As one of the oldest spiritual traditions, India has a whole host of books, teachers and experiences that foster the process of inner rumination and connection with the self. At the outset, one of the fundamental distinctions we need to draw is between Spirituality and Religion. Through this distinction, the definition of each will be clearer.
Spirituality has been defined in many ways. One of the most common definitions is that of a person’s innate bond with a higher power. It has also been described as the relationship a person has with his/her deepest self or soul.
Religion is a physical manifestation of spirituality. As William Irwin Thompson said, "Religion is not identical with spirituality; rather religion is the form spirituality takes in civilization." It channelises one’s spirituality with the help of organized rituals like prayer, worship and norms for the same.
No matter what faith one belongs to (or chooses to be irreligious to), we all have a relationship with our deepest selves. Rituals are fundamentally the means of making that connection.
Spirituality is a broad term and has both breadth as well as depth of meaning. There are so many streams of the study of spirituality and each stream is like a hyperlink which you can access deeper for greater understanding.
In relation to self-development, spirituality embraces so many fields of study, but fundamentally, it all boils down to one’s relationship with one’s self or a higher power.
Ponder the following questions and step back to observe your thoughts on these. Dwell on the answers. Revisit these questions from time to time. Remember, there are no right or wrong answers.
- How connected are you with your deepest self? Do you sense a duality in yourself? Or are all your dimensions aligned to you and your purpose
- Do you revel in who you are or are you comfortable being yourself? From where do you derive the strength of your connection with yourself (be it a deep bond or a tenuous link)?
- How much influence does peoples’ opinion and expectation have on who you are today? How have some expectations shaped you and some made you feel disconnected with your true self?
Some common spiritual experiences that you can touch frequently by fully being in the present:
- Be in the midst of nature and sense your awe at how the world and everything in it, came to be. Muse over the whorls on a finger tip, the nature of waves, the intelligence of the house crow or about how children think.
- Visit a place of worship and feeling connected to the higher power and fellow-worshippers. Notice the sights, sounds and smells of a place of worship.
- One of the most common ways to touch a spiritual high is through meditation. You can learn to meditate through a faith or even irrespective of it. (See the link in Further Reading)
FURTHER READING:
- The Wooden Bowl by Clark Strand (read a review here - http://www.positivehealth.com/Reviews/books/strand50.htm)
(Article written for Best of Crest, 2007)
2 comments:
Deepak Chopra has given a formula of spiritual quotient in terms of Deed (D) and Ego (E). According to Deepak Chopra S.Q.=D/E. According to him if E is ‘zero’ the S.Q. will be infinite. This appears to be very fascinating but it is highly abstract which can not be measured experimentally accurately and precisely. However, this formula has immense value to understand S.Q.
I have also discovered a mathematical relationship for S.Q about eight years back in 2001. I have used physiological parameters which can be measured accurately and precisely and can be tested and verified experimentally. According to this formula S.Q. can be expressed as the ratio of parasympathetic dominance (P.D.) to sympathetic dominance (S.D.). Parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is largely under hypothalamic control. Hypothalamus is situated very close to the Sixth Chakra. During practice of meditation at Sixth Chakra these centres are galvanised which has very positive effect on practitioners spiritual, emotional, psychological and physiscal well being
COMPREHENSIVE VIEW OF SCIENCE OF RELIGION (THEOLOGY)
A Scientific Understanding of Meditation and Yoga
In Bhagavad-Gita Lord SriKrishna says to Arjun:
“I taught this immortal Yoga to Vivasvan (sun-god), Vivasvan conveyed it to Manu(his son), and Manu imparted it to (his son) Iksvaku. Thus transmitted to succession from father to son, Arjun, this Yoga remained known to the Rajarisis (royal sages). It has however long since disappeared from this earth. The same ancient Yoga has this day been imparted to you by Me, because you are My devotee and friend, and also because this is a supreme secret”.
Yoga (Application) which was based on the control of the body physically and implied that a perfect control over the body and the senses led to knowledge of the ultimate reality. A detailed anatomical knowledge of the human body was necessary to the advancement of yoga and therefore those practising yoga had to keep in touch with medical knowledge. (Romila Thapar, A History of India, volume one).
I suggest : Mind and brain are two distinct things. Brain is anatomical entity whereas mind is functional entity. Mind can be defined as the function of autonomic nervous system (ANS). It is claimed that mind can be brought under conscious control through the practice of meditation. But how? ANS is largely under hypothalamic control which is situated very close to optic chiasma (sixth chakra or ajna chakra). Protracted practice of concentration to meditate at this region brings functions of ANS say mind under one’s conscious control.
Although Danah Zohar has coined the term Spiritual Quotient for the first time but she did not establish any mathematical relationship for this. Without establishing mathematical relationship spiritual intelligence can not be termed as spiritual quotient.
Deepak Chopra has given a formula of spiritual quotient in terms of Deed (D) and Ego (E). According to Deepak Chopra S.Q.=D/E. According to him if E is ‘zero’ the S.Q. will be infinite. This appears to be very fascinating but it is highly abstract which can not be measured experimentally accurately and precisely. However, this formula has immense value to understand S.Q.
I have also discovered a mathematical relationship for S.Q about eight years back in 2001. I have used physiological parameters which can be measured accurately and precisely and can be tested and verified experimentally. According to this formula S.Q. can be expressed as the ratio of parasympathetic dominance (P.D.) to sympathetic dominance (S.D.). Parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) are the two parts of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is largely under hypothalamic control. Hypothalamus is situated very close to the Sixth Chakra. During practice of meditation at Sixth Chakra these centres are galvanized which has very positive effect on practitioners spiritual, emotional, psychological and physical well being.
According to this relationship spiritual quotient can be written as:
S.Q. = P.D./S.D.
If the value of S.Q. comes >1 (greater than one), it can be assumed that the person is moving towards self-realisation and if the value of S.Q. comes <1 (smaller than one) it can be predicted that the person is living under stress.
This formula can be tested and verified experimentally.
Anirudh Kumar Satsangi, B.Sc.,M.A.(Psychology), B.Ed., Adv.Dip. in Mgt.
anirudh.jenna@gmail.com
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