Written by: Vedant Kulkarni, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Have you ever felt that there is more to life than what meets the eye? Millions of people are curious about the spiritual dimension of life, but they are also confused about what spirituality and spiritual awakening is. In the next 3-5 minutes you'll explore it all, step by step.
What is spirituality?
Let me ask you another question:
Did you ever wonder 'Who am I,' and 'Why am I here'?
Do you ever question the purpose of life and of this world?
Do you ever feel that there is more to reality than what you see, hear, touch, taste, and smell?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then congratulations! You are a spiritual seeker.
Spirituality is about exploring the deeper questions in life and finding answers to the mysteries of existence.
Spirituality is also about pursuing lasting happiness and love that transcends external circumstances.
Even if you didn't answer Yes to any of the questions above but if you are constantly looking for something better and higher in life, you are spiritual. Because Spirituality is also about taking your life to the next level. It is about unlocking your true potential.
But what does Spirituality mean in practical terms? It means that you will:
Experience a sense of joy and gratitude for everything that happens in your life Be able to overcome any challenges or obstacles with ease.
Have access to unlimited creativity, intuition, and startling decision-making abilities.
Be able to manifest your dreams and desires effortlessly Feel a deep connection and compassion for all beings.
In short, it means that you will live a life of abundance and fulfillment.
Now, What is Spiritual Awakening? And what are some of the obstacles that you might face along the way? Read On...
What is spiritual awakening or enlightenment?
Also known as self-realization, Spiritual awakening or Enlightenment, is the ultimate goal of spirituality. It is the state of being fully aware of your true nature which is deep happiness and love. However, any attempt to describe it through words is futile. It's like explaining what is sound to a deaf person.
But it’s possible for anyone who has the desire and the courage to pursue it. But how do you achieve Spiritual awakening or Enlightenment?
Several paths lead to spiritual awakening or enlightenment, such as meditation, yoga, self-inquiry through observing the mind and emotions, and spiritual wisdom.
But why these Practices?
They help one overcome the biggest obstacle on the journey: the mind and its fluctuations like anger, jealousy, stress, hate and a hoard of negative emotions. However, these practices are not easy to master or maintain. They require a lot of discipline, patience, and guidance. They also require a lot of trial and error, as not every practice works for everyone. That’s why it's crucial to have a mentor who can guide you along the way.
Spirituality is not something that you can learn from a book or a lecture. It is something that you have to experience for yourself. It is a personal and intimate journey that can transform your life in ways you never imagined.
Bonus: How to get started
It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of information (and misinformation) available online or offline as well as the complexity of the journey and how frustrating it could get if you do not find the right journey map that works.
As you know by now, the biggest obstacle on the path is the wild beast called: the mind. What if I told you that it is possible to get over the mind and go from stress and all the negative emotions to getting a glimpse of the perfect spiritual experience in 15- odd minutes? And yes, it's not mindfulness or any cliche self-help or life coaching technique. Curious to know how? Signup for the upcoming Masterstroke (It's Free). In there, I'll also share the secrets to curb overthinking, anxiety and stress for inner tranquility and vibrant life (so make sure you do not miss it!)
The 3 big myths about spirituality
Myth 1: Spirituality = Religion
Many people think that to be spiritual, you have to follow a certain set of rules, rituals, or beliefs that are prescribed by religion. They also think that spirituality is exclusive to certain religions or cultures and that others cannot access it.
This is not true at all. Spirituality is not about following a dogma or a doctrine. It is about discovering who you are and finding your own connection with a higher purpose in your life. It can be practiced by anyone, regardless of their background or beliefs. You don’t have to belong to a certain religion or culture to be spiritual. You just have to be open-minded and willing to explore the unknown.
A good metaphor for this is the ocean. The ocean is one, but several rivers join the ocean coming through various routes and journeys. You can choose any stream that suits you, but you will eventually reach the ocean.
Myth 2: Spirituality is only for the old or the Introverted
Spirituality is about tapping into the enormous potential of human life – why would you want to wait till you get 80 years old to start?
Many people think that spirituality is something that you do when you have nothing else to do in life, or when you want to escape from the world. They also think that spirituality requires you to be quiet, passive, lonely and isolated from others. Nope.
Spirituality does not depend on your age, personality, or preferences. It depends on your attitude, your intention, and your action.
Spirituality does not mean that you have to renounce the world or avoid social interactions. It empowers you to engage with the world in a more conscious and compassionate way, to see yourself as part of others, and not hoard them for yourself. Spirituality is not a solitary journey.
Although you dive deep within, you can learn from others, and others can learn from you. You can grow together, and celebrate together.
Myth 3: Spirituality is where you’ll have to renounce all pleasures
The third common myth about spirituality is that it is where you have to renounce all pleasures. Many people think that spirituality is about giving up everything that makes you happy or comfortable, such as food, sex, money, or entertainment. They also think that spirituality is about suffering, sacrifice, or austerity. This is also not true at all.
Spirituality is not about renouncing pleasures. It is about transcending pleasures. It is about finding a higher and deeper source of happiness and love that lasts, and not depends on external factors.
Spirituality does not mean that you have to give up everything that you enjoy or desire. Spirituality empowers you to be aware of the limitations and consequences of these things, and not be attached to them.
A good way to understand this is through the life of a butterfly. The butterfly was once a caterpillar that crawled on the ground and ate leaves. But then, it decides to undergo a transformation, emerging into a beautiful butterfly that could fly in the sky and sip nectar from flowers. It finds a new level of happiness and freedom that it never knew before.
Spirituality is not where you lose all the fun. It is where you experience a never-imagined joy!
In a nutshell
Imagine you have a bulb you want to light up. The switch is on, and the electricity is flowing. However, the wire has rusted so much that the blub is not able to light up. The resistance in the wire due to the rust represents past conditioning, your beliefs, your fears, and your attachments. For the electricity to pass seamlessly, you have to reduce and finally remove the resistance (of negative emotions and fluctuations of the mind) step by step. This process of removing the resistance is Spirituality. The electricity is anyways there. When the resistance falls, the glowing bulb is enlightenment or spiritual awakening.
It's your choice to sit idle hoping for the resistance to get away by itself, or to strive, take action and uncover your light. Searching for a headstart in the journey? Sign up for the Masterstroke. Life doesn't have to be stressful, and I'll show how you can take your life to the next level, toward lasting exuberance. Being a webinar, the capacity is limited, so if the link is still accepting new registrations, secure your seat right away!).
Thank you for embarking on this journey of self-discovery and exploring the meaning of life. Thank you for taking action right away to dive deeper and learn more! And don't forget to share this message with your loved ones, whose lives you want to see transformed too!
Vedant Kulkarni, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Vedant is an internationally acclaimed executive well-being coach, aka 'Friend In Need' for high performers like you, to help you clear the clutter of anxiety, overthinking and depression, take control of your emotions & feelings, and set up a road map to reach the top of your industry. Through his decades of experience and expertise he developed unique short, and effortless meditative techniques which are helping thousands high-performing executives, founders, employees, and artists to reclaim their peace of mind, take their performance to the peak, find love in what they do, and explore deeper secrets of this mind, and the life. Over the last decade, Vedant has guided CEOs, Executive Directors, and Heads of State from across the world, advised the United Nations, and closely worked with the World Health Organization on implementing solutions on mental health & wellbeing.
