Spirituality Information - Journey In The Fields Of Forever ( Part 5 )
In the previous parts of this article, let us dig deep into some of the most important aspects of spirituality on a human level. The purpose is to show how these higher concepts are not just layed out in practice, but also their effect on the social and political aspects of society as well as how they can co-exist with other beliefs.
In order to tackle this important subject, let's first define the word 'Spirituality'.
What is Spirituality?
As defined by some sources: "Spirituality is a set of philosophical, religious and/or spiritual principles pertaining to the nature of reality, that transcend normal human perception. According to some definitions Spirituality is the study of or practice of a system of beliefs which are not empirical, or evidence-based and which are not tied to [a specific] observable phenomena" - Wikipedia.com. Or this one: "To be spiritual is to be aware of one's true nature as part of the universal whole". To me it is the experience of knowing and experiencing within the deepest part of one's self that we are all one with all things, fully connected and to ourselves. We become our true self, or 'true spirit'. It is where we connect with something bigger than us (God, nature, or even the universe) and see things in a new way. The whole concept started as a word meaning: "A presence or power that pervades everything". Like our ancestors experienced many thousands of years ago , there are still some people today that experience this feeling within themselves. It's very difficult to explain this type of connection between yourself and something greater than yourself. It is only possible to know the true meaning of this by experiencing yourself it for yourself. It is more about connecting to what's inside you (your true self) than trying to explain it in words.
Past Sages: Spirituality is the accumulation of knowledge from one's own experience, belief, and behavior. It is a universal concept that every man and woman can understand regarding life itself. It has been a part of human knowledge since the beginning of time. The word 'spirit' was used thousands of years ago as a word meaning: "A presence or power that pervades everything. In later times the word took on more of a personal connotation as in: "The animating force behind living things".
This is where the very foundations of civilization, religion, philosophy and ethics were founded. Spirituality has played a huge role throughout history since the beginning of mankind. It divided people into groups with similar beliefs and ways of thinking. It was then followed by the inevitable conflicts between these groups (for example: The Crusades ). Spirituality's foundation is in our inner depth as human beings. It helped us understand things in a much bigger way than today's generation understands them with it being taken out of context.
It is so widespread that we can find it everywhere (including different religions). But where did spirituality come from? The answer is simple: Spirituality is our gift of nature to every single human being on earth. And to understand this phenomenon, let us go back in time to the first civilizations and know that they were not alone in the universe. Since ancient and even prehistoric times, mankind has been experiencing their true surroundings, living in harmony with nature, and following a spiritual path called 'Brahmanism'. What's more: It was a shared experience of all those who managed to leave the safety of their village and join the migration into unknown territory (or further) . To find out more about this wonderful evolution read our article: 'How Do You Believe In God ?'. In the last part of this article we are going to go into detail with the main spiritual practices and principles of this fundamental belief system.
Another important aspect of spirituality is to know what it means to be Spiritual and to use this knowledge in your life. It is easy to understand, but it's not easy to be 'spiritual' in the sense that you can easily see the difference. Being spiritual doesn't mean that you reject everything that you were taught from birth about religion, life, and social behavior. Becoming a spiritual person is a process and not just a matter of declaration or concept. To become spiritual does not mean that we have put our old set beliefs or religious teachings away or ignore them completely. It just means that we see other things in a different way.
Spirituality is a big step forward to becoming your true and real self. It is beyond religion. It's not just a belief and it's not something that you can decide to be or not be.
To be spiritual means to let go of those things that do not serve you (it) anymore, to learn from your mistakes, to take responsibility as well as compassion for yourself, others and the world around you (including animals). Spirituality brings us wisdom and enlightenment at a certain age of our life path and opens up new ways of thinking, being and doing.
Spirituality is the full understanding of why everything happens in your life. It opens the door to an experience that will truly change your life for better. The journey is long but you will enjoy every single step on it!
In this article we are going to talk about the spiritual principles and practices as well as beliefs and daily activities that are practiced by Hindu Brahmans. We will also describe their beliefs regarding death, Karma, Yoga and Reincarnation. So what exactly is a Brahman?
Being Brahman:
Brahman (or Brahmin) is one of the four major varnas in Hinduism (the other three being Kshatriya, Vaisya and Shudra). Brahmans are the highest level of Hindu priests, who study and develop the sacred texts of Hinduism and Vedic literature. Brahmans, who are most famously known for their religious authority and knowledge, are also the high priest or head priests of royal courts. In ancient India, kings considered themselves to be descended from a Brahman. They would therefore consider it a disgrace if they did not have Brahman priests in their court. They would ask their priest to perform special rituals that would magically establish this fact: 'I am descended from a king who had a Brahman at his side'." The word 'Brahman' means "the highest order". It is also used to describe one's state of inner perfection. Brahmans are teachers or advisers. They run temples, monasteries, colleges and give spiritual advice to the public. They are the preachers, singers and poets of Hinduism.
Contrary to what you may think: Brahmans are not the descendants of Brahma (creator god in Hinduism) as they don't believe in reincarnation; this means that they are not 'born divine'. The Brahmans who have been elevated through ritual (initiation) become divine themselves. The Brahman is a member of a group known as 'Dvija' which means "twice born".
Conclusion:
The best way to learn this belief system (or any other) is to get acquainted with it by reading what the ancient wise men have left behind. Study their scriptures, prayers, poetry and philosophy. If you do that, you will be able to understand them better and find out how they can teach you in a way that was never possible before. Remember that spirituality is not set in stone like the holy books of Hinduism are for example (Vedas). What is written there is not 'the truth' but just one of many truths about spirituality.