Newsletter Vol 54 • What is Being “Spiritual”?
Being in the esoteric field, talking about living a “spiritual life” or talking about our “spiritual journey” becomes normal. And yet, I had to stop and wonder what that actually is and how that affects us.
I understand that when we say this, we primarily mean that we consciously view life from that perspective, we may practice things like prayer/meditation, and perhaps even be intuitive. And yet, when we think this way, we may be missing some of the fundamental aspect of what being “spiritual” actually means.
A friend of mine who isn’t “spiritual” said to me “I may not be spiritual like you, but …..”. And, I had to tell him that he IS spiritual whether he thinks so or not based on the principle of us being a “spiritual” being or consciousness (which is just semantics). I reminded him that what he knows is not of relevance, but the quality of his life reflects his “spirituality”.
Does knowing and speaking the lingo or information make us “spiritual”? Does meditation or prayer make us “spiritual”? If the definition of “spiritual” is that we are growing in our consciousness and subsequently ascending in evolution, then the activities and knowledge is not what defines spirituality. In a religious context, this would be the equivalence of believing that we are closer to God by reading the Bible or Quran, going to the church regularly, and praying daily.
We must remember that “we will know a tree by its fruit”. Meaning, the virtues and characters that are projected from within defines the essence of our spirituality.
This means that if we knew all the teachings of all the Masters inside out, we did all the “spiritual” activities on a daily basis, and even be intuitively gifted, and yet, have not the basic sense of decency, kindness, respect, courtesy, and most importantly a sense of self awareness, then it means NOTHING.
Spirituality is not performance nor result, and certainly not about what we ‘know’. As state of enlightenment is in the ‘awareness’ of our inner light and shadow, and a “spiritual” journey is about the care that goes into the evolution of our inner world through the awareness in which the knowledge and activities aid to guide and enhance.
This also means that you do not need to speak ANY spiritual lingo or know anything about it, but be very “spiritual” if the fruit of virtues such as respect, kindness, and courtesy are oozing out of you. In which, ALL of us are fully equipped to navigate to evolve by simply being aware and observant of who we are, our thoughts, and our actions as it affects the world around us.
A spiritual journey is about balance of love and wisdom. Love is the care that goes into our thoughts, choices, and action. It is the driving force that keeps us moving forward. And wisdom is the guidance that keeps redirecting us toward the trajectory of our highest good. This means that by simply caring enough about ourselves and others to live from the heart and caring enough to be self aware and learn as we go is what constitutes a “spiritual” life.
When I used to be in religion and experienced the ‘church life’, I saw more hypocrisy and lack of depth than I did out in the world. But it is the comfort of thinking that as long as we ‘know’ and ‘do’ the right thing, we qualify for Heaven that keeps us in the dark and complacency. This also applies to what is now known as the “spiritual community”.
In the end, no matter how we may appear to know or act, we connect to the quality of the vibe of one another. And your “spiritual” tribe may not all speak or believe similarly, or even do things very differently. As long as there is love and appreciation for wisdom, you have a “spiritual” connection. And that, to me, is what being “spiritual” means…
“You shall know a tree by its fruit”