Spirituality means many things to many people. Answering the question of “what is spirituality” for yourself is an important step in your lifelong process of discovery.

To be honest, you don’t need to become an expert in terminology to enjoy a life of meaning and fulfillment. The words are just pointers and tools you can use to uncover your personal direction.

So this article is only one possible answer to the question of “what is spirituality?” If these words resonate with your heart, expand upon them; if not, move on and find something else that feels right to you.

True spirituality has nothing to do with religious practice. The observance of specific belief systems, honoring of certain holy days & customs, and living by a set code of conduct are not spiritual pursuits in and of themselves.

These and other things can be part of an individual’s overall spirituality. But group values systems and traditional behaviors are no more spiritual than political affiliations or loyalty to a college football team.

Spirituality is a very personal matter. And it’s completely experiential, meaning it must be experienced before it can be fully understood.

Having said all this, what’s left to answer? I’ve carried on for half a page about what spirituality is not; so what is it then?

Spirituality is a basic awareness of higher consciousness, and an allowing of the present moment to be what it is.

I could refine this statement by saying: one is spiritual when he or she is aware of a collective, creative consciousness that operates beyond the ego mind. Also, spiritual living involves the practice of being mindful in the moment, and allowing the now to take on a life of its own beyond individual desires to shape events.

This statement is intentionally open for interpretation. While I’ve captured the essence of what I believe spirituality to be, I have refrained from providing a definition heavy with my own personal preferences.

When you know intelligence exists beyond the part of your mind “containing” your identity and personal sense of self, you are being spiritual. When you say “yes” to the present moment, allowing the senses to perceive what they will and making no effort to control what is with your own preference and prejudice, you are being spiritual.

Knowing a great intelligence exists, but making no effort to label it in a way that comforts you, is an act of wisdom. It takes great fortitude to be content with the idea of not necessarily understanding or controlling the world around you.

Also being completely alert in the present moment, rather than hiding from yourself in thoughts of the past and future, requires a steadfast nature. Humanity is not afraid of its alleged weakness and frailty; rather, we are afraid of our own incredible power, thus we hide our faces from it by living in the past and the future most of our lives.

It’s not my intention to slander religion. But I am compelled to warn that many faiths were developed to crush the spiritual nature of their followers.

People are often outraged by any definition of spirituality that omits the vengeful, all-knowing god who exists to protect and punish them. It’s a bizarre phenomenon, and it’s the result of centuries of conditioning and brainwash.

By all means take this article as my opinion. But it’s an opinion based on life experience and an honest search for the truth.

I make no effort to appease the values of others or to detract from another’s point of view. And it’s my sincere hope that I have at least planted the seed of an answer that can be harvested by those who are seeking.



By: Aaron Whiston

About the Author:

In this article we will discuss when such type of activities can be regarded as spiritual practice and help in spiritual growth. 



To understand this article better please refer to SSRF articles on - Karma yoga, Destiny and willful action, Destiny and rule of give and take.

Example profiles of charity workers

 

These humanitarians may be engaged in charity work on a full time basis or could be as a once a year activity such as a once a year donation. By humanitarians we mean people working towards advancing the well being of humanity as a whole either by providing monetary benefit or by giving of themselves in some form or the other.

Adopting a child in a developing country Donating to a charitable or non-profit organization working towards promoting human welfare A surgeon giving his services free-of-charge for a certain period every year to people who cannot afford healthcare Working as a volunteer with under-privileged or handicapped children Working in the field with famine victims in a continent like Africa

Why is it important for charity workers to do their charity work as spiritual practice?

 

The manifestations of benefits of spiritual practice and the resultant spiritual growth are: 

An increases tolerance for adversity and resultant unhappiness A balanced state of mind across ups and downs of life Lasting personality development Insulation from destiny Bliss Liberation from the cycle of birth and death

 

What is spiritual growth from the perspective of Path of Action or Karma yoga? 

People involved in charity work as spiritual practice follow the Path of Action or Karma yoga. However in brief, whenever a person does an action (karma), he either gets merits or demerits depending on the nature of the action. If a person is involved with charity work then he would gain merits from this action. He would also create a give-and-take account with the people for whom he is serving. However both merits and demerits keep us trapped in the cycle of birth and death.

