How Spirituality Contributes To A Sense Of Purpose And Fulfilment
Self-realization leads to God-realization and life-realization. Thus, spirituality is all about being enlightened with the truth, about us, life, about God and this world. Spirituality can change the paradigm of our life, enabling us to live happier lives, with a sense of purpose and fulfilment.
Meaning and purpose
Spirituality leads us to a life of meaning and purpose. What is the purpose of human life? Are we born only to die? What is our goal? Most of us live in ignorance. We do not even know that there is a purpose to life. It is to realize that we are the Divine Soul. It is to be liberated from all suffering, from the cycle of death and rebirth and become one with God. We human beings are the only species who can attain God. And this is what spirituality is all about. It helps us to realize the purpose of life; it makes life meaningful.
Leads to a life of fulfilment
Spirituality helps us to realize the futility of chasing material things. We come with nothing, and we will take nothing with us. Nothing belongs to us. We cannot even take a pin with us at death. We no longer live with greed; we are content fulfilling our need. Therefore, we live with fulfilment.
We learn to live with detachment
We realize that no relationship is permanent and thus, we learn to live with detachment, without expectations. Detachment is not indifference. It is loving without expectations; it is loving selflessly with the realization that all relationships are ephemeral.
We accept and surrender
We realize that whatever happens in life is an outcome of our Karma. We accept without protest and surrender the rest to the Divine Will. When faced with suffering or challenges, we rejoice knowing that our negative deeds are being negated. We realize that the world is only an illusion, a drama and we are actors who come and go. And so, we learn to enjoy the show.
Happiness is success
Spirituality helps us to realize that material things can only give us pleasure — temporary, ephemeral joy. We realize that success is not happiness, rather, happiness is success. Happiness is not dependent on people, pleasures, possessions. We cannot become happy; we have to be happy. It is a state of being. And true, eternal happiness can only come from the path of spirituality, from Enlightenment. Only spirituality can lead to a life of true bliss.
We connect to God
Spirituality not only connects us to our true self, but also the Supreme Immortal Power we call God. We realize that we are a part of God, we are the very power we worship. We realize we are nothing without God. We live with faith and trust. We live with gratitude, counting our blessings. Inevitably, we are positive and happier.
A sense of oneness
Spirituality helps us to realize that not only are we a part of God but that everyone and everything is a manifestation of God. We experience a sense of oneness with everyone and everything. We can never feel lonely or isolated. We realize that ‘you’ and ‘I’ are not different. Would the right leg ever kick the left leg? Therefore, we treat everyone with respect and love.
Service to humanity
Spirituality fosters other positive emotions like love, compassion and kindness. It encourages service for the simple reason that service to humanity is prayer to God. We reach out to others and helping others, making a difference in lives, gives us a sense of fulfilment.
The monkey becomes a monk
We transcend desires and cravings of the body, mind and ego. We live with discrimination and discipline. The monkey mind becomes a monk as we transcend the mind. We live in the state of Consciousness or thoughtlessness. There is no tomorrow or yesterday, only today, this moment. It is in this state of mindfulness, thoughtlessness that we experience peace and bliss. It is in this state that we attain Enlightenment and experience the state of Satchitananda— Divine Bliss that comes from living in consciousness of the truth.
People who take the spiritual path, the path less traveled, live more fulfilling and happier lives. We transcend the triple suffering— the pain of the body, the misery of the mind and the agony of the ego. If we persevere on the path of spirituality, if we attain Enlightenment and live in union with God, in Yoga, we can attain Moksha, Liberation from the Karmic cycle of death and rebirth. Then, we become one with God.
