Ministries & Spirituality

Spirituality means many things to many people. Answering the question of “what is spirituality” for yourself is an important step in your lifelong process of discovery.

To be honest, you don’t need to become an expert in terminology to enjoy a life of meaning and fulfillment. The words are just pointers and tools you can use to uncover your personal direction.

So this article is only one possible answer to the question of “what is spirituality?” If these words resonate with your heart, expand upon them; if not, move on and find something else that feels right to you.

True spirituality has nothing to do with religious practice. The observance of specific belief systems, honoring of certain holy days & customs, and living by a set code of conduct are not spiritual pursuits in and of themselves.

These and other things can be part of an individual’s overall spirituality. But group values systems and traditional behaviors are no more spiritual than political affiliations or loyalty to a college football team.

Spirituality is a very personal matter. And it’s completely experiential, meaning it must be experienced before it can be fully understood.

Having said all this, what’s left to answer? I’ve carried on for half a page about what spirituality is not; so what is it then?

Spirituality is a basic awareness of higher consciousness, and an allowing of the present moment to be what it is.

I could refine this statement by saying: one is spiritual when he or she is aware of a collective, creative consciousness that operates beyond the ego mind. Also, spiritual living involves the practice of being mindful in the moment, and allowing the now to take on a life of its own beyond individual desires to shape events.

This statement is intentionally open for interpretation. While I’ve captured the essence of what I believe spirituality to be, I have refrained from providing a definition heavy with my own personal preferences.

When you know intelligence exists beyond the part of your mind “containing” your identity and personal sense of self, you are being spiritual. When you say “yes” to the present moment, allowing the senses to perceive what they will and making no effort to control what is with your own preference and prejudice, you are being spiritual.

Knowing a great intelligence exists, but making no effort to label it in a way that comforts you, is an act of wisdom. It takes great fortitude to be content with the idea of not necessarily understanding or controlling the world around you.

Also being completely alert in the present moment, rather than hiding from yourself in thoughts of the past and future, requires a steadfast nature. Humanity is not afraid of its alleged weakness and frailty; rather, we are afraid of our own incredible power, thus we hide our faces from it by living in the past and the future most of our lives.

It’s not my intention to slander religion. But I am compelled to warn that many faiths were developed to crush the spiritual nature of their followers.

People are often outraged by any definition of spirituality that omits the vengeful, all-knowing god who exists to protect and punish them. It’s a bizarre phenomenon, and it’s the result of centuries of conditioning and brainwash.

By all means take this article as my opinion. But it’s an opinion based on life experience and an honest search for the truth.

I make no effort to appease the values of others or to detract from another’s point of view. And it’s my sincere hope that I have at least planted the seed of an answer that can be harvested by those who are seeking.



By: Aaron Whiston

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In this article we will discuss when such type of activities can be regarded as spiritual practice and help in spiritual growth. 



To understand this article better please refer to SSRF articles on - Karma yoga, Destiny and willful action, Destiny and rule of give and take.

Example profiles of charity workers

 

These humanitarians may be engaged in charity work on a full time basis or could be as a once a year activity such as a once a year donation. By humanitarians we mean people working towards advancing the well being of humanity as a whole either by providing monetary benefit or by giving of themselves in some form or the other.

Adopting a child in a developing country Donating to a charitable or non-profit organization working towards promoting human welfare A surgeon giving his services free-of-charge for a certain period every year to people who cannot afford healthcare Working as a volunteer with under-privileged or handicapped children Working in the field with famine victims in a continent like Africa

Why is it important for charity workers to do their charity work as spiritual practice?

 

The manifestations of benefits of spiritual practice and the resultant spiritual growth are: 

An increases tolerance for adversity and resultant unhappiness A balanced state of mind across ups and downs of life Lasting personality development Insulation from destiny Bliss Liberation from the cycle of birth and death

 

What is spiritual growth from the perspective of Path of Action or Karma yoga? 

People involved in charity work as spiritual practice follow the Path of Action or Karma yoga. However in brief, whenever a person does an action (karma), he either gets merits or demerits depending on the nature of the action. If a person is involved with charity work then he would gain merits from this action. He would also create a give-and-take account with the people for whom he is serving. However both merits and demerits keep us trapped in the cycle of birth and death.

However as one matures on the Path of Action or Karma Yoga one continues to perform good deeds; but does so with lesser and lesser doer ship and attachment to the action and expectation of the results. This finally culminates in a zero ego state where though one does the action but does not consider oneself the doer. As one begins to identify less and less with one’s actions one goes beyond merits and demerits and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

If one had to choose between just earning merits versus spiritual growth, spiritual growth far outweighs earning of merits as it burns one’s destiny and accumulated account (sanchit). It’s only through spiritual growth that we gain a superlative happiness known as Bliss and also liberation from the cycle of birth and death.. 

What does the average charity worker doing his work as spiritual practice gain at a spiritual level? 

At the first stage there is some reduction in the ego of the charity worker just by the act of giving of himself for others. This is because thinking about the benefit of others itself reduces the focus on oneself, i.e. one’s five senses, mind and intellect.

When does charity work become spiritual practice and fuel spiritual growth?

 

Charity work becomes spiritual practice when it is done with a close watch on whether the following is happening within oneself at progressively enhanced levels: 

Reduction of one’s ego Reduction of one’s doership Reduction of one’s attachment to any activity and yet doing it with perfection without expectation of results Reduction of one’s personality defects, such as anger, pride, greed, etc. Enhancing one’s qualities An over-arching point is that there needs to be regular increment in the above perspectives for it to be considered as spiritual practice.

Summery

 People who fit into the above-mentioned profiles can keep these perspectives while making donations – do I remember my donation often, do I feel like mentioning my donation to my friends, do I feel I should be looked upon, do I get thoughts like –I donated more than my friend did etc or while working for famine victims does he think – do I feel that I am needed, do I get frustrated if there is no change in the lives of famine victims, do I feel hurt when famine victims do not make changes as per my directives etc.

More at:

Charity



By: Sean M. Clarke

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