How do we define ourselves? Are we spiritual? Are we religious? Spirituality is defined as one’s search for the sacred meaning of life. It means one is seeking to understand one’s inner being. Religious indicates to have a strong belief in religion. It also means being devout and pious.
Can we combine spiritual and religious?
Spirituality denotes to understand fundamental moral, existential or metaphysical questions regarding the nature of the self and meaning of life. It is a state of the mind.
Krishna speaks about spirituality, in the Bhagwad Gita. He says that the material has no endurance, but the spiritual has no change. Verse 2.16. It is further discussed in Verse 2.25. There are two stages of reality, one is material and the next is spiritual. One has to move from material consciousness to spiritual consciousness, and this is spirituality.
Spirituality has three meanings:
- It is a state of mind
- It is a level of reality
- It is a process for rising to a higher level of consciousness.
Spiritual reality
Elevating consciousness to the level of mind and being calm is described as a state of spirituality. However, one has only explored spirituality at the mental level. Genuine spirituality according to Krishna is rare because we have material attachments. “Manushyam sahasreshu” (Bhagwad Gita) says that one attempts to know spiritual reality but one cannot overcome one’s material self. We are not changing only our perception but our level of spirituality is attained through Karma Yoga, Gyan Yoga and Bhakti Yoga.
Swami Sivananda talks about the key aspects of spirituality.
- Living a divine life: Living a life of constant spiritual awakening and not trying to escape from the world.
- Self-realization: Recognizing the divinity within one.
- Service and love: Follow the motto, “Serve, love, give, purify, meditate, realize.”
- Work as worship: Be a karma yogi.
- Practical discipline: Daily Sadhana.
- Inner purity and control: Practice of pratyahara.
Respect for all.
Religion in Hinduism means the practice of Dharma which encompasses concepts like duty, morality and seeking liberation. Religious means that one participates in prayer, meditation and follows rituals.
Swami Satyananda described religiousness not as being rigid in following rituals but as the practical application of spiritual principles in one’s daily life. He was inspired by his own Guru’s, Swami Sivananda, motto. He also said that religion was an expression of Yoga. Yoga was a comprehensive, spiritual science that incorporates the ultimate goals of religion into its practical system, and that Yoga was beyond religious boundaries.
Dear ones, I suggest that we all follow, Swami Sivananda’s motto. And work on being spiritual and religious.
Aim Hrim Klim