Becoming Spiritual or attaining spirituality

[fduddy]

What do you mean by becoming spiritual?
How long would one take to attain this and what should one do ?

[munirao2001]

fdduddy,
The great thinkers of Vedic period have given the answer for attaining the spirituality as attainment of SAT( Perception of reality)-CHIT( unconditioned mind, total focus on the present)-ANANDA(Bliss arising out of Self realization and Self becoming Universal Self, with love). Energized spirit, with total peace, harmony, happiness and equanimity, striving for the well being of all the living beings is spirituality. Through spirit of inquiry and achievement of clarity and understanding and realization of the truth, finding one's own answers is the real and only one path for attainment of spirituality.

[ganeshkant]

Very interesting topic fduddy.U can become spiritual the moment your mind longs for that something other than worldly things(param) and sort of dispassion is developed towards mundane things.The mind will start looking for certain serenity hitherto affected by dvandvas(pairs of opposites).Personally speaking I constantly assess myself about my desires,fears and sense of hatred.When U advance in spirituality U will find a remarkable improvement in these 3 major parameters i.e relatively lesser desires,fear and hatred(anger) and once U transcend these fully U become a jeevan muktha.We all human should strive to attain this of course.

Send me your email i.d.I shall post some of the spiritual messages by our Swamiji Bhoomananda Tirtaji .To start with I also recommend a book,"THE FALL OF THE HUMAN INTELLECT" by Swami A.Parthasarathy,which must be available in Vedanta Academy,Chennai.They have an office some where in CIT colony.PL.check up.

When U apply and use ur intelligence more on the mind process,mostly thoughts and start your inward inquiry U have just started ur spiritual journey.

Wish U all the best !

[mankuthimma]

fduddy
are you an indian , btw ?
becoming spiritual is the start of a process
attaining spirituality is the end, if one may want to call it so.
So the OR in between is out of place .

A Sufi Song
Sing a song of Glory, and you will be that Glory.
Nothing , are you , but a song ; And as you sing, You are.

You thought you were the teacher.
And you find you are the one who is taught.
You thought you were the seeker,
And you find you are the one who is sought.

Sing a song of Glory, and you will be that Glory.
Nothing , are you , but a song; And as you sing, You are.

****
Remember that Bishop , after Jean Valjean is caught and brought back by the Police , to the Church in "Les Miserables" ?
The one who feigns ingorance , about the theft of the Silver ware ? ..

That Bishop was someone attained spirituality in his lifetime .
That convict ended up becoming spiritual , too in the process, after being reprieved.
That author will remain a fine example of an artist showing the spiritual path , to us .

The guy who missed out was the singleminded police officer . Who , quite rightly shoots himself dead. |(

*****

http://www.mediafire.com/?av3bnqd7v25e6s8

RK Srikantan sings a beautiful ode to this process of opening the Locks to your inner self.
My My . RKS ... What an impact he has had on me. Once as a young kid . then in my teens . And now when I struggle with my waistline . ;(
I will never know the extent to which I owe him , for all this .
A Brilliant Hindol / Sunadavinodini .

[Ponbhairavi]

That author is Victor Hugo(1802-1885). though he has never visited India he was marked by indian mysticism. In one of his master pieces ( La legende des siecles a monumental work of 45000 verses !) he narrates the keno upanishad story in which the SUPREME punctures the ego of Agni Vayu and Indira by challenging them to show their power over a piece of straw.
Ponbhairavi

[srkris]

You become spiritual once you try to make sense of God.

[VK RAMAN]

make sense of God? Interesting!

[mankuthimma]

He said only Try . Nothing else

[Nick H]

You become spiritual once you try to make sense of God.

I think it is mystics that try to make sense of themselves, the universe and god. Being spiritual is in what one does and how one does it, and is open to atheists even*.

rider: when I say "I think", I am referring to approx 12.56 on Oct 19th 2010 --- another time it might be different!


*the two can be related, but need not be, and are often not.

[Shivadasan]

A person who is able to feel “Thy need is greater than mine” towards everyone, including birds, animals and plants can be called basically spiritual. There are a thousand ways to achieve it.

