Traditionally, Spirituality refers to a process in which the emphasis is on a personal and subjective journey into a sacred dimension and the deepest values by which people live.

It means much to me and hence Id like to share on this blog my understanding of Spirituality and how it has helped me grow into a happy, healthy person living a rich and fulfilling quality of life. And which has also helped me successfully deal with the challenges of the corporate world.

In the words of Sadhguru Spirituality does not mean any particular practice. It is a certain way of being. He believes that in order to become truly spiritual, one needs to be mindful of one’s body, mind, emotions and energies. And to cultivate them in order to reach a certain level of maturity. Much in the same way one needs to nurture a plant with soil, water and sunlight in order for it to blossom. Once that maturity is achieved Spirituality blossoms within us.

For me – Spirituality is my way of achieving balance within myself. It is also the means by which I am able to strengthen my will-power, achieve control over my senses for me to walk the correct path. Being Spiritual is the means for me to find happiness within.

Very often the term religious and spiritual are used interchangeably. However there is a difference between the two. Spirituality is the individuals understanding of the soul or spirit whereas religion involves participation in a community practice and is all about a specific interpretation of beliefs related to the divine and its worship. Many religions also contain a spiritual element within them.

The simplest way to describe a Spiritual person or a Spiritual Self is that unseen part of who we are – that provides our physical self with insight, intuition, and other ways of knowing and being beyond what our five senses experience in the physical world. It is no coincidence that one has been born in a country with a rich spiritual tradition that one finds in the teachings of highly evolved saints and rishis encapsulated in the Vedas, Upanishads and the Bhagwad Geeta

In this post I will look at the Self since Spirituality is about working with and achieving a supreme state of Self. Beginning with the Bhagwad Geeta and Lord Krishnas sermon to Arjuna which I read every single day and consider to be one of the highest and most evolved source of knowledge known to us human beings.

As per the Bhagwad Geeta , the Self or ‘Aatman’ is Indestructible – no one can create or destroy it; it is eternal, pure, blessed and perfect. It is not a body but an eternal being, a spirit within a living body. By realising ones own Self – one can achieve the highest level of spiritual and all other forms of knowledge and happiness. A state that is infinite, fearless, independent and glorious. We can realise this state through constant efforts while we work on the Self. Tools to achieve the state include different types of dhyana’ or meditation which helps us tackle delusions or ‘Maya.’ By enabling us to control our senses it sets us free to achieve our spiritual potential.

Spirituality also teaches us love and compassion for everything in life be it all living beings or the Supreme Being. It is about seeing the Supreme Being or God within all living beings we encounter every single day. One of the ways in which I believe we can become truly spiritual is by using the method of Bhakti or showing love and devotion towards the Supreme Being and its manifestations in the form of those who surround us. For it is the beginning of our search for all things Spiritual – and it is that which will take us to the conclusion of our efforts to become a truly spiritual being. The practice of Bhakti is deeply nourishing and eliminates all hatred from within us over time. The perfect ‘bhakt’ or spiritual seeker does not go searching for God in a temple but finds him in everything, everyone and everywhere. This is the power of his faith with the aim of achieving a spiritually evolved self. In order that he may become truly happy.

This is but a small insight into my spiritual practice and I look forward to hearing from you on what does Spirituality mean to you and what you are doing to find your Spiritual Self.