Many of us have had – at the very least – some experience with the concept of spirituality. Some of us had very religious upbringings while others of us were left to discover our own way. Because of our histories, some of us have positive experiences with spirituality with fond memories of connection with our higher power. Unfortunately, others of us have negative experiences, associating spirituality with guilt, shame, and rigorous, unattainable standards. The weight can feel heavy, and the idea of having a real relationship with our higher power may feel impossible. Maybe you’ve found a mixture of both positive and negative experiences of spirituality.

 

Maybe at some point, you thought spirituality was connected to how we were raised, what types of religious services our parents took us to, and how we defined God. Perhaps we connect the concept of spirituality to some out of reach, new age-y, beyond our reach. Or we may even worry that the term spirituality contradicts the religious traditions we grew up with. There is no need to fear the concept of spirituality. Instead of being a lofty, philosophical concept, it is a very real, tangible experience that anyone can experience, regardless of their past experience and religious background.

 

What is Spirituality?

Spirituality and Self-Actualization

 

At Sahaja, we define spirituality as the pursuit of actualization of higher consciousness. Someone in Sahaja is concerned with actualizing a state of being that is different from normal and allows them to connect with not only themselves but with the all-pervading power of the universe.

 

Spirituality is the realization and experience of your Spirit or Inner Self. This Spirit is part of a subtle inner being within each of us, which lies at the core of our existence. The Kundalini energy, the chakras and the channels (nadis) are the other components of this spiritual core being. This being is our true identity, not our physical self, real world identifications, mind or our intellect.

 

We activate and actualize spirituality within us when we activate this subtle energy being or system within us through methods such as the ones used in Sahaja meditation. The ultimate goal of this activation is to nourish and heal our subtle energy system – our chakras and channels through a stronger connection of our Inner Self to the all-pervading power. When this happens, we improve our character traits and become better human beings. The more we improve on this spiritual plane of existence and the inner being, the closer and closer we get to being completely integrated with the divine.

 

The ultimate goal is becoming one with the divine and this can only happen when our subtle inner being is united with the divine completely. All of this is achieved using Spirituality, the actualization of our Spirit.

 

When Can One Fall Short of Being Spiritual?

 

It is as important to know this as it is to understand spirituality. We have many distractions and misguided paths presented to us in the world that we live in. Seeing through them and identifying the right path to spirituality can be challenging and needs careful attention.

 

Merely amassing knowledge about spirituality or talking about it like an expert is not the actualization of spirituality. Spirituality is the about becoming or being, otherwise it isn’t.

 

Mere faith or belief or feeling good about the divine and God does not take us to the end goal of spirituality, in fact, it may not even get us started on this path. We only become spiritual when we work hard on identifying our subtle inner being and improving it in our lifetime.

 

Being in the company of seemingly spiritual people or being guided by a teacher or guru who may be recognized as a spiritual leader may not get us to our final destination of spirituality – we still have to become our own masters, identify our inner being and perfect it – that is not something anyone else can help with.

 

How Long Does it Take to Become Spiritual or Manifest Spirituality?

 

This is not a finite time period because as we grow spiritually, we get subtler and at some point, there is no such thing as a firm end point. Spiritual growth is much subtler than that. Spirituality is a lifetime of work and a lifestyle. It is a journey we need to undertake our entire life. There is no certificate of spirituality that anyone can grant us, except through our own individual assessment of our inner subtle being and how evolved it is.

 

The sooner we embark on the journey of spirituality, the better our chances of becoming more spiritually evolved in this lifetime of ours.

 

Is Spirituality and Becoming Spiritual A Lot of Work and Very Difficult?

 

Yes and no. Yes, because spirituality is not possible without our individual hard work on our Self-Realization and nurturing our subtle being day in and day out.  No, because this entire journey can be extremely enjoyable, peaceful and rewarding in our lives, so much so, that we may not feel that it is a lot of work or difficult. But there is no substitute for the hard work, patience, and perseverance.

 

There are no shortcuts, no magical moment that can grant us spirituality instantaneously. Spirituality is not a one-time or peak experience of life, it is a continuous journey. We cannot take a break from it after achieving a certain level, we must be immersed in it, even though the time and attention we devote to it may vary at points in our lives and that is completely normal and acceptable.

 

What Do I Need to Do to Become Spiritual?

 

You must activate your inner self or spirit first through the process of Self-Realization. Then you must nurture it through regular meditation. You must introspect every day and moment of your life on how you’re progressing on the journey of spirituality and use meditation as a tool to keep yourself on the right track.

 

Guidance and help are available from more experienced practitioners in most forms of meditation, and especially Sahaja meditation. While this is useful at various points in our journey, we must ultimately become our own masters and take complete charge of ourselves and our spiritual journey.

 

When and How Should I Practice Spirituality?

 

Practicing Spirituality is about nourishing and enriching your inner subtle being. This is done through a connection and complete unison of your inner self with the divine power. This happens each time you meditate and your attention is lifted to the higher state of the Universal Unconscious.

 

Wherever you are today, a real, personal, spiritual connection is possible.

 

You can meditate at home, at work or anywhere and at any time – there isn’t the best time for this.

 

Is Spirituality A Tangible Experience?

 

Yes, absolutely. Through self-actualization, spirituality is a tangible experience. Without it, spirituality is a philosophy, an idea. It is the experience that is the differentiator. We begin to tap into this tangible power in our lives, without thinking.

 

Specifically, you have a very nuanced and accurate gauge of your spiritual progress through the perception of your subtle being on your Central Nervous System. You feel heat, blockages, and obstacles when you’re not on the right path, such as when you perform actions that go against positive character traits. And you feel the connection to the divine power in real terms, sometimes it is very strong and sometimes not as much. You are able to differentiate when and why this connection and your corresponding state of awareness is good or bad at all points in time in your life. You can even trace the imbalances in your subtle energy system to physiological, mental and emotional disorders. You can feel the changes in your character traits manifest as a direct result of your meditation, your vehicle for spirituality.

 

Is Spirituality A Cognitive Phenomenon of Self-Improvement?

 

In some ways, yes, but it is actually much more than that. Following self-actualization and regular practice, we can then spontaneously and automatically exhibit attributes of someone that is connected to a higher power. Without thinking, we are more loving, forgiving, and full of childlike wonder.

 

The spontaneous happening is due to the power of the innate Kundalini energy within us. After a certain stage, when we allow this energy to work itself out, spirituality goes beyond the cognitive or emotional planes, it moves truly into its own plane of existence, one where we can feel our subtle being. The improvements thereafter are innate, spontaneous and automatic but it does require commensurate effort and focus from us in keeping to our meditation routine.

 

Spirituality does not have to be a term that we misunderstand or fear. Through Sahaja, spirituality can become a real, tangible, spontaneous experience that we can enjoy each moment of our lives.

 

It’s time we set aside the guilt, shame, or confusion we may have once held and discover our own unique connection to our higher power. Set down the weight and join us. Your journey starts with attending our online meditation sessions regularly.