I often hear these two words, which have become very fashionable these days; Religious and Spiritual. People state their faith proudly. Though, a lot of people use these two words interchangeably without realising their true essence. Thus, the true meaning of these two ideologies have become obsolete. First of all, let’s look at the Religion. Everybody has one. We all have a history, a lineage behind us. Theoretically, a Religion is institutionalised, set of beliefs, rules and systems. Something that’s given to us from the time we are born. Now, this is the beginning of exclusiveness or the great divide. We are realised that we belong to a certain set of rules, a particular belief system. It is based on fears essentially. Human brains are not designed to obey rules, we are all cheeky rebels. It fears until it figures something out. In the beginning of human civilisation (Indus Valley), people feared Sun, Moon, sky and celestial bodies, hence they worshipped these. In some 1600s, an Italian astronomer Galileo challenged the existing belief then that every planet including Sun revolves around the earth. You can imagine the disaster that must have followed. Finally, he succeeded in proving that earth in not the centre of universe. His inventions and discoveries laid the foundation for modern scientists. Some 1800s and onwards, people were beginning to question everything they knew. Industrial revolution had changed the landscape. Religion had its own journey all along. Though, time was moving forward, it stayed stagnant. What’s interesting for me to see that its dogmatic form is still relevant in society. Groups of people are still trying to convert others to their faith either by force or in name of world unity.
Whereas Spirituality comes from your own logical mind. Your own ability to question things around you and within you. This is your own intellect which pushes you to examine nature’s phenomena; life and death. How do we take birth? How do we die? What happens when we die? Though, science can explain a few things here, but it has its limitations. After diving deep with your intellect and reasoning, you find yourself in to a space where there is nothing. Nothingness is the answer. You detach your mind and ego. You find peace in nothingness. That’s when you find Enlightenment. Though, Enlightenment is for everyone, but very few people manage to attain it. The reason lies in our conditioned brains. Society doesn’t allow you to question, examine or think differently. You are expelled the moment you behave out of norm. All of your life is spent in being accepted and liked. Whereas, an enlightened being never seeks approval of others. This journey is called spirituality. Your individuality.
Don’t be afraid to question. Don’t be afraid to examine. Don’t be afraid to rebel. Be a mindful rebel.
Namaste