What is Spirituality?

Spirituality, a word, and world I have struggled to understand for a very long time. I am a Cartesian and a sceptic. I have no religious education. Science is the truth. I believe what I see.

Nonetheless, 13 years ago, I found myself inexplicably drawn towards a practice that resides under the umbrella of "spirituality" - yoga. Attending my yoga classes gradually became a weekly practice, driven by the sheer sense of well-being it brought me. Then, about 20 months ago, I made the transformative leap from sporadic sessions to a daily pratice. This transformation sparked a fundamental inquiry within me: What is spirit? What does my spirit encompass? Is spirit distinct from the soul? In the sphere of "Well-Being," there's often talk of Body-Mind-Spirit. While I comprehended the first two components (Body & Mind) fairly well, the notion of spirit remained an enigma, shrouded in mystery.

So, how did I embark on a path toward embracing spirituality?

1/ DEVELOPING AN AWARENESS OF WHAT IS

I simply developed, expanded my awareness of what is, of what exists.

In the present day, we are inundated with a flood of information, and our minds undertake the laborious task of sifting and sorting. Yet, this filtering process is inherently biased, shaped by cultural, linguistic, and preconceived paradigms. As Aldous Huxley astutely articulated in "The Doors of Perception":

“To make biological survival possible, Mind at Large has to be funnelled through the reducing valve of the brain and nervous system. What comes out at the other end is a measly trickle of the kind of consciousness which will help us to stay alive on the surface of this particular planet. To formulate and express the contents of this reduced awareness, man has invented and endlessly elaborated those symbol-systems and implicit philosophies which we call languages. Every individual is at once the beneficiary and the victim of the linguistic tradition into which he or she has been born — the beneficiary inasmuch as language gives access to he accumulated records of other people's experience, the victim in so far as it confirms him in the belief that reduced awareness is the only awareness and as it bedevils his sense of reality, so that he is all too apt to take his concepts for data, his words for actual things.”

This quest to familiarize myself with the unfamiliar posed an intriguing challenge. After all, the realm of possibilities appears to be limitless. Where does one even start?

For me, the journey began with self-awareness: delving into my thoughts, fears, wounds, inhibitions, limiting beliefs, aspirations, and emotions. I made self-knowledge a priority, striving to address existential questions like 'Who am I?' and 'What is my purpose?' Through this voyage of self-discovery, I realized the significance of active listening to all that is — a receptivity to the entire spectrum of existence, from emotions, people, the world, and nature.

Through this newfound perception, I unlocked the doorway to wonder.

2/ EMBRACING EXPERIENCE

While advancing on my personal development journey, I encountered a series of events that seemed to peel back the veil separating the spiritual from the physical realm. These experiences were fleeting, near impossible to articulate unless personally lived through. Yet, those fleeting moments resonated with an undeniable intensity, leaving me awestruck. I discovered unexpected guidance from within my heart center ( Meet The Voice of Love), experienced clairaudience (How I used My Intuition at A Home Needs Shop), sensed the profound connection bridging my inner and outer worlds (My Soul Thanked Me), received messages from people guiding me on my path (Listening to the World).

3/ FROM DENIAL TO ACCEPTANCE

Despite my experiences, skepticism persisted. What if these were merely the fruits of my imagination? This skepticism held me back from fully understanding spirituality. I was resistant to that word, in denial.

Hence, my grasp of spirituality remained distant, like a star on the horizon.

So, how did I shift from denial to acceptance?

Strangely, I felt both irritated and drawn. Deep down, I sensed the need to embrace spirituality and make it a part of my life.

Throughout my personal growth journey, I recognized that those I revered embodied the virtues I aspired to manifest. When I contemplated who inspired me, names like Einstein, Ramanujan, Jesus, Gandhi emerged. Seeking commonalities, spirituality resurfaced in my mind. Yet, I encountered a block: Who am I to believe I can embody their qualities?

I was trapped in a paradox. Torn between new phenomena and my old perception, I decided on a self-awakening retreat. Disconnected from my old beliefs, that week unfolded with synchronicities. These left my skeptical mind baffled, incapable of denying life's enchanting beauty. A pivotal moment came as I started to perceive the world anew.

This is when it hit me.

Spirituality is not esoterism or mystic illusion.

Spirituality is about exploring the unknown, becoming aware of what I was not before, discovering what actually exists. However, due to lacking a word to conceptualize it, and because I cannot see it, I ignore its existence.

Spirituality consists of developing cognition to a higher level of consciousness. It involves learning how to see, listen, perceive on different levels, opening the mind and heart so that the body and mind can finally connect with the soul, allowing me to become who I truly am and do what I am truly meant to do. It is the recipe for experiencing flow and transcending suffering.

Spirituality is understanding that quantum energy is part of who I am.

Denying the existence of spirit is denying a part of my being.

What if spirituality is the natural evolution of the human being?

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science." Albert Einstein