How do I become spiritual? Is being a spiritual person like being religious? Should I leave my church or renounce my faith if I want to be more spiritual? Do I have to give up my personal possessions if I want to be a spiritual person? Will I have to give up my friends? What do spiritual people do for fun?
There is nothing you need to add to yourself to become spiritual, in fact you already are spiritual. You only have to connect to that higher part of who you truly are. The word spiritual comes from the word spirit, or soul. Your soul is completely independent from your physical body and exists before, during and after the physical body expires. So you have and always will be…spirit.
Some people decide spirituality is not for them because they are unfamiliar with what it actually means to Be Spiritual. They have preconceived beliefs about what it means to be spiritual either from books they have read or maybe they heard others speak about spirituality in a way that seemed to conflict with their own instilled beliefs.
Being spiritual and being religious are not quite the same, but they do have some things in common. For example, both spiritual and religious people have unshakable Faith in a power greater then themselves. They trust that there is a master plan and we all play a very important role in that plan. The stronger their faith and trust in that higher power, the more confident they are in life and happier they feel.
In spirituality, there are no boundaries; no limits and we realize we are all powerful beyond belief. In religion though, you must believe certain things because it is written, in a follow the leader sort of way. Belief in oneself and your own abilities may be limited because man made rules need to be followed to fit in with that particular dioceses.
Spiritual people are constantly within their church, the body is their temple; where as in religion you have a special building where you go to worship.
The biggest and most important aspect for both spiritual and religious people is the beliefs that there is only One God, a Divine Creator, a higher power greater then humanity that gives life and delivered us here - all together. To believe this makes it irrelevant whether you are a Baptist, Christian, Muslim, a Spiritual Healer, Saint or sinner - or any other label you choose. We are all connected to this higher power and It is connected to everyone of us.
Being spiritual does not mean you have to give up any possessions what so ever. The opposite is true. To feel joy in receiving is a perfectly natural process and to deny this part of your existence in this world is nothing short of sin. We are here to enjoy life, to feel happiness and to experience as many things as we can possibly experience. We were created for that one single purpose, to have the desire to receive all that the Source has to offer.
It can be compared to the story of a young man who spotted an elderly lady at a busy crosswalk. He really wanted to help her cross the street but the harder he tried to help, the more resistance he got from the lady. After a few minutes of trying to persuade the woman to take what he wanted to give, she got visibly upset, and she told him to leave her alone! She didn’t want to cross the street at all, she was just waiting to catch the bus.
So you see, for any genuine giving to take place, there needs to be receiver as well as a giver.
Being spiritual has nothing to do with giving up your current friends, but being open to adopting new friends can help you along your quest. Every single person in your life, even those who you meet on the street has something they could teach you. Whether it is patience, wisdom, love, or they have a message for you from the Source, to deny anyone to be who they are is to deny yourself of real growth.
Having fun comes in as many forms as there are interests. Being spiritual doesn’t mean you have to give up the fun in life and be serious all the time…no way! It’s all about the fun, and spiritual people have fun all the time. The joy they feel and see in others is a part of the fun to them. They aren’t waiting for a particular time of day or special occasion to have fun or to be happy; this is constant in their lives. Playing games, cracking jokes and making people laugh are important for everyone, not just the party animals.
Spiritual people can still enjoy a nice glass of wine or mug of beer, but they don’t feel the need to over indulge because they do not suffer, they have nothing to hide or run away from. Even the Kabbalists suggest getting drunk just once in awhile. They say it helps people to relax, loosen up, let go, dance and be happy during one of the most negative days of the year.
Being Spiritual is about being an even better person then you are already, to give more of yourself then others expect from you, to be overfilled with life and wonder, and to experience joy everyday. To practice being Spiritual is only creating an opening for miracles to shine through.
Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.
Albert Einstein
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