What is considered "spiritual"?

reply to post by Akragon

1spir·i·tu·al
adjective \ˈspir-i-chə-wəl, -i-chəl, -ich-wəl\
Definition of SPIRITUAL
1
: of, relating to, consisting of, or affecting the spirit

1spir·it
noun \ˈspir-ət\
Definition of SPIRIT
1
: an animating or vital principle held to give life to physical organisms

1life
noun \ˈlīf\
plural lives
Definition of LIFE
1
a : the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body

Spiritual - of, relating to, or affecting the animating or vital principle held to give the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body to physical organisms.

If it is concerned with life and livelihood, it could be argued to be spiritual.

reply to post by AfterInfinity


I quickly see the term "spirituality" being deduced to the description of a cheerleader at the rate we're going.

"We've got spirit, yes we do, we've got spirit, how about you?" * while doing my cheerleader claps*

reply to post by Deetermined


That is one example. That doesn't denigrate its legitimacy as an example. It simply does not represent the entirety of what spirituality can be, has been, and often is.

reply to post by Deetermined


No i do not consider Buddhism spiritual, it does not come from one's own spiritual striving, but is handed down to us in the form of a teaching.
So i think we agree that buddhism is more of a philosophy

Interesting...

I have always felt that "spirituality" is the concept that life has deeper meaning than just being an organism floating around on a rock in space with no meaning other than to eat and sleep and work.

The deeper you look into life, and why you are alive, the deeper the spirituality.
Science is spiritual to the scientist, and Spirit is spiritual to the Spiritualist.

It is looking deeper than just what one sees with the eyes.

IMO

Spiritual to me means the more intangible aspects of life, emotion, magic or intention. It may be like the molecular glue that binds all things, as in the Native American's "spirit in all things." Oneness is a labyrinth of spirit, that occupies all space in variation, sometimes forming matter, but more often bathing our existence with potentiality and intrinsic connections. Spirit are the seeds lying dormant in nothingness, waiting to be cultivated for influence. It is like a divine cosmic medium perhaps. This is just speculation on my part, but I wanted to try and answer the question as i see it.

Peace

Originally posted by NiNjABackflip
Spirituality sounds so much more beautiful when it involves real things and not mystical abstractions.

Excellent point, I agree.

I think the reason some sources say that the concept of spirituality separate from religion is new, is because the government separation of religion and state, and the cultural acceptance of not being religious, is fairly new to most cultures. It wasn't separate before because everyone was part of the church/temple/mosque/whatever before, and most churches were busy threatening that they were the line to god so if you didn't agree with them they'd tell god not to let you go to heaven. So of course the whole concept of being "allowed" to be spiritual completely separate from religion wasn't real common.

I find the topic gets lost in words, much like the study of spirit gets lost in them. I've known people who were preachers, and people who were degreed philosophers, and people who were avid church going religious researchers, and in some cases, none of them were spiritual at all by my definition; it was all in their head.

I've known people who were not religious at all, and really didn't even give much if any thought to issues of god or doctrine or the afterlife, but who were beautiful inside, people who respected 'love and nature' (for lack of any better way to put it) and I would consider some of them spiritual, even though their beliefs and behaviors didn't involve a sense of 'god.'

True spirituality is heart-centered in my perspective and experience, however, this is only my perspective and experience, and probably there are a million others which are just as valid.

Boy, is that screwed up. Technically you need a church to be spiritual

Originally posted by rickymouse
Boy, is that screwed up. Technically you need a church to be spiritual

hardly...

This thread kinda went out the window.... 4 pages of babbling and argument... *sigh*

that's what I get for starting a thread just before bed...

As brash as i am, its something the op does not jave if it must be ask...what is spiritual

reply to post by Jordan River


shows how far assumptions will take you... eh

Can I not ask a question to see what answers are given by others?

Is curiosity about other peoples perspective frowned upon these days?

:shk:

Originally posted by Akragon
reply to post by Jordan River

 

shows how far assumptions will take you... eh

Can I not ask a question to see what answers are given by others?

Is curiosity about other peoples perspective frowned upon these days?

:shk:

to


Rofl arkagon. I didnt know who made the thread , i guess you were exploring the question. Honestly i have great respect for your opinions and beliefs but the question sounded like somone was lost and i am on a smart phone and i couldnt see who started the thread

Originally posted by Jordan River

Originally posted by Akragon
reply to post by Jordan River

 

shows how far assumptions will take you... eh

Can I not ask a question to see what answers are given by others?

Is curiosity about other peoples perspective frowned upon these days?

