Spirituality relates to the spirit or soul of people and includes beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide comfort. It is cultivated by scriptural study and personal practice and disciplines. The opposite is materialism.§
Comparing the actions of one who is spiritual to one who is materialistic§ |
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|---|---|---|
Situation§ |
Spirituality§ |
Materialism§ |
When the rare thing called free time presents itself, you…§ |
often explore spiritual activities and studies.§ |
are drawn almost exclusively to external interests.§ |
When a much-loved grandparent passes on, you…§ |
experience sorrow, but soon overcome it, knowing your grandparent’s soul is happy in the inner world.§ |
fall into a deep sadness and despair without spiritual beliefs or tools to console you.§ |
When the family holds a picnic at the beach, you…§ |
spend precious moments witnessing nature’s wonders and blending into the vastness of the ocean.§ |
enjoy the sun, the sand and the surf, not pondering anything more.§ |
Gurudeva explained: “Spirituality. The pursuit of direct spiritual or religious experience. Spiritual discipline aimed at union or communion with Ultimate Reality or God through deep meditation or trance-like contemplation.”§
“The soul, in its intelligence, searches for its Self, slowly ascending the path that leads to enlightenment and liberation. It is an arduous, delightful journey through the cycles of birth, death and rebirth culminating in Self Realization, the direct and personal spiritual experience of God, of the Self, of Truth. This alone among all things in the cosmos can bring freedom from the bondages of ignorance and desire. This is the highest realization.”§
ASSIGNMENT: For the next two weeks, take time in four sessions to read from a book or web resource that increases knowledge of your spiritual nature.§
Date you began this assignment ____________________§
MY THOUGHTS ON THE BENEFITS OF SPIRITUALITY: 
§
