Spiritual Saturday Prompt
How Spiritual Knowledge Can Help Deal With World’s Issues
“When our heart is open, everything we do becomes love.”~ Mimi Novic
This topic is best tackled by analysing what spirituality is as well as what a spiritual person will do differently. This is because spirituality as a way of life is the way of love towards all creation, and doing his best to maintain the balance in the world’s eco-system.
A spiritual person believes in the immortality of the soul, he accepts that he is here for a while, for a purpose of spreading love to all creation and leaving the stage better than he finds it.
He believes in a Creator, who rewards according to one’s deed. This justice is so perfect that there can never be any possibility of error or injustices. So he tries to live consciously, doing his best to all that he meets along his life journey. Living consciously means he is conscious of offering compassion, kindness love and whatever he can and within his capacity to help others.
‘’If there is anything that will heal our wounded planet with its immense problems of social injustice, ecological devastation, poverty, and war, it is a deeper understanding and knowledge of our own spirit.’’ Deepak Chopra
This conscious living connects to The Higher Power that guides and directs, hence the mind is at peace. When the mind is at peace, the body automatically heals itself, because the mind is at peace, so the dis-ease is eliminated. A healthy spirituality gives wholeness and balances in all aspect of our lives, that is, the physical and the spiritual. A spiritual person realises his importance and impact on all things he does.
“You’re not just a drop in the ocean, you’re also the mighty ocean in the drop.” Rumi
Why Spirituality Is Particularly Needed Now?
Humanity is ‘’running’’ at a pace that it cannot catch itself, or calls itself to order. Today we have massive use technology, most are as good, as useful as they are as destructive. A friend once told me we are in a world that can press a button in China, and every part of the world will know its effect. This is what Corona Virus has pointed out for us, in a way.
A spiritual person is knowledgeable enough about the consequences of living a balanced life, even in the midst of all development and technology. He serves as a role model for others, especially those less concerned about humanity and the environment.
He realises that his spirituality is a field of infinite possibilities, giving him the opportunity to further the benefits to all concerned. Spirituality involves a deep experience with self and the world in the harmony with thoughts. A good example is the prayer of St Francis of Assisi:
“Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love,
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
And where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
to be consoled as to console,
to be understood as to understand,
to be loved, as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.”
― St. Francis of Assisi
What Is My Connection To The World Around Me?
The spiritual dimension believes in the interconnectivity of the world around us. We are responsible for nature, the environment and all the lives in it. We strive for harmony because we know that it is only in ‘’balance’’ that, that harmony exists in our body, spirit and soul.
A spiritual person attends to nature and the environment from a stewardship perspective, in which there is a mandate to take care and cultivate it.
“Let us look … at the beauty in diversity, the beauty of harmony, and learn a lesson from the vegetable creation…. It is just the diversity and variety that constitutes its charm; each flower, each tree, each fruit, besides being beautiful in itself, brings out, by contrast, the qualities of the others, and shows to advantage the special loveliness of each and all.” (‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Paris Talks)
A spiritual person recognises that his life purpose is to preserve life, to make a huge difference to his little corner of the world where he is placed, to show the ultimate sacrifice of love to all concerned. This purpose is huge, it involves concern for the environment, obedience to the laws of the land, and respect for authority.
“The urgent challenge to protect our common home includes a concern to bring the whole human family together to seek sustainable and integral development, for we know that things can change. The Creator does not abandon us; he never forsakes his loving plan or repents of having created us. Humanity still has the ability to work together in building our common home.” (Pope Francis, 2015)
The Takeaways
A spiritual person is conscious of his actions, even in minute circumstances. His presence is to bless the whole of creation. His action and presence will support creation.
‘’There is an inseparable bond between man and nature. For man, there cannot be an existence removed from nature.” (Amma, 2011)
A spiritual person believes in the sacred nature of life and every being, and will not kill unnecessarily. Indeed, it is to preserve life.
“You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.” Thomas Merton
Spirituality helps us to learn resilience. Most have overcome hardship, trauma, hopelessness by alignment with spirituality before they found meaning in their life.
With all this understanding in a spiritual person, it is obvious that he will treat the earth well, not exploit it, respect it as well as nurture it for the benefit of all that dwells on it.
“This original nature is the eternal law. To know nature’s law is to be enlightened. He who is ignorant of nature’s law shall act recklessly, and thus will invite misfortune. To know the constant law of nature is to be generous. Being generous, one is impartial. Being impartial, one is the sovereign. Sovereign is the nature itself.” (Lao-Tzu, Tao Te Ching, Chapter 16)
