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Saturday, June 20, 2009

What is spirituality?

Fairly regularly I read a blog about spiritual concepts (that doesn't like to use the word spiritual -- the premise being there is nothing truly spiritual). The writer's questioning whether the 'spiritual' exists, whether it's a word that we should use at all, has led me to think more about why I would call something spiritual instead of emotional.

One blog there was about a book where it said when someone else uses the word spiritual, as in they had a spiritual experience, the other might say I am glad you had a meaningful experience. This is done to not argue but insert a word that seems more accurate to that author where he didn't think there was a spiritual aspect to life.

Meaningful to me doesn't cut it as a synonym for spiritual but then that leads to the question: what makes something spiritual and why use the word at all?


A lot of what people call spiritual experiences could indeed be emotional ones, reactions to an idea, a set of words, a photograph, or painting. Religious ecstasy could be brought about by some spirit being outside of ourselves or a spirit realm within ourselves, but it also could be stimulated by the body and have no outside dimension at all.


What I mean when I use the word spiritual is something that cannot be explained by a physical reason. Logic is not part of the spiritual realm or if it is, we don't know how and can't measure or even define it the same way.

To me, when I move into the spiritual realm or say something was a spiritual experience, it's because logic cannot find a reason for it. It's why science cannot explain the spiritual feelings inside men-- even if they can stimulate a replica of some of them by poking a certain part of the brain.


I think this question of proving or disproving a spiritual realm within ourselves, the world, the Universe, or beyond matters most to believers-- whether atheists or religious. Agnostics don't care because they have already said they don't know and are quite satisfied to leave it at that. Believers must prove someone else is wrong as part of their own confidence that they are right.


These photos, from the my trip to the coast, can instill an emotional reaction which is easily explained. But the symbolism behind them of the ocean, the moon, the sun, those things are what often inspire people to think of concepts that go beyond what can be explained in a search to find meaning to life. This last one might look like a moon but it's the sun. That's what is often true of life-- what seems to be one thing can easily be another.

With the next blog I will describe what I considered to be a spiritual experience in my own life. I would love to hear from others who have had something they defined as spiritual-- something which cannot be explained by a logic.

9 comments:

donna said...

To me the spiritual is when something happens outside of myself that is difficult to explain logically and very moving to me. There's an emotional part but also relation to the physical world around me. Like when I was looking at my garden one day, watching a hummingbird enjoying it and thinking how they never thanked me for all my work, and the little guy turned and came over, hovered a foot from my face for a minute looking right at me, and then flew off.

That was spiritual...

Paul said...

It is something that elevates us (if only briefly) above the mundane and touches our soul.

OldLady Of The Hills said...

What a wonderfully interesting post Rain....I love the way you explain things--it is always with so much thought and feeling....
My favorite sentence in this is "Believers must prove someone else is wrong as part of their own confidence that they are right".
I've never heard it put better! So very true.
I am not sure I can put into words the "spiritual" experiences I feel I have had---I guess because I'm not even sure they were spiritual--depending on what definition and who's definition...you know?
I look forward to more on this subject, my dear....!

Darlene said...

More artistry with your camera. I love the sunsets and the sliver of the moon.

I, too, look forward to more on the subject. I will wait to comment on spirituality until then.

Lilly said...

Perhaps its all just a matter of interpretation. What someone would call spirit another may call emotion etc. I firmly believe in our spirit, our essence as humans. I also have had a few encounters with psychics and there are too many unexplained things. I can sense the spirit in another person. And have had many experiences of the spiritual kind. I am not a religious zealot though by any means. I love your photos - very restful. I look forward to your next post.

Diane Widler Wenzel said...

To me a spiritual experience is when we look at the natural world in awe. And it is even more special to share the experience with another without trying to prove anything.

Dick said...

I think what the other commenters have said is pretty accurate, at least to my ideas on the subject. Something spiritual probably has no other hard and fast explanation beyond it being spiritual. I think we have all had things happen that we cannot explain any other way. Perhaps they are just an example of chance, but maybe not.

Ugich Konitari said...

I think spirituality happens when we treat our life as a river, that flows between two banks (our boundaries in real life, whether, family,work,friendsetc); the ability to flow on, regardless of the boulders, and currents and sudden falls from a height; the ability to not regard the ocean as an ending, but to revel in the flow, ---thats spiritual to me.

Fran aka Redondowriter said...

Wonderful post and every single comment was so honest, so open, explaining each person's definition of spiritual. In the Progoff method journal keeping, which is a "psychological/emotional/spiritual" method, Dr. P. went out of his way to keep it secular. But to me, even secular humanism is a form of spirituality. Using Maslow's terminlogy, one exercise I especially like is called Peaks, Depths and Explorations. The whole 12 step movement is definitely spiritual, and the power greater than oneself without naming the deity, makes it appealing to even those who do not believe in God.

Tomorrow is the solstice so I hope you tuck that into your entry, too. I always love how you explain the earth's cycles.

By the way, your photography is superb, as always.