The type of spirituality which I refer to is actually the one which is concerned with happiness and inner meaning -- a concept driven on by many of life's ''see-things-in-another-perspective'' people, who host their antidotes upon what man has cooked up for himself. In this cliched case: Suffering. Mostly, its suffering that roots from greed, and this greed manifests in the various expressions and behaviours which man can deliever. The most common example would be the man who has everything and sets a goal to make a first million at 30. He does it, and then goes on to make the second million. The third, the fourth... so on, until the story hits the climax of him realising that there is no point. Perhaps the moral of the irony of being slave to the wealth is presented in the tale as well. In any case, such situations -which are percieved by them as a resultant due to greed- gives spirituality a chance to remedy it through a formula of desire elimination. A simple concept, expounded on into a cure for the 'meaninglessness'.

What this concept also consists of, is destorying your sense of fuliment. The arguement is derived from the 'needs are simpler, wants are complex' theory, and affirms upon the stance that our desire for things, our labelization of value for objects -- all these cause the pain. This is also seen in terms of spirituality, whereby a 'desire' exists in whichever medium we go seek spiritual tidbits. Notice, the concept expects that spirtuality is a form of fuilment-- in the sense that it requests an elimination of the infused expectation of something when we go to recieve that spiritual tidbit. Greed, exists in that area, and in order for true happiness of be rationalised, one must destroy all traces of it.

Such a 'spirtuality', is very different from a 'religion'. Although both concepts are similar in the way that they concern the human style of life, what 'spirituality' affects is the philosophy of one brought forth by his assumptions of how a better existance can be fufilled. A 'religion' differs from this as it instills a philosophy in accordance to the truths of its framework into one's perspective, and whether or not a better existence is to be achieved remains as just another factor in the surrounding molecules, getting ready to be bombared by the installation of that faith. Getting 'fufilment' in religion and achieving 'fufilment' in spirituality are very different things. Religion means following and believing. Spirituality consists only acceptance and practising.

Why is meaning and purpose also common elements that show themeselves frequently in 'spirituality' then? Unless, there is a different form of spirituality - as in to say, similar defination(qualities cum requirements) but different idealogy- that tells one what to expect and what to do, and therefore go forth to achieve the desirable end, sprituality does not really cover that. Answers are not given in spirituality, only solutions are given. The same stament can apply for religion, as much as I can say a solution is provided in religion, but some answers are not there. Although of course, the spiritual perspective seems to eliminate that desire for the answers. Both spirituality and religion, could be said to be involved together, in terms of intersections or subsets. But at the rate by which society is equating religion and religious experiences to bear the same fruits in terms of spirituality... perhaps, it should be looked at by another perspective.

Its interesting to note though, 'spiritual' originated from latin - spiritus, meaing of wind or of breath.


"Your words are strong, but your spirit is weak."
"... their only tools. A tool has no power without the spirit."
"And your spirit is weak."
--- random sayings of Locke in battle, Final Fighting Fantasy: Gaiden- Chapter 3

---

_Past

June 2004
July 2004
August 2004
September 2004
October 2004
November 2004
December 2004
January 2005
February 2005
March 2005
April 2005
May 2005
June 2005
July 2005
August 2005
September 2005
October 2005
November 2005
December 2005
January 2006
February 2006
March 2006
April 2006
May 2006
June 2006
July 2006
August 2006
September 2006
October 2006
November 2006
December 2006
January 2007
February 2007
March 2007
May 2007
June 2007
July 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
December 2007
February 2008
March 2008
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
July 2008
August 2008
September 2008
October 2008
November 2008
December 2008
January 2009
February 2009
March 2009
April 2009
May 2009
June 2009
July 2009

---