WHAT IS "SPIRITUAL"?
SEPARATING OUT WHAT IS PRACTICAL FROM THE "WOO-WOO"
The Big Misunderstanding
Not a religion or a mystical belief system
About the human spirit, not about an entity
Put religion and belief systems under this umbrella if you wish
The caution here is not to "personify" it
More on how the term is used on this site
What it actually is
The statement of fact and intent (Added at the end of some sections as a
declarative, affirmative clarification of fact and how one intends to utilize
one's understanding.)
THE BIG MISUNDERSTANDING
It is not religion or a mystical belief system
So many people think that "spiritual" means "religion" or some mystical thing, but they are adding something to the definition that is not there. It is not about "spirits" floating in the ether or God, though some people can stick that under that banner, as such things may improve one's spirit by having faith or beliefs and are not necessarily inconsisten with what I write here.
It is about the human spirit, not about an entity
It is about "feeling good" in the moment, about feeling alive, interested, joyful, etc., all of the "positive" human emotions, but not on a fleeting basis where it is now here, now gone...
"He is in good spirits" is a statement that gets to the true basic meaning. We want to be happy and to feel good and "high level" thinking and dealing with "goodness" and kindness help us to feel good. That is basic spirituality.
Others may add the idea that it is an entity (like a person, a god, a "spiritual being"), but that is something that humans make up and then believe is the truth, as discussed in The Believing Brain article on this site.
Spirit is defined here in its earlier narrower concept, before other meanings were added to it: how one feels in life. And how one feels in life is shown in emotions, so one's spirit is the same as one's emotions overall. We are seeking to be of "good spirit", which means to be happy, contented, satisfied, fulfilled, and at peace.
Spirit is "anima", which is giving something animation, or life.
That's ultimately what spirituality is all about!
Put religion and belief systems under this umbrella if you wish
Spirit is the OVERALL concept, not to be confused with the contents of what affects or contributes to spirit. It is not to be confused with any set of beliefs, i.e. don't confuse it with religion or woo-woo theories of life.
Spirituality is often discredited because human beings "make up" explanations for what happens that they do not understand and then it becomes "the truth."
This site is only about what can actually be determined to be the truth and usefully so, so we are wary of any unproven assertions of truth.
The caution here is not to "personify" it
If we personify "spirit", we give power to something that we are pretending is an entity. Personifying things such as claiming there is a devil (the devil made me do it) is a "putting the power 'out there'". Putting the power out there is a classic cause of giving away one's personal power - and that is what I object to, as it is diminishing one of our greatest means to achieve the happiness we want!
While cute and perhaps more empowering than having no positive philosophy, saying "spirit guides me" is putting the power out there in some mystical personification that can act upon oneself. The ability and the power is all within our own brains and abilities. The "spirit" made up here is merely the equivalent of using one's own brain at its highest level of thinking.
Go ahead and read things that say books that refer to spirit in such a way, as they have some useful ideas in them, but consider "spirit" only to be a metaphor and not a reality, not a separate entity, not a power outside of you.
On this site, we only include what is provable or absolutely feasible. That is what will create your being more powerful and feeling "of good spirit."
MORE ON HOW THE TERM IS USED ON THIS SITE
On this site, spirituality is used in a non-"belief" type of manner and is limited only to what is scientific and works to have one "be in good spirit" in life, i.e. happy. It is the "inside" stuff, not the external spirits or god nor is there anything about the power being outside of oneself. (We will discuss things outside of that, but not in terms of it being the truth, and we will suggest how the world actually works.
WHAT IT ACTUALLY IS
It is more accurate to use the term "spirit" in terms of phrases like "are you of good spirits", i.e. feeling good, feeling "alive". Spirit is really just emotions and feelings.
Spiritus = Breath, courage, vigor, life (and people have added a concept beyond that, of soul, which to those people represents something including these, but that is not "it" per se and is not the correct definition). I like "aliveness" and "feeling good about life" and "feeling good about oneself" as the definition of spirit. (Note how that is very close to my definition of what happiness is.)