:shk:

to


Rofl arkagon. I didnt know who made the thread , i guess you were exploring the question. Honestly i have great respect for your opinions and beliefs but the question sounded like somone was lost and i am on a smart phone and i couldnt see who started the thread

no worries hun...

I was actually really tired when I started this thread... I was hoping to get some good discussion on the subject...

4 pages later it's been all about "now" and "Nothing" which one particular member seems to always preach... Nothing wrong with that honestly but it doesn't lead anywhere... just circles upon circles...

Though there have been a few good replies....

Thanks for yours too by the way... how about giving your perspective on the subject?

Spirituality is that tingle connections you get when.meditating. what ffeels like.ffresh air mixed with chills. The thing that feels good and calming and still wanting more. Its the kiss of God that relaxes the soul. A connection and experiance of yourself as yourself. Meaning total comfort of yourself during the short experiances and it always will make you want more.

That you.dont have to do more to be a better person as He/She/it loves you the way you are.

reply to post by Jordan River


Interesting...

So essentially, spirituality is "feeling"

Sounds good... but what of bad feelings?

reply to post by Akragon



What i wrote above is my personal experiance at the core during my person moments. Spirituality is using wisdom, learnng, growing and the betterment of mankind at the heart. The feeling is just a side effect. Spirituality is growing. That is why people leave the church because after the dogmatic teachings, bible studies and learning they do not feel fullfilled and must shed the church to go do good of earth and the self. The west believes that god is outside while the east believe god is inside, enlightenment. If you combine both you get both benefits.

Bad feelings are tools of learning. You learn from negative and were on earth to learn

Something considered spiritual is something that occupies the space reserved for your idea of a Deity or your idea of what allows your existence to continue.

It is the personal study of the innermost philosophy discovered only from within or the judgement and acceptance of religious lore.

For some, it is hearing the words spoken from with oneself for the first time.

Originally posted by Akragon

Originally posted by rickymouse
Boy, is that screwed up. Technically you need a church to be spiritual

hardly...

This thread kinda went out the window.... 4 pages of babbling and argument... *sigh*

that's what I get for starting a thread just before bed...

The following comment on Spiritualism
is just for you Akragon,
no one else.





Many people think that the Soul is the same thing as the Spirit.
It's hard to be more wrong then that.

The most modern interpretation is from Freud's Id, Ego, and Super Ego.
Which was inspired by Plato's republic.

In his treatise the Republic, Plato argues that [color=lime] the soul is composed of three parts: The [color=gold] logical (λόγος), the [color=gold] spirited (θυμός) and the [color=gold] appetitive (ἐπιθυμητής). These three parts of the soul also correspond to the three classes of a just society. Individual justice consists in maintaining these three parts in the correct hierarchy, where the logical part (aided by spirited) rules, and the appetitive obeys.

wikipedia / Plato's Tripartite Theory of Soul

Sprit is only one third of the soul.
The part modernly called the Ego.

Ego governs our appetites.

During the Renaissance the value of Logic
and it's role in governing the spiritual
was celebrated and valued.

After Freud,
and his cousin Edward Bernays,
started using psycho therapy to manipulate
all of humanity by playing on their emotions for corporate gain,
Logic and critical thinking have fallen out of vogue, and spirituality has grown
to be considered the whole of the matter by many consumers in the western world.


Spirit was also the invention of both
the story of the Ring of invisibility,
and the inspiration for the classic "The Invisible Man".

Plato's Brother Glaucon
was arguing against Plato's idealized version of Spirituality
being either internal or a determinant of virtue.

In the book "Republic", the tale of the ring of Gyges is described by the character of [color=gold] Glaucon who is the brother of Plato. Glaucon asks whether any man can be so virtuous that he could resist the temptation of being able to perform any act without being known or discovered. Glaucon suggests that morality is only a social construction, the source of which is the desire to maintain one's reputation for virtue and justice. Hence, if that sanction were removed, one's moral character would evaporate.

wikipedia / Ring of Gyges

One can read the actual story told by Glaucon on the wiki page.



Remember about five years ago,
a lot of people here on ATS
were saying "shed the ego"
and "let go of the ego."

What they were really suggesting is that one give up an entire third of their Soul,
the spirit.

And they never offered any alternative.

Just that we shed the Ego.

Many of these were the same people who were Spiritualists.

I have never seen a culture so possessed by well meaning self abnegation.


Mike

reply to post by Ophiuchus 13


I did give member "Ophicus 13" a star though,
as they do seem to understand that spirituality
is just one factor in a complicated interaction.


Mike