• Philosophy and Spirituality
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What does it mean to be spiritual?

^
which parts?
;-)
i totally agree with what you said, but, like elephants...and other animals or nature, stars, "simple" theories 'synchronicitic' quirks are commonly represented in many faiths, with a more cultural twist perhaps.


how do you relate?!?
 
To me, it means attributing too much importance to the phenomenal reality (or, reality as-it-appears to us/a person). By too much, I mean a tendency to waffle on about a home-brewed theory of very complex phenomena/difficult issues (i.e. the universe, consciousness, ethics), as opposed to actually reading/listening to people who have dedicated their entire lives to thinking critically about these phenomena/issues.

The word 'spiritual' carries somewhat negative connotations for me. Not as bad as religious, but still pretty bad. Whatever happened to just being really happy that you, of all the possible people who could have won the race to the womb, got the chance to live a life in a chaotic and breathtakingly complex world, yet at the generally best time in history as of yet, living standards-wise?
 
This is how I feel about spirituality as I have experienced it. It may go by another name and the post that follows gives no consideration of the etymology of the word. It is simply my opinion:

I always thought of it as an unfocused and abstract existentialism. And by unfocused its not specifically a god or gods with which our interactions are representations of. There is definitely a sense of communion with nature, somewhat like what I have been led to believe the druids practiced.

Its something like elation when a deer crosses your path, and contentment when a dog rests on your lap, and being humbled by a thunderstorm. I guess its like being with nature rather than manipulating or interacting with it.

When I feel this way its like observing purely with no analysis of what you are watching. You become so engrossed by the majesty of nature that you forget your name and your obligations. You are appreciative of the shade of a tree, and of a kind breeze keeping you cool. You lose your connection to society and your materialistic desires. Its simple and enchanting.

Perfect
 
Thanks everyone for your insight. A lot of interesting viewpoints. The common thread that I see in most responses is some sort of self-awareness, looking within yourself for answers.
 
Spirituality is feeling, or seeking to feel, a subjective connection to a higher power or reality that transcends the mundane world.

This seems like a pretty straightforward definition to me, that pretty much covers all the common ways this term is used. I never understood many people's motivation to attack this word as imprecise, poorly defined, or meaningless. If you're not a spiritual person, that's fine -- just say so. By way of comparison, I am not at all a patriotic person. But I can say this while acknowledging patriotism as a well-defined word for a valid, documented, relatively consistent phenomenon.
 
Thanks everyone for your insight. A lot of interesting viewpoints. The common thread that I see in most responses is some sort of self-awareness, looking within yourself for answers.

Yes, because everyone only thinks they are aware. It hurts to realize everything you know is wrong. People dislike being told that.
 
Yes, because everyone only thinks they are aware. It hurts to realize everything you know is wrong. People dislike being told that.

If everything we know is wrong then how do you know what you said is right.
 
acceptance of the other side of the sciences.

the evaluation of self, in, amongst and of all.

i totally agree with what you said, but, like elephants...and other animals or nature, stars, "simple" theories 'synchronicitic' quirks are commonly represented in many faiths, with a more cultural twist perhaps.

^^ To deny spirituality and adore scientific inquiry seems to be merely playing into the exact binary that needs to be dissolved ;)

It's not a play on opposites at all, but a spectrum that encompasses the illusory polarity and everything in between :)

Spirituality is feeling, or seeking to feel, a subjective connection to a higher power or reality that transcends the mundane world.

^I have to agree with this too, and would add that people arrive to it in different ways.

When I feel this way its like observing purely with no analysis of what you are watching..... Its simple and enchanting.

Also this :)
 
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^
Binary; ReFinary: Finally !
lol
;-)


Puts Gam back in pocket.
{{ {22x22} }}


<3 Along with that¡
=D
 
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A spiritual person is someone who is filled with the Spirit-Eg God.. Its a relationship much like a marriage and a mystical union mirrored by sex.
If God is in you and the relationship is in order, eg there is an emptying, humbling or
submission, Love will be expressed freely, honestly and in a non contrived way.
 
for me, spirituality is a deep appreciation of the natural world.

sometimes just walking in the park and seeing the animals and the plants and thinking about the unbelievably complex biological reactions going on, or looking up at space and thinking about black holes and galaxies or thinking about atoms and the quantum world just gives me an overwhelming feeling of pure love and beauty.
 
