Spirituality
The word “spirituality” comes up regularly around the web, yet given the various uses of that word, I have often wondered what is meant by it.
Further, were you to ask me if my posts are part of a spiritual path I would instantly say yes, but over the years I’ve had to think about what exactly I mean by this.
I started with some definitions available in a dictionary:
Spirit
1. the principle of conscious life; the vital principle in humans, animating the body or mediating between body and soul.
2. the incorporeal part of humans: present in spirit though absent in body.
3. the soul regarded as separating from the body at death.
4. conscious, incorporeal being, as opposed to matter: the world of spirit.
5. a supernatural, incorporeal being, especially one inhabiting a place, object, etc., or having a particular character: evil spirits.
Spiritual
1. of, pertaining to, or consisting of spirit; incorporeal.
2. of or pertaining to the spirit or soul, as distinguished from the physical nature: a spiritual approach to life.
3. closely akin in interests, attitude, outlook, etc.: the professor’s spiritual heir in linguistics.
4. of or pertaining to spirits or to spiritualists; supernatural or spiritualistic.
5. characterized by or suggesting predominance of the spirit; ethereal or delicately refined: She is more of a spiritual type than her rowdy brother.
Spirituality
1. the quality or fact of being spiritual.
2. incorporeal or immaterial nature.
3. predominantly spiritual character as shown in thought, life, etc.; spiritual tendency or tone.
Of all these, the closest one to my definition is the first one : the principle of conscious life. So I think of these words as follows:
Spirit : the principle of conscious life, specifically self-awareness.
Spiritual : pertaining to consciousness and living as a self-aware being.
Spirituality : ideas and practices which enhance and improve the experience of self-conscious beings.
So if we think of one’s “spirit” as a self-aware consciousness that can develop through practice, we have a foundation for discussing such development as “spiritual” in the broadest possible terms. Reading, contemplating ideas, quiet meditation, along with a reverence for our lives and reality itself are all part of what I think of as spiritual practice.
Further, there is growing awareness of a peaceful mind state is the background against which mental content is noticed. In other words, as the mind settles, one becomes increasingly aware of the serene silence behind thoughts, feelings, etc. The names for this silence are many. But for the purpose in defining spirituality, it is enough to see that one is a self-aware consciousness or “spirit”.
So that’s my definition….so far.
You’ve done something most people don’t bother with, attempting to define words you use. A word like spirituality, as you point out, can have a variety of definitions based on our perspective. In my case, spirituality has always had a “otherness” component. For example, I think we humans require mental, physical, and emotional health, all elements of an individual. However, none of us lives exclusively in our own little bubble. Spirituality, to me, is that recognition of something other (or greater) than ourselves. While generally accommodated in religious beliefs for many, It is more elusive for those of us without those beliefs. Regardless, it seems to require an understanding that there are things larger than ourselves, some of which remain beyond our comprehension.
Thanks, Rich. Word definitions are among the most important tools in one’s thinking kit, and yet one that is overlooked, ignored, and in some cases avoided by many. Surely it is obvious that if a word being used in a conversation is defined differently by the participants, there is no conversation!
Spirituality is one of the most used yet undefined terms I’ve seen. Your use of it as referring to something larger than ourselves is excellent and very helpful for me to know so I can be sure we are talking about the same thing. Mine is more personal in that it refers to one’s experience as a conscious individual.
Interestingly, in the Vedanta philosophy of India, consciousness itself is considered to be One and our personal consciousness is a spark of that One. In other words, consciousness itself is the larger reality you are referring to. Whether that is true or not is something to discuss another time. But we are already having a more meaningful conversation by addressing the meaning of the word spiritual.