However as one matures on the Path of Action or Karma Yoga one continues to perform good deeds; but does so with lesser and lesser doer ship and attachment to the action and expectation of the results. This finally culminates in a zero ego state where though one does the action but does not consider oneself the doer. As one begins to identify less and less with one’s actions one goes beyond merits and demerits and is liberated from the cycle of birth and death.

If one had to choose between just earning merits versus spiritual growth, spiritual growth far outweighs earning of merits as it burns one’s destiny and accumulated account (sanchit). It’s only through spiritual growth that we gain a superlative happiness known as Bliss and also liberation from the cycle of birth and death.. 

What does the average charity worker doing his work as spiritual practice gain at a spiritual level? 

At the first stage there is some reduction in the ego of the charity worker just by the act of giving of himself for others. This is because thinking about the benefit of others itself reduces the focus on oneself, i.e. one’s five senses, mind and intellect.

When does charity work become spiritual practice and fuel spiritual growth?

 

Charity work becomes spiritual practice when it is done with a close watch on whether the following is happening within oneself at progressively enhanced levels: 

Reduction of one’s ego Reduction of one’s doership Reduction of one’s attachment to any activity and yet doing it with perfection without expectation of results Reduction of one’s personality defects, such as anger, pride, greed, etc. Enhancing one’s qualities An over-arching point is that there needs to be regular increment in the above perspectives for it to be considered as spiritual practice.

Summery

 People who fit into the above-mentioned profiles can keep these perspectives while making donations – do I remember my donation often, do I feel like mentioning my donation to my friends, do I feel I should be looked upon, do I get thoughts like –I donated more than my friend did etc or while working for famine victims does he think – do I feel that I am needed, do I get frustrated if there is no change in the lives of famine victims, do I feel hurt when famine victims do not make changes as per my directives etc.

More at:

Charity



By: Sean M. Clarke

About the Author:

In times long forgotten, people depended on intuition and psychic abilities to understand and operate in their world. The miracles of modern life - science and technology - have made our lives easier in many ways, but they have also created a barrier between our minds and our innate intuitive powers. That barrier has also cut us off from our inner spiritual core and energy. They’re still there, but we can’t seem to access them without great effort.

Spiritual development and psychic self-defense are the antidote to modern life. We no longer have to accept modern stress and conflict into our minds and hearts. We no longer have to fall victim to the negative energies and influences that surround us every day. We can protect ourselves.

Each of us has an inner spiritual center and energy that radiate from our bodies in what is called the aura. Our aura reflects our general condition - the combination of our physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual state. People who are healthy, happy, and optimistic radiate strong bright aura, while people who are ill, unhappy, and pessimistic have weak dark auras. Like people, auras interact. Negative people can actually drain the energy and aura of positive people.

How do people lose their spiritual connection?

This world is full of unhealthy distractions. Over-emphasis on wealth and material possessions crowds out our sense of our own divinity. We forget that we are spiritual beings and join the race for things, for prestige, and for worldly power. For most of us, this pursuit is a losing proposition. We can never have enough money, enough things, or enough status. Over time, our natural positive nature is overcome by disappointment, anger, and even violence. In the end, the person who has lost his way finds him- or herself in despair and misery.

People in this state are vulnerable to negative energies and influences from outside. They fall into a downward spiral that is difficult, if not impossible, to escape. They begin to emit negative energy and to drain positive energies around them. This process usually happens at a subconscious level. No one sets out to be unhappy or negative. But once the negative energies dominate, some people do consciously engage in unhealthy, even evil, pursuits. Thus, we see a resurgence of the occult, paranormal hobbies, and experiments with the black arts.

How do people find their spiritual connection?

It is possible to eliminate negative energy from our lives and to become healthy positive people with the ability to defend ourselves from negative energies and influences. The process for doing this is spiritual development. It involves reducing and eliminating our own negative energies and replacing them with positive, spiritually-based energies.

The first step in this process is introspection. By identifying those aspects of our thoughts and emotions that are negative - anger, envy, sloth, and lust, we begin a journey to self-awareness. Becoming self-aware, we are able to identify and nurture our positive energies and emotions - joy, hope, compassion, and enthusiasm. As our spirit grows, our aura gets stronger, and we are able to fend off drains on our energy. We are able to maintain a strong, healthy aura. And we are able to share that positive energy with others.

