I really, really like Brené Brown’s definition of spirituality best:
Spirituality is recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. Practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.
A Power Greater Than Us
In order to talk about spirituality in this way we must first accept that there is a power greater than all of us. What to call this? Using certain names can be triggering for some, especially those with religious trauma. This higher power has gone by many names. Here are only a few in English:
- Universal Intelligence
- The Divine
- Mother Nature
- God
- Allah
- Brahma
- The Creator
- Yahweh
- Divine Love
- The Universe
Some religions give this higher power a gender. I will use “it” to indicate a lack of gender since some of the names evoke the image of the feminine and some the masculine. To be inclusive we will continue with the pronoun “It.”
The Loving Connection
Now, we come to the second part of Brené’s definition: we are connected to this power and each other. This would imply that we are bound up in It together. We are a part of the whole that is this higher power. Our connection is loving and compassionate. There is no reason to fear It. This would also imply a sense of equanimity among us. If everyone is part of this whole, I would argue that we are each equal to each other. This loving connection can engender a sense of belonging if we allow it. Being equal does not mean that our connection isn’t individualized. We each have a connection but that connection means something different to each of us.
Practicing Spirituality
Many of us long for a sense of perspective in life. We long for a sense of meaning and purpose. Why am I here? What is my purpose? These are common questions that many of us ask ourselves. Brené says that practicing spirituality can bring us a place of perspective, meaning, and purpose.
What does it mean to practice spirituality? This implies that we should do something. I would argue that religions tell us how to practice. That is one way to do it. Many of us chose to practice spirituality by following our instincts and intuition. Can it be that we are guided by this higher power to express our spirituality in individualized and unique ways? Humans tend to group themselves when they practice spirituality in a similar fashion. I believe this is alright as long as we don’t lose our individuality.
One Example
At Centers for Spiritual Living, we believe that each of us is an individualized expression of the Divine Life. We are always connected to this One Source. This higher power is benevolent, caring, and loving towards us. We can never be separated from It. We always belong to the whole of life and can never be disconnected from It. Practicing spirituality is knowing this, keeping it top of mind, and acting compassionately in our world. We are in the universe and It is in us!
This is but one example. What do you believe?
