Spirituality transcends words, symbols and descriptions; it is something that must be felt, not explained
What do you think spirituality really is? Is it simply following religious teachings word for word, or visiting holy places regularly? Is it spending hours in prayer under a tree and repeating a guru’s mantra? Or, is spirituality merely the practice of traditions, rituals and customs passed down through generations? Spirituality is closer than your breath, yet it is difficult to express in words. It is a direct experience that exists before language and concepts arise. Therefore, it cannot be fully captured through language.
There are countless volumes written on spirituality, yet all of them serve only as pointers, not the reality itself. It is like someone asking you to show the sky and you simply point your finger upward. What they see is only a direction, a small reference, not the vastness of the sky in its totality. In the same way, spiritual teachings can only indicate the path, but spirituality itself is a direct experience that goes beyond words, symbols, and descriptions. It is something to be lived and realized, not fully captured in writing or explanation.
Spirituality is not merely external practice, ritual, or repetition of teachings, but the direct experience of inner inquiry—asking deeply, “Who am I?”, “What is the purpose of my life?”, “Why have I come here?” When Buddha was searching higher truth, he visited many shrines, studied all scriptures available at that time, and also practiced mantra recitation. Yet none of these approaches brought him the realization he was searching for. Finally, he sat in deep meditation under a tree in complete silence. And, the rest is history.
Spirituality does not take you to distant celestial realms. Instead, it guides you inward, toward the deepest core of your own consciousness. This inner reality cannot be reduced to an external or objective experience, because it is the very source from which all experience arises. Spirituality is the path of knowing your essential nature. Great statements proclaim: Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahma) and Tat Tvam Asi (I am That). That ultimate experience comes only through your own efforts, through your own treading the path of spirituality.
Spirituality is older than any scripture or philosophical text, including the teachings of the Vedas and Upanishad
Journey of Self-discovery
Until the outgoing mind becomes deeply occupied with basic queries of existence such as “Who am I”, “why I am here”, “what is the purpose of life” and “Is there any force governing this existence”, the process of self-discovery can’t begin. A mechanical way of living even if it includes religious duties and rituals, it can’t be called spiritual living. Spirituality goes beyond external practices like chanting, rituals or devotional routines. It is an inner experience not just ritualistic or ceremonial activity.
Scriptures and the stories of enlightened beings can only guide and inspire you on the journey of self-discovery. They are like road maps that provide direction and understanding, but they are neither the actual path nor the destination itself. No scripture or teaching can replace personal experience, inner awareness, and direct realization. Spirituality doesn’t believe that wandering through remotest corners of the world is only the path to self-discovery. The real journey begins within your own body, mind and consciousness.
Walking the spiritual path is like birds flying in the open sky. When they fly in the open sky, they leave no footprints or marks in the unseen path that can help others to follow it. There are no fixed paths, trails or footprints to follow. Every seeker must begin his inward journey in his own way, not guided by initiation but by the voice of inner consciousness. In a nutshell, each individual seeker must walk the path alone and discover truth through one’s own inner guide and experience rather than relying on others.
“Every seeker must begin the inward journey just by listening to the voice of inner consciousness.”
Spirituality Has no Religion
There are as many religions as national boundary dividing the world. Religion only divides while spirituality unites. In India alone, there are six major religions officially recognized. There are many religions, many faiths all over the world but spirituality is one. You can’t say that this is Chinese spirituality or Indian spirituality.
That’s the reason although Lao Tzu and Gautama Buddha were born in different times and in different geographical background, yet what they preached in different languages and cultural settings, the essence of their teachings echoes the same truth. The reason is direct that unlike religion, culture or tradition, spirituality is not divided.
Spirituality is vast, boundless and undivided sky while religions are like clouds floating within that space. Clouds may vary in their appearance, size and colour, yet the ground of their existence is same. To understand spirituality through the narrow lens of religion is a futile exercise. Spirituality exists beyond the limitations of divisions and human minds.
Living with Complete Awareness
When the mind is worried, even a day looks like a year. But when the same mind turns calm and fully aware, the whole day can pass like a moment. Time feels different depending on the state of mind. This is also the core message of yoga wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita that when a person becomes balanced and aware, life is lived with peace and joy.
Spirituality is living with waking awareness all the time. Whether you are sitting, walking, eating, resting or reading, you and your ‘Self’ should be united. Then whatever happens or whatever comes in your fold, you remain a witness. When you come to a state where everything happens without causing inner conflict, you are growing spiritually.
At this state, you don’t make an effort to meditate, instead “dhyana” happens on its own. It demands gradual practice of witnessing your thoughts, the gap between the thoughts, and the impact of outer happenings on your inner world. In fact, for a person who lives with complete awareness, there is no difference between outer and inner.
Whatever is happening, let it happen. Don’t obstruct by speaking or trying to change it. The river flows and mountains stand motionless beside it, yet neither interferes with the other. In the same way, observe everything with awareness, as it were a motion picture playing on the universal screen. Whether it is pleasing or disturbing, watch it with full awareness.
Love, Freedom & Karma
The flower of love blooms naturally when touched by the light of spirituality. It is distinct from worldly love, which often rests on fear, doubt and attachment. Love is nothing but living in agreement with nature. Look at any wild creature, whether a bird or a butterfly, they are not competing or rushing to prove themselves. By attuning your consciousness to nature, you learn how taste the essence of life without anxiety, comparison or the need to satisfy your ego to prove yourself.
Spiritual love cares more for others than for individual needs, just as a loving mother cares most for her infant child. When she lifts her baby into the air, the child remains fearless, knowing it is in safe hands.
Spirituality and inner freedom are two wheels of the same cart. In the absence of either of these two, the inward journey is almost impossible. One should not rely on external beliefs, norms and experiences of other awakened beings, but hear your own voice, whenever you found yourself standing at the crossroads.
Many people have the mistaken notion that to attain spirituality, they must renounce the world and retire to a secluded place. The path of spirituality is not separate from ordinary life. Spirituality is as natural as the natural course of the perennial river. But when someone obstructs its natural flow, it binds you and threatens your freedom. In spirituality, when the seeds of love and freedom go deep into your subconscious mind, then your every actions will be divine and in synchronization with the flow of existence.
Living beyond Conflicts
Religion often involves personal choice where you may leave religious paths over time, which can sometimes lead to inner conflict or confusion when beliefs shift. Spirituality, on the other hand, is not based on adopting or rejecting systems. It is rooted in direct inner awareness, where guidance comes from a deeper sense of consciousness. In this state, the mind becomes receptive and aligned with inner clarity, reducing conflict and confusion as it learns to follow a more intuitive and conscious understanding of life.
Spirituality is not confined to worship but the direct experience of feeling connected and recognizing the same essence within oneself and the universe. Conflicts whether inner or outer comes when you make an effort to change the natural course of life. Spirituality encourages faith in the natural flow of life allowing life to unfold while remaining aware and balanced. Remaining unattached to the outer happenings, you create a state of inner peace and living harmoniously in the world.