Most spiritual journeys begin with self-realisation. There is a pronounced difference between being spiritual and being religious. You can be religious or spiritual and even both. In essence, the two are different and markedly so. To be religious is to follow the principles, dictates, tenets and ethos of the religion you’ve embraced. It is about studying and following customs, rituals and prayers prescribed in the holy texts. The essence of true religion is to learn, imbibe and prosper, as a result of the wisdom and guidance of its teachings. To promote devotion, morality and religious sentiment is the goal of most religions. However, these days religion has become simply the utterance of words without any real understanding of these – we’ve forgotten the practice of religion in its essence.

Spirituality is more about an individual’s choice – you are not born into a spiritual sect or faith. Spirituality is the language of your soul, it involves the recognition of a feeling or belief that something greater than yourself exists to essentially bring us together as a part of the whole that is divine in nature. Spirituality springs from a deep–rooted yearning to be connected to something bigger than ourselves in the broad scheme of things. It is the desire to learn more, perhaps your place in this universe, your role as a human… what drives the world, how are you a part of it all and most importantly, how can you help make this life more meaningful in all your myriad roles, varied connections and intimate relationships?

If these are a few questions you have been asking yourself recently, then you have set foot on the path to a spiritual awakening. Spirituality is a broad concept with room for eclectic perspectives, but it is undoubtedly a universal experience that touches us all at some point in our lives. For some, spirituality has been an experience as sacred or transcendent as an epiphany, evoking deep feelings of aliveness and interconnectedness. Some have described it as energy surging into every fibre of their being connecting one to that large circuitry of life. You are left changed, charged and purer for it and from it. Life as you know it, changes. It’s like absorbing wisdom and knowing every truth prevailed upon humans since time immemorial. It’s a deeper understanding within your grasp. Spirituality is calmness, a sense of peace within – in the knowledge that there is a deeper truth, far more relevant and significant than anything we seek in life in our pursuit of perfection, happiness and success.

Spirituality is a state of being. It is not yielded through practices, chants, prayers or rituals. It simply stems from within. For anyone who has gone through trauma, suffering and adversities in life seeking answers to the “why me?” question invariably leads one onto a spiritual path. The three types of karma may explain it as the law of cause and effect or you may hold on to your belief of dharma – that all-inclusive term used to mean righteousness, morality, religion, responsibility and duty. Numerous books state that your life and your destiny are basically within your grasp, accentuating the power of manifestation by positive affirmations. But, immaterial of your path or the answers you seek, the questions remain the same… we all are drawn to that one goal of understanding and reaffirming our place in this Universe.

 Our spirituality is essentially the spirit in which we live, work and process the world we live in. It is based on an evolving conscious relationship with self, others, the world, and the awareness of all these connected on some or multiple level. It could be enlightenment at a single unique moment in time for some. It could be a process evolving over time for others seeking to comprehend their true place, meaning and purpose in life. It may be different for different people – some associate it with religion, some with personality. But no matter what, it is a consistently emerging phenomenon for most at different times and places in their lives.

 It is a perennial search for all human identity. True spirituality is the cornerstone of our emotional wellness and gives us the ability to love wholly. It is true compassion, sympathy, forgiveness understanding and peace. Spirituality permits you to love and live in kindness. It is to forgive any trespass, even those that have wronged us in order to let go. By spirituality we learn to distance ourselves from negative influences and toxic feelings. It is truly the essence of the soul. It can replace inner darkness, feelings of unworthiness and emptiness about us and others. It is essentially inner science or inner engineering to help us lead the best life we truly deserve. Spirituality elevates us to a place beyond our five senses and human comprehension. When you cease to live only by the physical and material, you learn to live by the divinity and true nature of being. Spirituality leaps where negativity ceases. The only temple that matters is the one within you!