How important is spirituality in your life?

Spirituality is often confused as being religious. How many times have we heard someone say I am very spiritual I go to church regularly or I visit the temple daily or I pray five times.

People also misconstrue spirituality as austerity and give up this or that.

Spirituality is much more than all this. it is a journey of self-realization and it is unique to each individual. It is the growth of the self. A growth of your awareness of the world around you and inside you.

It is connecting to the world around you and it is also about connecting to your inner true self.

Most of the “religious” persons I know follow an organized form of faith, which is a hindrance to achieving true spirituality. Organized religion gives you dogma and bias, it puts blinkers on your eyes and a rein on your thoughts. Spirituality is not about fasting on some days, wearing a type of dress or putting marks of caste on your body. It is not about having restrictions on diet.

Following a Faith blindly will only limit your search for realization.

To me spirituality is exploration of the world around me, it is about being non judgemental about people, it is about acceptance. Above all it is about growth in understanding and being at peace with who I am and the world around me.

I go to temples, yes, I follow rituals, yes, but that alone does not define me. I do it as being part of a community, to belong. A sense of belonging is needed as we are tribal beings. Only if you evolve beyond this need can you live alone. That is the goal but a difficult one to achieve. You need to break the shackles of need and affection for that.

But following one faith should not make you hate or stop you from trying to understand others who do not follow your faith.

Hate is the biggest obstacle to your growth.

So for me, spirituality is an open mind, understanding, acceptance, and love.

Namaste until the next time. 🙏