Spirit

The Spiritual Forces Within

Trying to define the aspect of humanity known as our "spirit" is a bit like trying to imagine the universe - it is simply beyond our scope. We tend to recognize or perceive things that we can see, touch, hear, or smell. Our spirit is not accessed through any of our physical senses, and so must be understood and accessed in other ways.

Our lives tend to be filled with events which feed our physical senses. Just think of all of the sights, sounds, and interactions we have on a daily basis. For many, television or the internet have become the predominant source for interaction with the rest of the world. While these media are not all bad, they do represent a predefined experience. Finding harmony with our spiritual selves tends to exclude the excessive stimuli of such artificial mediums, and include connection with nature, our physical being, our mental being, and perhaps a yet to be understood energy that comprises the universe.

Spiritual health can also be better understood for what it is not. A person can have a body which is crippled by disease yet have a healthy spirit. Similarly, a person can suffer anguish over the loss of a dear one yet relies on their spirit/spirituality as a source of strength. For some, our spiritual selves represent a culmination of thought, actions, and expression, while others embrace the notion of a pre-birth presence of a 'soul.' Whatever the case may be, if the essence of our spirit is beyond comprehension, then why really worry about defining it? If more is to be gained by acceptance of what cannot be understood, then is it not better to simply accept it and move on to live a more enriched life?

There appear to be three key elements to the well-being of our spirit:
- to connect to our spirit through acceptance and through channels such as meditation.
- to nourish our spirit with thoughtful interaction.
- to allow ourselves to receive guidance from our spirit.