Hi Rita, et all,

Thanks for sharing very beautifully the two important aspects of living our lives. Complimenting to your reminder towards 'awakening' I would relate it to Spirituality as follows:

In my humble understanding 'spirituality' is an art of knowing and operating from an integral context (i.e. combination of body, senses, mind, intellect and Spirit/Higher-Self faculties). There is within all of us an innate vitality and a patient presence inviting us into a larger experience of who and what we really are. Every experience or our response to an experience in life is an invitation to awaken our reality who we really are. In the course of this ongoing realization, one finds out that we are spiritual beings having human experiences. Major benefits of spirituality at work is is that we can makes use of our Higher Self and the Supreme Self (i.e. that sustaining energy that underlies all). Without effective utilization of the available enormous power, we are working with a limited margin. This becomes more clear when we have a better understandintg of the process put more crisply by the Self-Realization experts in spirituality as you have done, Rita.

Secondly, as we see that also, as we know, the Western world in general, has attained sufficient material affluence and comforts, and then we hear part of the society is looking to attain lesser stress, peaceful and "happiness" in other than material ways. Is this somehow connected with spirituality or is it something else ?

I see this inquiry as the beginning of an awakening of the "AWARENESS" that we all intrinsically are. Of course, connected/seeded with the spirituality in its working mode as is. And leading to a very crisp experiential understanding; as put by Depal Chopra; that our happiness/success includes; in addition to material abundance; good health, energy and enthusiasm for life, fulfilling relationships, creative freedom, emotional and psychlogical stability, a sense of well being, and a eace pf mind. Even with the experience of all these things, we will remain unfulfilled unless we nurture the seeds of divinity inside us. This provides an integral understanding and practical utilization of an integral context all inclusive and as defined above.

Seeing that we are asking very pertinent questions, my only suggestion to all of us is to let this knowing be further allowed to flow into the experiencing of the spirituality as is. All it requires is true dedicated willingness, open mind, patience and persistence to experience all the above. It is an ongoing journey.

While in this topic, I think it is also important to raise this question:

>>>Is religion and spirituality one and the same or these are completely different from each other?<<<

I would answer this valid question that religion and spirituality are diferent from each other in the following aspects:

RELIGION is as tructure, a concept, ritualistic,limited, civil, not fully open, judgmental, comparison with others, confirmity, forms/symbol based, medium or indirect experience and preparation for us in some way to spirituality.

SPIRITUALITY is an art, unlimited, supreme energy, no concept, no structure, no conditioning, creative freedom, completely open, all are the same, infinity, non-judgmental, direct experience and non-confirmity.

I guess this should be enough food for the time being for genuine contemplation and understanding as i may emerge effortlessly.

Lots of Love and Best Wishes to all of you.......Ram

--- On Tue, Nov 18, 2008, in msg265816, Rita Khanna wrote ---

Hello Every one

We human beings have two tendencies in us. One, what is good for me and my self, and another one what is good for me and every one around me .When the first one gets more predominant in us, ego takes birth and it separates us from every one and every thing and we create our own separate identity. Going beyond this level there is another level of Spirit in us, our true nature. Operating from this level unites us all and the ties of ego starts to dissolve gradually on its own. We start to feel the presence of divine in us and see the same presence in every one and every thing around us. In our day to day life seeing things AS they are presented to us not only from the surface but from the cellular level, allows us to accept more and judge less and we flow with life with least effort. Making a commitment to yourself each day to spend time in silence and experience this connection of Spirit lot more than we can imagine. We are moving towards having infinite connection in every thing we are involved in. "We live in a world of pure possibility. Open the window of your mind".--Ellen Grace O'Brian

Comments, if any? Love

Rita

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