What is Spirituality?

The essence of spirituality is the search to know our true selves, to discover the real nature of consciousness. This quest has been the foundation of all the great spiritual teachings, and the goal of all the great mystics.

Throughout the history of humanity it has been said that the self we know – the individual ego – is a very limited form of identity. Ignorant of our true selves we derive a false sense of identity from what we have, or what we do – from our possessions, our role in the world, how others see us, etc. Because the world on which it is based is continually changing, this derived sense of identity is always under threat, and our attempts to maintain it are responsible for much of our ‘self-centred’ behaviour.

Behind this identity is a deeper identity, what is often called the ‘true self’. This can be thought of as the essence of consciousness. Although our thoughts, feelings and personality may vary considerably, the essence of mind remains the same. We are each very different people than we were twenty years ago, but still we feel the same sense of ‘I’. This sense of ‘I-ness’ is the same for everyone, and in that respect is something universal that we all share.

When we discover this deeper sense of self we are freed from many of the fears that plague us unnecessarily. We discover a greater inner peace, an inner security that does not depend upon events or circumstances in the world around us. As a result we become less self-centred, less needy of the other’s approval or recognition, less needy of collecting possessions and social status, and become happier, healthier and more loving people. In many spiritual teachings this is called ‘self-liberation’.

“To know thy self, is to know the Divine”

Most spiritual teachings also maintain that when one comes to know the true nature of consciousness, one also comes to know the Divine.

If the Divine is the essence of the whole of creation, that Divinity is then the essence of every creature, and every person. This is why the search to discover the nature of one's own innermost essence is the search for Divine truth.

Spirituality Is Inner Joy of life or a higher frequency of consciousness. Scientifically joy or excitement is defined as an energy state higher than normal. This higher energy state can manifest itself in two different forms:

• as a higher frequency, or
• as a higher power at the same frequency, such as turning up the volume.

Higher consciousness is consciousness at a higher frequency than normal, thus inner joy equals higher consciousness. What this means is that inner joy and excitement is the portal or opening of your conscious mind to the excitement that already exists within your inner self, also known as your higher self or soul. And your soul is the real you. The other part of your self is what we call the outer self which is you outer-oriented consciousness that focuses on the challenges of the outer physical world. You can always trust your inner self because it acts as your true inner guide.

“Inner joy is your rightful state”

In contradiction to your outer self, the frequency of your inner self’s consciousness exists within a frequency band which is higher. When your conscious mind catches even a glimpse of that spiritual essence within you, you will feel the joy and excitement caused by the higher frequency. So when you communicate with your inner self you are in an exhilarating process. The more you are in contact with your inner self the more excitement you feel. Inner joy or excitement is actually a barometer of contact with your soul – the real you. Let this be your guidance. The closer and more intimate your contact becomes, the more inner joy you’ll experience.