What Does Spiritual Mean?
Today, when attaining spirituality has become more of a fad rather than something all human beings should strive for, having been given the privilege of being called “humans”, its essential that you know what does spiritual mean and what are its benefits. In order to know what does spirituality mean, you have to first of all quell all the misconceptions associated with it.
What Does Spiritual Growth Mean
Many people hold this belief that just because they go to church everyday and pray regularly, they have become spiritual. Following a religion and performing prayers, no doubt, is one of the ways to connect with oneself, but on its own, being religious does not make one a spiritual person. So, if you are wondering, “what does spiritual but not religious mean?” It simply means that a spiritual person can be religious but its not necessary that a religious person be spiritual.
Next, we move on to another highly held belief regarding what does spiritual mean. Some people feel, in order to be considered a spiritual person, you should give up your family life, your possessions and everything dear to you. And that you should go to some faraway mountain and pray, only then you will attain salvation and become spiritual. This again is just a misconception. To be spiritual does not mean that you cut away from everything. On the contrary, spiritualism actually makes us understand how we are part of this whole universe and that each one of us has its own place in it. You may read more on finding your place in the universe. Spiritualism tells us that all our actions and thoughts, whether positive or negative, ultimately affect us and everybody else around us because we are all, after all, an interconnected whole!
Now that we know what all does not count as being spiritual, let’s try to understand what does spiritual mean and how can one attain spiritual growth. Well, to put it simply, being spiritual means to be kind and caring for ourselves, the living beings we know and also for the living being we do not know. Our kindness should not only be reflected through our actions, but through our words and thoughts as well. So, there might be a person who religiously goes to church every day or meditates, but if he does not love himself or his fellow beings, if he is selfish, judgmental or has even a slightest hint of negativity in him, it means that he is not spiritual. More on self improvement.
So, what does spiritual mean? It means to inculcate love, truthfulness, positive thinking, peace, kindness and happiness within ourselves. It means to realize that everybody – all humans, animals, insects, plants and all other living beings are connected to one another. So, if any harm is done, or wished upon on any of these, the others are bound to be affected. That’s why, in order to be spiritual, a person needs to be helping, caring and considerate of others and thus, choose his actions, words and thoughts consciously. You may further go to finding and celebrating spirituality in the mundane.
After understanding what does spiritual mean, one thing you must have realized that spirituality is not something which will come to you in a flash. So, no amount of praying or joining any religious group or Yoga meditation, is going to make you spiritual. Spirituality is something which you choose to be, by being helpful, caring and kind to others. The day you feel that you wish happiness and success to even those whom you once considered your enemies, the day you feel that you have forgiven those who hurt you once, the day you have only kind and good thoughts, that’s when you will be considered spiritual in the true sense.
