What's spirituality, and what's the need for it?

[Jahnu]

Spirituality means to know oneself as a spiritual soul. As humans, n
order to know ourselves, we need spiritual life. We need to know
ourselves to become truly satisfied in life, and we also need
spirituality to distinguish us from animals.

"Both animals and men share the activities of eating, sleeping, mating
and defending. But the special property of the humans is that they are
able to engage in spiritual life. Therefore without spiritual life,
humans are on the level of animals."-Hitopadesa

All living entities are actually spiritual souls, so spirituality
begins with realizing one's spiritual self (the soul) beyond the body
and its culture.

In fact, as long as one is not aware of the spiritual dimension of
existence, one is not aware of oneself, and is in effect disconnected
from reality.

Real knowledge manifests when one is able to distinguish between
spirit and matter. Spirit is the conscious particle of the self, and
matter is the body and mind. The beginning of knowledge, mentioned by
Krishna in Bhagavad GIta, is to know the difference between oneself
and the body.

The spirit is the conscious self, so before becoming aware of oneself
as different from one's body and mind, there is no question of
spirituality.

In reality, the spiritual soul is a minute particle of God's
consciousness. Thus, consciousness is a spiritual phenomenon.
This spiritual knowledge is basically absent in the modern world.
Everybody identifies with their body and its culture.

To misidentify oneself with the body and its culture, is the root
cause of suffering.

Krishna says:

Of all creations I am the beginning and the end and also the middle, O
Arjuna. Of all sciences I am the spiritual science of the self, and
among logicians I am the conclusive truth. (Bg 10.33)

To approach one's real self, the spiritual soul, a scientific process
is required. God and the soul cannot be approached by faith alone.
Certainly, one can approach God on faith, like it's the case in most
religions, but it will not yield love of God. Love is based on
knowledge, not on faith.

[EXLEX]

Spirituality means to know oneself...

Then why include us in your hunt for knowledge of yourself?




--
EXLEX

[Jahnu]

Post by EXLEX
Then why include us in your hunt for knowledge of yourself?

I wouldn't dream of including you in anything.

Saunaka Rishi says:

Men who are like dogs, hogs, camels and asses praise those men who
never listen to the transcendental pastimes of Lord Sri Krishna, the
deliverer from evils. --SB 2.3.19

One who has not listened to the messages about the prowess and
marvelous acts of the Personality of Godhead and has not sung or
chanted loudly the worthy songs about the Lord is to be considered to
possess earholes like the holes of snakes and a tongue like the tongue
of a frog. --SB 2.3.20

The upper portion of the body, though crowned with a silk turban, is
only a heavy burden if not bowed down before the Personality of
Godhead who can award mukti [freedom]. And the hands, though decorated
with glittering bangles, are like those of a dead man if not engaged
in the service of the Personality of Godhead Hari. --SB 2.3.21

The eyes which do not look at the symbolic representations of the
Personality of Godhead Vishnu [His forms, name, quality, etc.] are
like those printed on the plumes of a peacock, and the legs which do
not move to the holy places [where the Lord is remembered] are
considered to be like tree trunks. --SB 2.3.22

The person who has not at any time received the dust of the feet of
the Lord's pure devotee upon his head is certainly a dead body. And
the person who has never experienced the aroma of the tulasi leaves
from the lotus feet of the Lord is also a dead body, although
breathing. --SB 2.3.23