What is
Spirituality in Daily Life?
Spirit is for the tapasvi,
life is for the householder is our tradition. Our tradition is religious.
Thousands of people accepting one's realisation of the Spirit is religion, as
monarchy accords the divine right to rule over the nation to the royal family.
Each man discovering his own Spirit is spirituality, as in democracy each one
is entitled to rule the nation. Martin Luther thus pleaded for the individual's
spiritual illumination, eliminating the priest who is the intermediary. Is it possible for each one of us to become
a saint? Modern technology has brought the great benefits of scientific
discovery in the shape of newer products to every consumer. So also with
spirituality. Its benefits can be availed of by everyone, if not the ultimate
illumination.
Stated simply, any situation
poses the alternatives of Truth and Falsehood. To choose the alternative of Truth is spirituality in that situation. Stated
otherwise, any work can be done with interest making it alive or executed as a
dead routine. One is spiritual whereas the other is not. Spirituality in life
comes to us as values of honesty, loyalty, integrity, diligence, sincerity,
industry, truthfulness, dynamism, etc. Dedicated work, intelligent reading,
faithful friendship, responsible work at home, careful handling of materials,
attention to people, etc. lead to self-reliance, self-respect, and
individuality. If such people invoke the Spirit, it readily responds.
Office employees who are
devoted to their work often evoke the jealousy of co-workers. Devotion is
Spiritual. Such spiritual people rarely get into trouble in their career. Only
when they are in great good luck, the co-workers succeed in giving them untold
trouble. To them the Spirit readily
responds when called. Without exception they are lifted far higher than
their present position because of overcoming these obstacles. They see that obstacles,
in practice, are opportunities.
There was a time in our life
when the entire community lived every detail of their lives according to a
spiritual principle. Every religion works to create a culture where every work
will be done religiously -- according to Jesus or Koran, etc. The religious
life India was familiar with was based on one man's spiritual realisation, a
Shankara or Ramanuja. Its basic tenet was karma. To fashion our entire lives on the basis of inner Spirit is spiritual
life. This cannot be done religiously, based on a guru's realisation. It
must be on our own invocation of spirit.
In a very broad sense the
world is more receptive to Spirituality today than a hundred years ago. The
respect given to individual lives, the individual human being even when he is
an invalid -- more so because he is an invalid - is a respect given to his
soul. As he is recognised as a Soul rather than a body, the society as well as
the government goes out of their way to make his life more livable.
As this is an age-old
practice of every society, the question whether it is possible need not be
raised. When man sees that the Spirit in life is far more powerful than his
mind and is convinced that such a wholesale change is possible, he will not
rest on his oars.
In the last three hundred
years we see life has moved in terms of comfort, happiness, security, etc., as
several stages. In the next thirty years, man can move as many steps further to
avail of unthought of facilities issuing out of the new power commissioned into
life.
India is a land of Rishis
and Spirit.
There awaits it a life of
plenty and prosperity.
As long as man does not
mistake Spirituality for religious rituals, he will make it.
Spirit is the inner essence, not the outer form.