Spirituality, Your Ignored Other Half
How great it would have been if through my life someone would have been there to teach me spiritual development. Not to be confused with religious education, or indoctrination if that is how you see it, but rather an age based life mentoring, showing my spiritual growth and possibilities.
That is not to say I would change any of my choices through my life. Generally, the only semi real attention concerns state of spirit from a religious perspective. It is possible that some religions are more holistic in their approach, but I have yet to encounter one at close range that is.
Authority figures in our life do what they can to raise us to know right from wrong and how to stay out of trouble. Their purpose generally is to make life easier for themselves rather than for our own good, excepting parents and other close family.
We are also led into achieving a certain level of achievement in our educational curriculum. What that level of achievement is for us varies from person to person and individual life circumstance, but generally we are expected to start making our own way as best we can once we reach a certain age, or achieve a certain level of educational mastery.
In all of this, with all our adult keepers, and societies watchful eye promoting acceptable behavior, no one really cares about our spiritual life. Most families, do not have spirituality hour, and there is not time set aside in the classroom where children are shown their life from a spiritual perspective.
Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to receive spiritual training throughout our life up to this moment? Having a mentor, or many mentors explaining to us with words and ideas that we understand, what our basic human purpose is and why it is important we nurture our spiritual self.
We would not wake up one day as an adult after a period lasting from weeks to decades of never feeling really comfortable with who we are and not knowing how to fix it. When we do come out of our self absorbed life looking around as if for the first time, noticing something serious is lacking, we generally do not know what it is, or why we feel how we feel.
Right now, this instant wouldn’t it be wonderful to be able to ask our spiritual adviser why we feel the way we do? I believe as children when we are not shy about asking questions, we are too busy learning about our world to think about our spiritual self. Along the way our spiritual self is hidden from us.
As adults we have a self imposed rule about admitting we do not know, and asking others what they think. That is with the exception of asking our closest friends who are our closest friends because they are almost just like us, or as close as we can find.
Spiritual development does not have to be a process of rebellion against everything you believe, were taught, or think is possible. What your spiritual development should be is learning how you live your life so you recognize the face in the mirror as yourself. You do not want someone acting as you, as you peek out from behind deciding what kind of job they are doing for you.
When I was a child someone told me never to marry an actor, because you could never be certain if they were being real or acting. I have come to realize that it applies to each of us. Being yourself is the best gift you can give to you. Being yourself you may not know where you are headed with any certainty, but you can take comfort in knowing it is you and not some shell living your life for you on the trip.
I am still learning about my spiritual self, and I imagine I will for a long time. I urge you not to wait until you see your end out on the horizon to start filling in the blanks about what your purpose to being alive is and the amazing power of your spiritual self. Start learning about your spiritual side of you now, so you enjoy the trip instead of an unhappy spectator in your life.
