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What does being spiritual mean?

nakazcidnakazcid Somewhere in Dixie, y'all Veteran
edited June 2010 in General Banter
The other day, someone complimented on being a spiritual person. That got me wondering what that really means. Is it someone seeking a higher truth? Questing for self-improvement? Attempting to commune with the divine? In a Buddhist context, would it mean sincerely trying to achieve enlightenment? What does "being spiritual" mean to you?

Comments

  • RenGalskapRenGalskap Veteran
    edited June 2010
    nakazcid wrote: »
    What does "being spiritual" mean to you?
    Cleaning the toilet.
  • nakazcidnakazcid Somewhere in Dixie, y'all Veteran
    edited June 2010
    RenGalskap wrote: »
    Cleaning the toilet.
    She must be very mistaken then, 'cause I avoid the toilet like the plague.:lol:

    To me it always conjured images of New Age devotees waiting for the Age of Aquarius...
  • EngyoEngyo
    edited June 2010
    Different things to different people, in my experience.
  • pegembarapegembara Veteran
    edited June 2010
    nakazcid wrote: »
    The other day, someone complimented on being a spiritual person. That got me wondering what that really means. Is it someone seeking a higher truth? Questing for self-improvement? Attempting to commune with the divine? In a Buddhist context, would it mean sincerely trying to achieve enlightenment? What does "being spiritual" mean to you?


    Everyone (even robbers, addicts, despots) is looking for the same thing, the end of dukkha. The problem is that most are looking in the wrong places. And even when they have a choice to cling and suffer or let go and not suffer, they will choose the former because their ego selves want to survive.

    Suffering is a sign that you're out of touch with the truth. Suffering is given to you that you might open your eyes to the truth, that you might understand that there's falsehood somewhere, just as physical pain is given to you so you will understand that there is disease or illness somewhere. Suffering points out that there is falsehood somewhere. Suffering occurs when you clash with reality. When your illusions clash with reality when your falsehoods clash with the truth, then you have suffering. Otherwise there is no suffering.

    de Mello
  • Fran45Fran45
    edited June 2010
    You have a Buddha statue on your desk and not a stress ball??
  • TreeLuvr87TreeLuvr87 Veteran
    edited June 2010
    To me it simply means acknowledging that I have a Spirit. I personally believe that it ties my form into a greater Spirit, and I am acting "spiritual" when I am actively attending to my Spirit and taking care of it in order to purify the greater Spirit.
  • lightwithinlightwithin Veteran
    edited June 2010
    To me, being spiritual means taking care or tending to the non-physical aspect of your being. Your soul/spirit/inner self, are also in need of nourishing, just like the physical body is, and neglecting this would probably result in more suffering than we already have.
  • TasslehoffTasslehoff
    edited June 2010
    Being spiritual is acknowledging that there is more to life than "material things".
  • DisneyDisney
    edited June 2010
    RenGalskap wrote: »
    Cleaning the toilet.
    :lol:

    Clearing the dirts that rest on the floor:)
  • federicafederica Seeker of the clear blue sky... Its better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to speak out and remove all doubt Moderator
    edited June 2010
    For my own part, I think that somebody 'spiritual' is seeking to find a serene place to be, within themselves, and is eager to establish a calm and content, joyous attitude, within, without attempting to control, deny, resent or change what goes on outside the Self....
    Spirituality to me, means being focused on the Self, but focused on the self in a manner in which one can completely accept one's self as one is, but realise that every day can bring further developments to challenge - or nourish - the Contentment one is seeking do attain. I think Spirituality is focused more on achieving a 'level' Self, while religion is focused on a specific practice with discipline, guidance and Devotion. So there is an inner peace that spirituality brings because spirituality is about yourself.
    Combine this with the satisfaction of Practising the Religion one follows, and there is a whole-ness that can be achieved with immense reward....
  • Micsunderland3Micsunderland3
    edited June 2010
    being mindful
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