- By Dr. Aloka Niyogi, Management & Life Coach
Imagine waking up one morning and realizing that we have quiescent phenomenal power waiting to be unleashed and once these abilities are kindled, we could manifest anything we mortals desire – dare to dream, realize our dreams, be in command of our body, lead a meaningful and worthy life and be socially healthy beings. In other words, bridge the gap and establish a link with our inner self. We are talking of expansion and connection with our life-force – ‘Our Spirits’.
Spirituality is no longer something only to be experienced by a dedicated few who are willing to abandon kith and kin, civilization in order to find spiritual enlightenment away from human race. In this point in time it seems more important than ever to experience our own spirituality right in the middle of the world we live in. In this day and epoch, spirituality and the physical material world are finding a new balance. No longer coexisting at a distance, but more and more flowing together, merging and weaving a new and different fabric of society.
Picture a situation where we could actually change the blueprint of life, say our DNA chromosomes to enable us to expand our creative potential, provide access to our subconscious mind and become intuitive. Thus, we are able to connect to our purpose in life, augment our latent power – our ‘Spirits’ lying deep within.
In our daily lives the basic understanding of the word ‘Spiritual’ has so often been misconstrued as connecting with some divine power in a religious manner. Hence to common man spirituality and religion are still confusing entity. In realism ‘Spirituality’ is a broader concept and refers to non-material matters that concern the spirit which is our soul which lies deep within us. Spirituality does not require a divine authority whereas religion usually deals with the existence of a divine power and some accompanying system of beliefs, faith leading to devotion. We are asked to believe this divine power as an explanation for what we otherwise cannot understand.
In the days bygone, in search of “Nirvana” (a paradise), a person moved away from the social order in search of spiritual re-awakening. Today, most spiritual beings are productive members of society and have busy families and social lives. For most, ‘Spirituality’ has become the buzz word – a ‘mantra’ (a sacred utterance) for self growth.
Spirituality as a ‘tool’ can help increase awareness, compassion, gathering acumen, sharing knowledge and the conscious realization that the act of giving can be as fulfilling as the act of receiving. Through spiritual experiences we raise our awareness of ourselves and what we have to offer to the world and also our awareness of the world around us. As we become more aware of what is around us, we become better prepared to act upon things that are happening in our environment. And the more we view the world we live in from a compassionate perspective, the easier it is to see that a balance between giving and receiving, between altruism and materialism is actually feasible.
Consider Human existence as a house with four rooms. Room number one is the body; room number 2 is the mind; room number 3 is the emotions and room number 4 is the spirituality. Which room would you bestow your favor upon? Spiritual growth is a part and parcel of a building and thus lays the foundation to a strong personality. Spirituality thus, is connecting with your inner Self, arousing, caressing and feeling the presence of your own power, your own soul and spirit. It has been with you forever, laying latent waiting for you to unfurl. It is so easy to perceive its presence and even easier not to.
Spirituality is an important or even can be summed up as foundational aspect of human existence. The Sanskrit dictum says svarat samrat bhavati. It means one who can rule and govern oneself can also lead others. That is a model where the art of practicing self leadership on oneself is encouraged. This entails bringing forth the hidden spirit in the forefront of his personality thus empowering the leader to lead from the front.
Indian civilization is based on such ground work laid by such leaders called Rajarshis which literally means a king and a sage. In today’s model the schism and secular vanishes (the king is the secular aspect while the Rishi is the sacred aspect). ‘Rajarshi leadership’ from Indian history such as emperor Ashoka (220 -300BC ), Jamshedji Tata ( 19th Century), Mahatma Gandhi (20th century) are a few exemplar.
If we look into the days by-gone, we can see that an Indian ideally has always been living life 100%, enjoying both material as well as spiritual planes. And it is a fact that till two centuries ago,Indiawas the richest country in the world. The same Indians in the present era are soon losing their identity unable to release their safety valves. The irony thus is lost on me.
Spirituality – the success mantra, can thus be said as the core value system or the wisdom acquired by an individual, which in today’s IT language best be interpreted as the ‘hardware’, while the knowledge and the procurement of professional skills as the ‘ software’. Spirituality being the hardware, deals with the core human values including faith, courage, compassion, integrity, justice and wisdom. While the technical knowledge and the professional know how is in reality the software!
Spirituality is the backbone of a culture. And just like each man, each nation has its own characteristics. As responsible citizens of this universe, on this day, let us all arm ourselves with this invaluable ‘MANTRA’ –Self growth through Spirituality!
Visit Dr Aloka Niyogi’s blog at www.tappingpotentials.org
