thoreau. I think it was Thoreau. May have been Emerson...

[Euragios]

Originally Posted by Mark Lapierre

Are you sure you're not imposing your beliefs of what personal development should be onto them? Perhaps for them the most beneficial form of personal development is the development of a healthy mind and body, and that, for them, a healthy mind is one which questions.

But of course you're in the class, not me, so if you say the 90% don't even give the professor a chance, well, I'll take your word for it. I just hope you've considered their point of view without colouring it with your opinion of them.

I'm sure I did But it's good that you test my opinion, and not just accept it as-is. It is just as I said.. 90% thinks everything he says is nonsense. And yes, I have given their points of view some thinking, but I would still conclude that they only seek a healthy (strong, as in with muscles) body. They don't yet believe in purpose, SR, spirituality or any other concept. And that is their opinion. And those persons really aren't bad company, I spent a lot of my time together with them.

I even approached my teacher about this. He said it is wise that I am already considering these things, and he had agreed with me that most of the class doesn't consider these subjects to be worth talking about. He said, and I'm quoting his exact words: "I taught about talking about this in class, but if I do, nobody would listen and they would all just say I should retire. There is no acceptance, and nobody cares."

Hmm... The definition Subhi used, which you agreed with, defined spirit as a combination of divinity and human qualities. You'll need to redefine spirit (or human) if you want to include plants and rocks. By that definition a rock (or plant) would need to experience emotions, and if they do it's certainly not in any way we're aware of (unless you believe those people who say they can talk to plants).

I was actually refering to Hollowman's post and Clarity's, indeed

[Niki]

Spirituality is a word with a meaning that deviates for every single individual group or person on earth.

I hope I use the word "deviate" in the right context. I want to say that the meaning of the word is different for every group or person in the world.

It's like God.

For some it is a person, for some a group of monkeys controlling the world, for others it's everything including us, etc...

For me personally "spirituality" is the practice of raising my vibrational level by increasing my consciousness until it is one with all that is.

[Uplift]

Originally Posted by Euragios

Perhaps we should discuss this a bit deeper. I like the idea that everything has a spirit; a plant has a purpose, so it should have some kind of spirit. So why can't a rock have one too? I've never looked at it like this, but is a interesting point of view. So, what do you all think?

Traditional Indigenous Australians have that world view. So they view the earth, space, stars, everything as alive. The earth is mother to us. They say that even supposedly stationary rocks move, and are born, interact, and live, and constantly change, just in a different way, or rate to humans. Even sky, air moves, interacts and so on. Interestingly enough our culture even accepts that the particles of a rock are in a constant state of movement, as are the particles in air. Traditional Indigenous Australians see everything as being an expression of Dreaming, and that Dreaming influences and saturates everything. Each person and thing is related and connected through Spirit, Dreaming. Each member of society can be in effect a Buddha, a Pope, a Christ, or religious leader as each person learns their specific, complex, sophisticated connections as part of the whole expression, and can live according to fostering that connection as equally important parts, with differing roles, and can respect all else in the same manner.

So they see many cultures' present choices as blindly and ignorantly choosing to destroy ourselves, our expression, whilst naively thinking we are enhancing it. When they talk about their pain and sadness at mining and pollution etc, many can't actually understand it, as Traditional Indigenous Australians have nurtured that sense, where as many cultures ignore it. A bit like not using memory, or imagination, or muscles. The potential is there, but atrophies due to persistant, constant lack of use and denial.

There is evidence that their worldview has been around continually for 120,000 years, before the British, terrorist invaders mostly destroyed it in round 100 years. However, considering the incredible arsenal of brutal effort the British made in their attempt to totally anhilate it, it amasingly still exsists and persists in small pockets all over Australia. It isn't a situation that our culture likes to admit, let alone investigate. 40,000 years is embarrasing enough, as its nothing to be proud of... attempting to oblitherate such an amasing thing, the worlds longest ever continual culture.

[Maguru]

I think we are already carrying out our purpose in unawareness and that spirituality brings the purpose into awareness. I also believe our purpose is two-fold in that it first serves self, then others. Win win.

Originally Posted by TomStaijen

Personally, I'd would rather say spirituality is the act of actively trying to reach your purpose or higher awareness, which (imo) requires a thinking mind. To take this to plants and rocks; they can hardly deviate from their purpose, which is imo just: exist.

Then again, I tend to be pragmatic..

[Gary]

SPIRIT = LIFE

spirituality is the study of life. Life is the force that moves through all things. It inspires your heart to beat, your lungs to breathe, the grass to grow, the wind to blow, and the stars and sun to shine. It is the unmanifest force that connects all organic material life to one source.


In the beginning of the study of spirituality you approach it as something external to you. When you graduate you are it.