[Nick H]

adding another, not contradicting...

A person who does what they do with the whole of themselves, and with an energy that for want of better identification we often call love (is passion a better word?), can be called spiritual. These are the people who catch our eye and hold it, the people who make us feel better, somehow when we watch. Sometimes, of course, it can be the ear, rather than they eye, especially if they are musicians.

[mankuthimma]

Nick You were spot on . Passion inseparable from compassion.

As far as condraticting goes , I guess we at rasikas a re a bit like economists. Even if you line us all up end to end , we will still be pointing in all directions..

I Make the most of all that comes, The least of all that goes.
-Sara Teasdale ‘The Rainbow Garden

The Philosopher
I saw him sitting in his door,
Trembling as old men do;
His house was old; his barn was old,
And yet his eyes seemed new.
His eyes had seen three times my years
And kept a twinkle still,
Though they had looked at birth and death
And three graves on a hill.

“I will sit down with you,” I said,
“And you will make me wise;
Tell me how you have kept the joy
Still burning in your eyes.”
Then like an old-time orator
Impressively he rose;
“I make the most of all that comes,
The least of all that goes.”
The jingling rhythm of his words
Echoes as old songs do,
Yet this had kept his eyes alight
Till he was ninety-two

[VK RAMAN]

"I make the most of all that comes,
The least of all that goes.”
The jingling rhythm of his words
Echoes as old songs do,
Yet this had kept his eyes alight
Till he was ninety-two"

I love these words and wisdom.

[vasanthakokilam]

As far as condraticting goes , I guess we at rasikas a re a bit like economists. Even if you line us all up end to end , we will still be pointing in all directions.

Absolutely. And it would be rather boring if we all agreed on everything.

On a tangential matter relating to how difficult it is to get everyone lined up in the same direction: Whenever I go to the temple, when they show the Deepam, how lined up everyone is towards that one spot, that is something special. Something is so difficult for humans, is so easy and trivial for God to do We should give that credit to God

[VK RAMAN]

"Whenever I go to the temple, when they show the Deepam, how lined up everyone is towards that one spot, that is something special" - and then why keep eyes closed with folded hands

[mankuthimma]

You become spiritual once you try to make sense of God.

This Messenger of God says it here , equally beautifully . Reproduced from an Old Readers Digest

When I was young, I wanted everything and all at once, until our old Scottish Minister explained things to me like this:
One night he dreamed that he saw a new shop in the High street. He went in and saw an Angel behind the counter. Nervously he asked what the shop sold.
“Everything your heart desires “ the Angel said.
“Then I want peace on earth “ cried the Minister.” And an end to sorrow ,famine and disease”
“Just one moment “ smiled the Angel. ”You have’nt quite understood. We don’t sell fruits here. Only seeds”.

[VK RAMAN]

"We don’t sell fruits here. Only seeds” profound statement.

[kssr]

One can feel the depths of spirituality when he is very hungry or very full

[venkatakailasam]

Spirituality and mystical charm have always drawn people from all over the world to India. As the world becomes increasingly capitalistic and materialist, the quest and urgency for spirituality grows more and more. The traditional Indian way of life has helped in the evolution and growth of Spiritualism. Numerous cultures and religions have thrived and flourished together for ages and resulted into the unique Indian way of life.

At different points in the history of our civilization numerous spiritual leaders and saints have delivered the message of peace, brotherhood and co existence that is so very well rooted in our culture. Arts like Yoga and Ayurveda coupled with religion have played an important role in the evolution and existence of spirituality in India. Through the ages, various Ashrams and centers of excellence came up in different parts of India. These centers have helped in spreading the message of compassion, care and positive living.

Thus, "Indian spirituality is all about showing respect to all living beings-animals trees, rocks and even water and lead a positive and healthy life. It is believed that the supreme Creator has put each one of us in this world for a purpose and that purpose is to be compassionate, caring and loving to one-another. As mentioned earlier, the great Indian spiritual personalities and gurus have played an important role in spreading this message of love, care and the need for positive living all over the world." and eliminating negative attitude and thoughts.
But very difficult to follow!!

venkatakailasam