Spirituality isn't an easy thing to define, primarily because it is an inner personal pathway that most of us would describe differently, albeit with some common factors, I'm sure.
When independent of a religious group, spirituality is perceived as somewhat ambiguous. It is a common thing to hear someone say, “I'm not religious, but consider myself a spiritual person”.
Without having a religious reference point as a label, this can be difficult for some to wrap their heads around.
But, if we re-label “God” as “Mother Nature”, spirituality becomes far easier to understand, and many religious teachings can be interpreted though spiritual eyes, so to speak.
My personal definition of spirituality is this:
Spirituality exists within a unique, unbreakable relationship between the heart and the mind. It is an internal harmony that allows one to endure the most harrowing of circumstances.
Even when lacking in material possessions and physical freedoms, this relationship endures and enables its host to continue to offer compassion to others.
Spirituality is an internal sanctuary, free of the rules and expectations of the physical world. It is a place where one can submit to one's mortality and rest properly, without worry, anxiety, desire and striving.
Spirituality offers liberation in the knowledge that as long as one has the freedom to think for oneself, one will always have the freedom to positively influence the lives of others through love and kindness.
Within this relationship, between heart and mind, there is a deep rooted understanding that simplifies existence and removes the mental suffering surrounding the constant compulsion to grasp, acquire and succeed.
In the arms of spirituality, one is comforted by an understanding of the transient nature of life; that no matter who we are and where we come from, we are all part of the same interdependent, impermanent cycle of life.