Part of the discovery process involves freeing suppressed abilities like intuition and telepathy. We are born with these abilities, but we learn very early not to use them because they fly in the face of modern “rational” thought. We are embarrassed or shamed until we lose touch with them completely. They are important to restoring our spiritual connection, and our efforts at spiritual development will help us bring these repressed abilities to the surface where they become part of our psychic self-defense arsenal.

There are many things we can do to promote spiritual development and strength the aura. First and foremost is meditation. It takes time to learn how to meditate, and it can be very frustrating at first. But adopting a practice of daily meditation is the single best way to open your spirit and release hidden innate abilities. It quiets the mind, relaxes the body, and helps us through the introspective process. Practiced over long periods, meditation makes us more energetic, healthier, and better able to recognize and avoid potentially dangerous negative influences.

Other techniques also promote positive spiritual development: yoga, color therapy, naturopathy, laughter therapy, and frequent exposure to nature. Each of them helps get us in touch with our inner spiritual core and build positive thought patterns and energies. This, in turn, strengthens our aura and creates a psychic self-defense barrier between us and negative energies.

Living a healthier lifestyle is critical to spiritual development. It is important to eat a healthy balanced diet, to exercise, to stimulate the mind, and to build healthy relationships. With these goals, you can identify many activities that make you a stronger, more spiritually fit human being.



By: Abhishek Agarwal

About the Author:

You go to church every Sunday and you say your prayers every day. Does this mean you are a spiritual person?

No.

You practice yoga and meditate every day. Does this mean you are a spiritual person?

No.

You belong to spiritual group and are devoted to following the teachings of the group. Does this mean you are a spiritual person?

No.

What, then, does it mean to be a spiritual person?

Being a spiritual person is synonymous with being a person whose highest priority is to be loving to oneself and others. A spiritual person cares about people, animals, and the planet. A spiritual person knows that we are all one, and consciously attempts to honor this oneness. A spiritual person is a kind person.

So, you can go to church every Sunday and say your prayers every day, without caring about loving yourself, others and the planet. You can practice yoga and meditate every day without being conscious of what is loving and what is not loving in your thoughts and actions. You can belong to a spiritual group and devotedly follow the teachings, yet still be judgmental toward yourself and others in your daily life.

There are many people who do not practice a religion, who do not meditate, pray or belong to any group, who are very spiritual people. These people naturally do caring things for others. They think about how they can help. Their thoughts are kind rather than judgmental toward themselves and toward others. When you look at them, you see their kindness in their eyes.

There are many religious people who are anything but kind. We all know of religious people who are extremely judgmental, righteous, and outright mean. Can you be both religious and spiritual? Of course! But only when you are operating in your religion from your heart rather than from the learned dogma of your mind.

Years ago I very briefly attended a “spiritual” group. People would meet in an auditorium to hear the leader of the group speak. The second time I attended I heard a number of parents yelling at their children and judging them to try to control them. These parents were being anything but kind with their children. That was the last time I attended the spiritual group. The focus of the group was surrender to God, but love was rarely in the picture! They obviously had a very different experience of God than I did.

My experience of God is that God is the energy of Love that created us and sustains us. In my experience, “God is Spirit” (John 4:24) and “God is love” (1 John 4:16). Anything that is not of love, peace, joy, truth and kindness is not of God. Praying to God does not mean that you are allowing the spirit that is God - the love, peace, joy, truth and kindness that is God - to guide your thoughts and actions. Practicing yoga or meditating does not mean that you have invited the love that is God into your heart, or that you are turning to that ever-present love to learn about what is in your highest good, and the highest good of others and the planet.

If you want to be a spiritual person, then let kindness be your guiding light - kindness toward yourself, toward others, toward animals, and toward this beautiful planet that is our home. Recognize that we all have the spark of love that is God within us, and learn to honor that love so that you can know and experience the Oneness of all that is.



By: Margaret Paul, Ph.d.

About the Author:

From: Amit Goswami

I started writing this article on Oct 10, 2005. According to the Hindu Calendar this is a very auspicious day of pooja offering to the Goddess Durga, the divine mother. It reminded me of the spiritual culture that was India, a spiritual culture in which I myself grew up. But now India is undergoing deep changes in its socio-cultural fabric. Materialism is coming to India in a major way along with the highly touted economic growth. Can Indian spirituality survive this materialist affront let alone guide the rest of the world in its spiritual future?