I think we are complete when we are praising God and His creation. Pouring out gratitude, devotion and adoration.. This is real ecstasy
 
"spiritual" - derived from the latin term "spiritus" - and therefore originated before monotheism.
originally, it was used to refer to the "soul" or "subconsciousness" ie the psyche, seperate from our physical selves.
lt literally comes from "spirare" meaning "breathe" plus the verb action "..itus" - ie "breathing"/"to breathe" or "the action of breath".
breathing represents something different from concious mind and physical body, we dont actively control our breathing, and especially before scientific explanation its easy to view the part in control of this function as a kind of inner "spirit".

now the term is ambiguous to say the least.
personally, as a rationalist, logical thinker, athiest, skeptic and myth buster I avoid the term entirely.
for me it carries too much meaningless ambiguity, and is most often (i didnt say always!) used by the kind of "new age" hippy, for want of a better term.
what i mean is it most commonly is used by the uneducated or "faith" adopting individual, ie the non-empirical, non enquiring rationalist who believes in the paranormal, or believes without evidence or the need for it. usually it accompanies psychedelic cliche, a mish mash of misunderstood and conflicting ideologies, spiritual healing, crystals, homeopathy, psychics, auras, and other such delusions and for this reason I cant stand the term.
MOST irritatingly and most commonly the self proclaimed "spiritual" (yuck) folks i refer to are the kind who spout such nonsense as "evolution is only a theory" - fuck! yes a scientificly proven "theory" ie a "fact".
much like the "theory" of relativity.
or the "theory" of gravity!
hopefully these people feel the same way about the theory of gravity and might just float the fuck away!
of course this is based upon my experience and IMHO only.

altruism is not spiritual, neither is being sensitive, compassionate, emotionally in tune, self aware, or holding an innate wonder of the natural world and the beauty of the nature of things.
I believe I am all of the above.
However, usually i find the term "spiritual" to be used by the inarticulate or those devoid of an eloquent command of English, slapped in place of a more descriptive, accurate and specific adjective.
of course, before i get flamed, this is a subjective viewpoint, a personal dislike for the word and its connotations based upon the majority of those I have encountered.

actually I made a track VERY relevant to this subject, which somes up the kind of "spiritual" individuals im referring to.
Well worth a listen if you are a rationalist, or skeptic, or generally someone who has the common sense to view the emprical evidence and educate themselves before adopting a half-baked faith-based belief system.

http://soundcloud.com/bigman-productions/the-storm

or remix By wicked fretmaster, felow bluelighter and top geezer "Nomy" made in the non-electronic music forum - thread entitled "making music with fellow bluelighters"

http://soundcloud.com/liquidmuse/storm-latest-full-mix
 
Hard question to answer - my guess is that it is about the way you feel and how that makes you act.
By this I'd like to think that the values applied to actions are consistent with a viewpoint you truly hold within yourself.
I don't think spiritual values have to be about peace & love, they can be about destruction.
Anarchism is a spiritual value to some people I believe.
I think it easy to hold false values - I do it all the time.
At the end of the day it is really about you answering to yourself about why you do what you do - not what society wants not what your delusions want you to want to be but who you truly are - a perilous journey perhaps & almost certainly an unexpected destination - destination point could be termed as the first opportunity to exercise freewill.
It's an individual matter in the end.

A life in search of the authentic self: a perilous journey indeed.
 
Sometimes I wonder if the self in itself is God, and the ego is a trick to make us think we are separate. This would mean the self is universal and we're all just wearing masks.
 
To me its like this:
Religion is concepts that you believe in and spirituality is how you follow through with them.
 
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