Spirituality & how to develop & strengthen it

Soul_jyot · #1 (**permalink**) 15-Dec-2005, 02:12 AM

What is spirituality ?

Spirituality is the:

Inward sense of a power or spirit greater than you who has the whole world, your environment, and you in His hands. This greater power and spirit is God. God is what you believe Him to be. God is the power greater than you upon whom you can rely.

Admission to self that God does have control of your life and that it is possible to turn to God with your problems. It is God's spirit that can provide for you the strength and courage to face your problems.

Amount of influence and control you can exert on your life's direction in perspective. It is the recognition that you do not have to burn yourself out struggling to solve all your problems on your own. It is the openness to ``let go'' of your sense of over-responsibility and ``let God'' have some influence over the problems.

Recognition that you have a ``relationship'' with God that needs to be continuously nurtured through giving God a share of your life in prayer, worship, and good deed.

Recognition that humans consist not only of physical matter but also have a spiritual dimension that needs daily care in order to survive.

Healing attitude you can bring to problems in your life. If God can accept you the way you are, with all your frailties and weaknesses, then you can accept yourself and others in the same way. Since God is able to forgive and forget all transgressions, failings, and misdeeds, you can learn to forgive and forget those of yourself and others.

Power to overcome a sense of guilt, over-responsibility, over-control, rescuing, and enabling concerning others' problems. By tuning into God's message to mankind, you know that the troubled persons in your life have ready assistance anytime they call for help. Our helper in the deepest of deep problems is God. Handing our troubled persons over to God's power, mercy, and direction once we have taken all reasonable steps to help them is an act of spirituality.

Frame of reference that keeps all problems, anxieties, fears, and needs in perspective. It recognizes that we are human beings; as such we are imperfect, prone to error, and not always strong enough to change. It recognizes that there is only one power strong enough to handle all problems, anxieties, fears, and needs; that is God. It also recognizes that God's will may be different from our will.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/spiritual-articles/7878-spirituality-and-how-to-develop-strengthen.html

Mechanism through which people gain the strength, understanding, confidence, and reassurance to let go of grief, fear, over-responsibility, and guilt.

Spirituality is the well that must be tapped whenever you need to handle the loss events in your life.

Texture of our lives that enables us to risk being vulnerable to pain and hurt so that we can heal, change, and grow. In living a God-centered life we are able to recognize the need to open ourselves to new ideas, new concepts, new ways of acting, and new people so that we may discern God's plan and direction in our lives.

How does one develop and strengthen spirituality?

To strengthen spirituality you need to:

First be willing to accept God's spirit, influence, and power in your life.

Be willing to admit God into your life and establish a viable relationship with Him by offering prayer and worship to Him.

Begin to converse with God on a daily basis, letting God know how you are and what you are thinking through meditation and visualizations.

Share your problems, worries, concerns, and troubles with God.

Release your control over your own life and let God's will be made clear to you by signs of direction and discernment that only occur once you to let go of the reigns and let God lead you.

Develop a healthy sense of humility and realism that God's power, knowledge, and wisdom is omnipotent.
Reference:: Sikh Philosophy Network http://www.sikhphilosophy.net/showthread.php?t=7878

Let go of your need to always have a logical, clinical, scientific reason and research answer for the problems or troubles in your life.

Reach out to the weaker, poorer, and less stable people in your life and offer them reasonable support, interest, and caring.

Join forces with others who have a healthy spirituality in their own lives. They are able to encourage, reinforce, and support your efforts to grow in spirituality.

Free yourself to accept the direction, leadership, and authority of God in your life. By letting God take the lead in your life you put your self-esteem and self-concept in a healthy, realistic perspective that lets you see where you end and God begins.

source: http://www.coping.org/growth/spirit.htm#What