My wife, Uma, and I for many years have taken groups of Westerners to spiritual journeys in India. And we have noticed changes, very serious changes in Indian spirituality during this period. When we started, there were many places of India where we could take our group to get a glimpse of what it means to live in a spiritual culture. The biggest change that we have seen in these years is that now there may be only two or three major places left in the entire sub-continent where such a glimpse is available. In most places, temples and ashrams notwithstanding, spirituality has been commercialized, quite unable to thwart the onslaught of tourism and vices of material affluence and global economics. From this perspective, the spiritual future of India, like that of the rest of the world, does not look very bright.

At first sight, it may also seem that we should blame everything on capitalism–American style, globalization and all that. But I submit this would be a short-sighted conclusion. I submit all that is taking place in India and in the West right now is a part of an evolutionary movement of consciousness–East-West integration.

Integrating East and West

In early last century, we would have seen the conflict of science and spirituality as one between West and East. The Western cultures ignored the spiritual and the Eastern cultures ignored the material–the domain of science. The poet Rudyard Kipling wrote:

East is East, and West is West

And the twain shall never meet.

And this was true then. West was already a scientific culture, but the Easterners stubbornly held on to their spiritual cultures and it seemed they would never budge. Of course, many people still believe that this is so. Alas! The East is now also rapidly giving way to a materialist culture.

From: Amit Goswami

Eastern spirituality fundamentally professes oneness of consciousness and spirituality was a way of life for Easterners. But in the Western old science, consciousness is assumed to be brain-based, to be individual by nature, and to be conditioned (via biological and socio-cultural evolution) to operate on the survival of the fittest kind of competitive individual mode.

But rapid change is under way. A brain-based consciousness conflicts in a major unsolvable manner with quantum physics. So science is undergoing a paradigm shift. In this new paradigm, the Eastern model of oneness of consciousness is found to be the right way to think about consciousness. Thus this paradigm is paving the way for an integration of science and spirituality, of modern West and the old East.

There is another subtle conflict between the Eastern and the Western approach to life. Easterners, by and large, consider spirituality as the goal of their lives. It is believed that the individual “soul” (a deeper level of conscious identity beyond the ego of one life) reincarnates many times. Only when the soul learns the secret of its spiritual being of oneness…



By: Jason Wilson

About the Author:

From: Amit Goswami

I started writing this article on Oct 10, 2005. According to the Hindu Calendar this is a very auspicious day of pooja offering to the Goddess Durga, the divine mother. It reminded me of the spiritual culture that was India, a spiritual culture in which I myself grew up. But now India is undergoing deep changes in its socio-cultural fabric. Materialism is coming to India in a major way along with the highly touted economic growth. Can Indian spirituality survive this materialist affront let alone guide the rest of the world in its spiritual future?

My wife, Uma, and I for many years have taken groups of Westerners to spiritual journeys in India. And we have noticed changes, very serious changes in Indian spirituality during this period. When we started, there were many places of India where we could take our group to get a glimpse of what it means to live in a spiritual culture. The biggest change that we have seen in these years is that now there may be only two or three major places left in the entire sub-continent where such a glimpse is available. In most places, temples and ashrams notwithstanding, spirituality has been commercialized, quite unable to thwart the onslaught of tourism and vices of material affluence and global economics. From this perspective, the spiritual future of India, like that of the rest of the world, does not look very bright.

At first sight, it may also seem that we should blame everything on capitalism–American style, globalization and all that. But I submit this would be a short-sighted conclusion. I submit all that is taking place in India and in the West right now is a part of an evolutionary movement of consciousness–East-West integration.

Integrating East and West

In early last century, we would have seen the conflict of science and spirituality as one between West and East. The Western cultures ignored the spiritual and the Eastern cultures ignored the material–the domain of science. The poet Rudyard Kipling wrote:

East is East, and West is West

And the twain shall never meet.

And this was true then. West was already a scientific culture, but the Easterners stubbornly held on to their spiritual cultures and it seemed they would never budge. Of course, many people still believe that this is so. Alas! The East is now also rapidly giving way to a materialist culture.