"Spiritual matters regard humankind's ultimate nature and purpose," the meaning of life, what is important to a person, and what makes life fulfilling. "Spirituality may also be about the development of the individual's inner life through specific practices such as meditation..."
So, when one speaks of the spiritual part of people's lives, one is speaking of the emotional and feelings part of life - basically what life is really about rather than the "objective, non-emotional, non-meaningful" contents of life.
Intrinsic and closely associated with that is the concept of adding meaning in life, which breeds happiness and contentment and satisfaction (all emotions/feelings). One is often inspired (filled with breath, literally and encouraged, by doing or seeing something "meaningful" such as heroically saving lives, surviving cancer, contributing to others, etc.
Central Definition (excludes added or inserted meanings through cultural usage): thinking, motivating, feeling part of man often as distinguished from the body; mind, intelligence. Having spirit is having vivacity, courage, vigor, enthusiasm, etc. - all "spiritual" qualities.
The Additions Under The Umbrella Of Spirituality
Religion appears under the spirituality umbrella, but that is only if one chooses that as a means to feeling good in spirit. One can be spiritual without believing in religion or practices under the woo-woo umbrella - such as psychic, astrology, mysticism, magic, etc., all items that do not necessarily correspond to what is scientific.
While it is not the same as psychology, it is affected by one's psychology. Psychology is the science dealing with the mind and with mental and emotional processes (i.e. ways of thinking, believing). By clearing up thinking and removing barriers one creates the opening for better emotions and feelings, i.e. for higher spiritual wellness. There is nothing in pure spirituality that is woo-woo or weird cult thinking, though some of that gets included in psychology, but it is just bad psychology created by inept people.
Please be sure to reason out what is to be considered as truth.
THE STATEMENT OF FACT AND INTENT
I have within me all the power that affects me uniquely. I do not have the power of what is uncontrollable out there and I can be affected by it, but I have the power to take the high waves and to "surf" them. I have the power to choose to be happy with life no matter what happens. I am the one who accesses my own "wisdom", by paying attention to what is useful in my memory banks and then processing it through my great reasoning power and choosing. I have the power. I choose to fully exercise, fully utilize my power for my benefit and for the benefit of those around me. This I declare this day as my truth and how I shall operate in this world.
Read: What Is "Spiritual?, further discussing the idea that it is not about religion or woo-woo, but about good emotions and the meaning of life. It derives from spititus, meaning breath, courage, vigor, life...
BACK UP READING:
Getting What You Want - Converting From "In Your Mind" Into Actual Results - Clearing up
what is meant by "The Secret" and other such writings, including "spiritual."
Spiritual And Other Vague Languaging - Misinterpreting and reinterpreting from the vague
and seeming impractical languaging and use of metaphors and esoteric languaging and
getting it down so it can be understand in a way that works for you, especially if you are
not religious or "spiritual" but just seek maximum happiness.
Intuition - Though used in personal psychology, problem solving, and idea generation, it is
often construed as having "spiritual truth" in it. What is it, actually, and how can we
utilize it effectively.
Are There Powers Outside You That You Can Rely On? - We "make-up" alot of stuff, but what
works is actually in the very accessible reality realm!
Religion
Religions - Positive, But Changed By Man And Often Not Correct - A perspective on religion.
Religions - How To Look At And Use Religion - Who's right? Does it make sense? How can I
use it best?
Practical interpretations and lessons:
Lessons In Truth, Emilie Cady - THE most practical explanation I have seen, extracting from
vague Biblical writings and making sense of them as it applies to our lives and our
happiness. A true masterpiece.
For those who are put off by "God talk" - How to sift through to use the valuable core principles that
are true without any religiosity.
DEFINITION
Noncorporal, other than the physical body.
It includes emotional well-being and "feeling".
It includes the part of the mental process that determines "meaning", which is in and of itself the key component of spirituality.
Read the article for its context..
