“You are spiritual, what work can I give you?” My friend cynically said to me when we unexpectedly met in an office corridor while I was on a business visit. Though I was surprised at her comment in that moment, this kept coming back to my mind. What made my friend think that spiritual people are not normal and they don’t work for a living? Is our community further divided between spiritual and non-spiritual people?
Further I asked myself several times:
How spirituality practically helps in everyday life management? If it doesn’t, what is the need to practice it? Can the benefits be clearly explained?
I went into a deep inquiry on this and here is what I got to understand:
Often we disconnect spirituality from life and treat them separately. We behave as if there is a switch in us. Switch on - we do the rituals, be loving, compassionate, kind, etc. Switch off - we become who we are otherwise- transactional, doubting, selfish, etc. In such a state it is natural that there is confusion, doubt and fears as we have different behaviors at different situations.
I decided to raise my faith over doubt. I realized by doubting I did not anyway achieve anything. Doubt only causes fears and separation. Separation causes pain and Faith results in unity which gives happiness at the end. So I chose Faith over Doubt and raised the bar of Faith in me.
Over a few days, truth was revealed in many ways. I got my answers.
Spirituality gives Clarity and Clarity is Power
Through spiritual practices we clear clutter and become lighter and lighter. We become less complicated and clear in thoughts and action. Clarity is certainly Power as every thought becomes focused thereafter. We can create our future with this power of clarity and hence anything is possible in life thereafter.
Spirituality helps in Balancing
As we become clear inside, many of the outside battles look irrelevant and uninteresting. As a result the focus on the real goals is much better yielding better results. The response to outside events is much balanced which gives peace in the long run as there are lesser issues to deal with.
Spirituality makes you stronger
It takes immense courage to look within. When we travel inside we have taken bold step. Spiritual energy makes you stronger from inside as you get to know your real substance and strength. This makes us stronger to fight with outside events of life fearlessly.
Core of the Leadership is based on Spiritual principles
Leadership is all about earning people’s trust and support which cannot be faked for long if it is not natural. For people to be really on your side you need to be really be someone who is highly inspiring and caring. Both needs higher standard of thinking and living which comes from spirituality.
Spirituality is the only thing that gives unconditional happiness
I will not exchange my meditative ecstasy with anything in this world. It’s simply unconditional, soothing, calming with unlimited joy. There is no more longing and discomfort for petty things in life. My longing for happiness ends here and hence my dependency on anything or anyone out side is zero. That gives me immense freedom and freedom is happiness.
There are many other benefits along the way. I felt extremely thankful to this friend who triggered this thought which immensely benefitted me. I learnt when we are focused on self-growth, we can learn from even the so called negative things in life and the universe really conspires to uplift our consciousness every day.