From: Amit Goswami

Eastern spirituality fundamentally professes oneness of consciousness and spirituality was a way of life for Easterners. But in the Western old science, consciousness is assumed to be brain-based, to be individual by nature, and to be conditioned (via biological and socio-cultural evolution) to operate on the survival of the fittest kind of competitive individual mode.

But rapid change is under way. A brain-based consciousness conflicts in a major unsolvable manner with quantum physics. So science is undergoing a paradigm shift. In this new paradigm, the Eastern model of oneness of consciousness is found to be the right way to think about consciousness. Thus this paradigm is paving the way for an integration of science and spirituality, of modern West and the old East.

There is another subtle conflict between the Eastern and the Western approach to life. Easterners, by and large, consider spirituality as the goal of their lives. It is believed that the individual “soul” (a deeper level of conscious identity beyond the ego of one life) reincarnates many times. Only when the soul learns the secret of its spiritual being of oneness…



By: Jason Wilson

About the Author:

Spirituality is a weapon; a human heart that has realized its own nature and cultivated his or her heart has a weapon that is at hand wherever he or she goes. What ever life throws at them they are safe; they know how to utilize the force of spiritually cultivated heart. Regardless of the spiritual path one has chosen in this journey, spiritual feelings in a human heart is a weapon it is universal, it is loving, it is compassionate it is kind and all the good morals, that a human being can possess.

Spiritual hearts are like a garden where by you can grow all the beautiful desired morals, spirituality is like water, which is offered to a lost thirsty person who is wondering in endless hot desert. It is like a pot of endless wealth which rids all poverty. It is like a mother who protects all her offspring’s. It is like a magical lamp where you get your souls, most inner desires fulfilled. Spiritual hearts are like a rose which puts out its eternally beautiful scented fragrance. Spirituality is like a lighthouse to bring in lost ships back to the shores of love and compassion.

Spirituality is like a wish fulfilling star. Spirituality is like weapon in your heart to conquer the enemy called doubts. Spirituality is like protecting armor to shield a human from suffering. It is a weapon to slice all kind s of attacks of wrong thoughts. It is like a gardeners hand which pulls out the weeds of arrogance. It is like a life buoy to grab when lost in stormy oceans. Spirituality is a temple of love which by everyone is welcomed and invited. Spirituality doesn’t give much importance of persons outside shell rather the inside where your spirit resides. Spirit which is within you is like a giant that wants to be awakened to swim to the shores of eternal love. Spirituality is like food for our souls, it nourishes all the good qualities we might obtain. Awakened heart is like a fruit on the tree of life. Spirituality is like a musical instrument which plays the tunes of heavenly melodies right here on earth. Spirituality is an axe which cuts the tree called doubt.

Spirituality is a weapon of choice for spiritual hearts all over the world. Spiritually minded hearts know the importance of spirituality. It unites everyone; it binds all living beings in unbreakable chain called love and respect. No doubt we are fortunate to have been given the gift of life, where we get to feel love, where we get to share our souls with others by caring for the welfare of others.

Every human being has the ability also option, to follow the path of spirituality. When we look at our history we come to realize all the spiritual masters of our history reminded us to place importance of spirituality. Time and time again all over the world throughout history there were those who brought forth teachings of highest order. There is no point to judge the path of fellow human friends. Because it doesn’t matter which road we take to climb the mountain of life, on top the view will be the same. And which ever teachings it may be that is brought before mankind, never in any ancient scriptures does it mention to wrong fellow human friends of other faiths or spiritual beliefs, (study carefully and you will realize this fact)

Spiritually cultivated hearts know the oneness of us humans, and they have a weapon at will, to call upon when ever life overwhelms them. Being spiritual is a need for many human beings to give meaning to the universe we find ourselves wondering about. In the kingdom called thinking where reason and logic interact, if they interact enough then this interaction gives birth to wisdom, and the wisdom will know to love and respect eternity.



By: tolga savas

About the Author:

Spirituality – Creating Connections Beyond the Physical



http://www.yallways.com

Spirituality refers to a person’s perspective on the world and the nature of existence. This concept is frequently tied to religious faith, but spiritual belief can exist without reference to a higher deity. A person’s spiritual beliefs extend beyond time and matter. They encompass philosophical ideas beyond the material, worldly realm. However, this is inevitably a subjective realm. Spirituality is an individual perspective, which each person must define for his or her own self.

Ultimately, spirituality refers to a perceived connection. This connection can take many forms. For some, spirituality means connecting with the natural world. Such persons believe their lives and purpose as intricately tied to the Earth. Other spiritual views center on a connection to a metaphysical realm. This may refer to a religious ideology or a transcendent emotional experience. Manifestations of such spiritual belief are often associated with meditation or other altered mental states. Some simply refer to spirituality as a connection to a greater energy force. This force can either exist within an individual or in some external realm the individual seeks to enter.

There are several common elements of spirituality, which exist across numerous cultures and belief systems. For example, the idea that each person travels a spiritual path to reach some enlightened or perfected status is accepted by many traditions. To succeed on this philosophical journey, a person must follow certain behavioral norms and adhere to a moral code. Additionally, many believe the spiritual world can only be reached after some break with the physical world. Thus, common spiritual practices include the symbolic or literal disposal of material possessions and worldly ties.

For some, spirituality is also inherently tied to physical wellbeing. In fact, there is some evidence to suggest that spiritual practices, such as meditation or prayer, can influence a person’s health. However, due to its esoteric nature, spirituality seems beyond empirical study. Thus, spiritual issues do not often mesh with scientific discovery. However, this has not stopped some researchers from attempting to reconcile the two. Most notably, perhaps, is Ken Wilber who proposed the “Integral Theory of Consciousness,” which seeks to explain the universe through both the scientific principles of physics and spiritualism.

Some researchers have moved beyond human spirituality and sought to uncover whether animals have spiritual experiences. Most notably, studies of chimpanzees have shown that these primates participate in displays of mourning, love, empathy, and curiosity. This indicates they are capable of “higher” emotions, and could possess some level of spirituality. Building on this information, researchers have suggested that human spirituality began prior to the evolution of modern, homo sapien man.

Spirituality is something that each and every human experiences on some level. It can not be strictly defined or studies. However, it has fascinated people for millennia and continues to play an integral role in the human experience.



By: John W. Martin

About the Author:

We each have a goal of perfection, as it is personal, spiritual perfection. There is an existing witness of that goal, here on the earth, a witness of its achievement. Only God can create such perfection, and only God can place a witness of that perfection here on the earth.

The Bible portrays spiritual perfection as being the highest attainment by which human growth is governed and predicated here on earth. It is not easy to find clear definitions of humanity’s highest spiritual priorities but if we review the Bible under the open heavens prophetic anointing we see that when people know God intimately we have only one dominant ambition, one all consuming desire, and that is to become as we are in our domain like Him as he is in his heavenly personality perfection, and in his domain of righteous supremacy. The Father of all the heaven of heavens and the universe of universes, who inhabits absolute unquestionable perfection in all eternity and infinity, has spoken a single and supreme mandate to all beings:

Be you perfect, even as I am perfect.

Many Christians and non-Christians that I have met have told me, “Well, I never really took that for real. I don’t even know what that stuff about perfection actually that means. I never saw one preacher or priest living up to that command and so I thought it was just something for heaven later on. And it seemed to me that the highest church authorities thought that too.”

So I’m just letting you know now.

From the highest source, from the first source of authority, the first source of love, the only source of perfection, there issues a gravity, a drawing power upon us, which is pure, unadulterated, infinite and personal perfection. It is a perfection that is perfect for each individual at the vast array of different stages of growth.

It doesn’t matter where we are—here on earth or in the lower heavens into which we will be resurrected at death, or in the heart of the heaven of heavens in the infinity of the Father Himself—we always live in a condition of having qualified as perfect according to the standard in that domain immediately below us, yet imperfect in the domain of our current citizenship. This is because for we are eternally, manifesting greater and greater spiritual perfection, unendingly. God’s glory is eternal, infinite and totally unlimited. It is into the Father’s glory that we are growing and finding our perfection. Scripture clearly reflects this reality.

THE BIBLE ON PERFECTION

If we have a look at what the Bible says on the call to perfection,  we find it here in Matthew 5:48.  Jesus said, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

You can have a look at any of the other sayings that he said also, such as: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. But that appeal to us is less than the command “Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

“Take this bread, take this wine. Drink of my blood and eat of my body.” This too is less than, “Be you perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

If you scour the entire Bible and look at all the concepts, and all of the sayings of Jesus, only one of them is the highest concept. And that is, “Be perfect, as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

THE FATHER’S SPIRITUAL PERFECTION IS THE HIGHEST CONCEPT

If we look into the Bible it raises up as the highest concept ‘being perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.’

I have preached that concept and that practice and that grace in western countries, in Africa, in China, in India, in Scandinavia, in the Baltic countries and in Mexico. It’s the highest value.

You’ll find that you can preach on God’s perfection very easily. I remember preaching on that down in the

Abossi Glory Church in the Maasai Mara of south west Kenya. The Christian people in that church there all related to it, despite their almost complete lack of previous bible study, and they all loved it.

We humans all want perfection. Underneath it all, underneath all our differences and our struggles and our plain old grubby human-ness, we pretty much all want God and His perfection to be our own. We pretty much all want to be a blessing and not just be blessed.

We pretty much all want to be a supplier of God’s goodness, and not just a consumer of it. We pretty much all want to fly on the wings of spiritual eagles rather than peck around the ground like fleshly chickens.

There’s another statement about God’s perfection. Jesus said to a man who wanted to be his apostle and get a taste of all the wondrous things the apostles were doing.

Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Matthew 19:21

Why did Jesus tell him to do that, to go sell everything he owned?

The answer is contained in Jesus himself. I’m perfect, he is saying. Come and follow me and let my perfection rub off on you so that you can have your version of the same perfection that I have een given by my heavenly Father.

From Jesus we see that there is a spiritual capacity for human beings to be enhanced, even to the point of a standard of living that the Father Himself calls perfection. Jesus has given this ministry applicant a witness of his own perfection.

Why?

Jesus is full of truth; full of the glory of God; full of God’s perfection. He hasn’t just heard about it. He’s living it. He’s the demonstration of human spiritual perfection. Such a perfection is the fusion of the human and the divine wills, the condition that “forever pleases God,” and Jesus reached this kind of perfection at the time of his baptism with John in the Jordan.

It is a perfection that is certified from heaven directly. The Father didn’t publicly certify anything else in Jesus’ life when he lived here on earth in that same manner, with the words, “Behold this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17. The only other thing that the Father spoke out to people in Jesus’ midst came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” Luke 9:35.

From this we can understand that the Father doesn’t say much publicly: His message to us is mostly reserved for a still, small voice that speaks to our heart privately. But what is important here is that we have a witness of perfection in Jesus and a witness about perfection by Jesus.

He is telling us that we too can have the Father’s spiritual perfection; and have it, not as a Son of God but as a son or daughter of God.

THE FOUNDATION ROCK OF SERVICE THAT PERFECTS US

For Jesus the perfected human being, this same perfection that he wants for us was what he called the “kingdom of heaven.” He expressed time and again that it was not a reign of power nor of having the most material resources at your disposal. The kingdom of heaven was not a matter of food, drink and fleshly appetites, but rather a life of progressive righteousness and increasing spiritual joy in the perfecting process of serving the heavenly Father by doing His will in your own will.

I want you to think about your life right now. Are you in the perfecting process of serving the heavenly Father? Your Father and Jesus’ Father who is in heaven are the same Deity Person. Are you engaged in the will of God, which perfects you, the perfecting service of the heavenly Father, about which Jesus is even today still speaking?

If you are not, why not change your understanding about God and about life right now? Reframe your reality. Change your condition to agree with what Jesus says it is, and begin to know that life at its best is a plan of perfecting service: as you serve the Father you are increasingly perfected.

If you will put that framework into your life, it will help you to understand a pathway that is both scripturally and experientially true. It is a way of understanding spiritual experience in daily life that is built on the rock of your salvation—on the foundation of your very existence.

On this heavenly path to the Father’s spiritual perfection, every step of yours is built on the rock of real truth. You avoid forever changing what you believe the meaning of life to be.

You are able to explore spiritual life from a solid foundation that will ring true in all the levels that you reach higher up. You will recognize the purposes of God in the Bible, from cover to cover. Go through the Bible. Do a computer search on the word “perfection” or “perfect” and have a look at those things that are linked to those words. Do a study on it.

What you’ll find there in your study will help you to start seeing it in your life. If you can’t see it in your life, then pray, saying: “Father, change my perspective so that I can see life like that. Help me to notice in my life how I am building on the foundations of perfection I want to be building on.” If you are building on something else, it will fall away at some point. It is a good thing to work with God on this so that you are perfectly clear about what you believe and do in your life. Jesus lived, died and rose again saying by example and in word, that the Father has said of all His children that they should eventually be perfect, even as He is perfect.



By: Robert Crickett

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It does not take a great effort (or any effort at all actually) to grow in spiritual awareness. Just be aware, that’s all. Spiritual awareness is simply about being mindful of spiritual Truths. You don’t have to go around obsessing about these Truths to be aware of them. Nor is there really any need to constantly immerse yourself in deep thought in order to break through and “see the (spiritual) light.” Spiritual awareness is not something that you can gain by force. You cannot compel yourself to become more spiritually aware, you merely have to be open to what is already within you.

Are you aware that the sky is blue? Or that sugar tastes sweet? These truths, in general, are universally elementary. Realizing them does not take any degree of deep thought or obsessive contemplation. They are just things that you are aware of. You don’t have to go around constantly reminding yourself that the sky is blue or that sugar tastes sweet. Why? Because these are truths which you don’t bother to doubt or question. You just accept them. And your acceptance is what informs your awareness. Whether the awareness is a spiritual awareness or the common sense awareness of the sky being blue, it’s all the same. Your acceptance is what causes you to be aware, just as it is your doubt which causes you to be unaware. You cannot perceive what you do not believe. This is a spiritual law.

Your personal reality is a reflection of your beliefs. Your life experience is an expression of the ideas you have chosen to accept as true. Therefore, your reality is different from his reality because each of you (unique expressions of the One God) accepts a different array of ideas as true. Spiritual awareness is about transcending the darkness of your personal reality (a manifestation of your beliefs) into the light of The One Truthful Reality which is common to All. How do you transcend the darkness? The answer is simple - by accepting the light. Every time you let go of a false belief, you grow in spiritual awareness. You accept Truth by letting go of fallacy. Acceptance is about letting go, surrendering, completely giving yourself over to something. You want to grow in spiritual awareness? Simply be accepting of spiritual Truths. But how do you identify a spiritual Truth from a personal “truth?”

Spiritual Truths (with a capital T) evoke good feelings. These Truths stand alone, unadorned by justification or underlying desires. A Spiritual Truth is never a reason for anything. A spiritual Truth simply Is, and that is all. For instance, I am powerful is a spiritual Truth. I am worthy is a spiritual Truth. However, I am powerful because I am rich is not a spiritual Truth. I am worthy because I am giving is not a spiritual Truth. These are not spiritual Truths because they rely on reason to substantiate them. These may, however, be examples of personal “truths.” I say personal because these ideas and experiences are not common to All; but nevertheless may qualify as a “truth” (with a lower case t) in the sense that these ideas and understandings may be true to your experience because you have chosen to accept them as true. Personal truths are not synonymous with spiritual Truths, they are synonymous with delusions. Growing in spiritual awareness means letting go of these delusions.

Every time you let go of a delusion you grow in spiritual awareness. Every time you accept an idea which not only feels good, but is not adorned by any justification, you grow in spiritual awareness.

Spiritual awareness begins and ends within. This means it takes your being able to recognize spiritual Truths within yourself in order for these Truths to be apparent to you in the world around you. All of the universe is but a reflection of You, some aspect of You (as Spirit). But if you are unable to recognize yourself as Spirit, you will likewise not recognize yourself reflected in All that surrounds you. You are perfecting your knowledge of Self in spiritual awareness. As you come to more and more see your Self in others (not just people, but things, places, phenomena… literally everything) you become more spiritually aware. It doesn’t take effort. It simply takes an open mind and an open heart to accelerate your spiritual awareness. You can be mindful of spiritual Truths without spending untold hours dwelling on them, just as it you can be mindful that sugar tastes sweet without obsessively reminding yourself of this fact. If you are truly accepting of a spiritual Truth you will be mindful of It regardless of whether or not you are directly thinking about It. The only effort expended in developing spiritual awareness is the effort it takes to convince yourself to be accepting of the Truths you have thus far rejected. If you truly want to believe you will. Like planting a seed, the real work in raising it up will not be done by your hand it will just be done. Have faith. You cannot help but to grow in spiritual awareness.



By: Evette Gardner

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