Relation between Spirituality and Religion - Dr. TN Chugh
SIRSA NEWS
21 February 2019
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Relation between Spirituality and Religion
The religion means with, the belief in God or gods and the activities connected with this understanding. Religion is the cultural system of particular behavior and practices in this world. It relates humanity to supernatural, beyond normal human experience; knowledge, understanding, or spiritual elements. Different religions may or may not contain various elements ranging from divine sacred thing, faith, supernatural being or some sort of intimacy that will provide power for the rest of life.
Religious practices may include ceremony, a speech on moral subject, spoken description, prayer, music, art, dance, public services or other aspects of human culture. Religions have sacred histories and narrations which may be preserved in sacred scriptures as symbols and holy place that aims mostly to give a meaning of life. The estimated number of religions seems to be about 10,000 in the word. Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism and Folk religion are five important religions which seem to be followed by about 84% person in this world. Human beings have to work honestly, with full zeal and determination, making of life lively mainly through demotion in preferred religion. Everyone has to think good and do good so as to acquire goodness in every event.
The Latin word, ’Religionem or Religio’ means, respect for what is sacred, reverence for God, sense of right, moral obligation, purity and reverence of God or gods. The Greek word is ‘Threskia’ and Sanskrit word is ‘Dharma’, Faith has been considerable source of religious belief.
Eminent Qualities of Spirit:
1. Soul is very important seat of character and emotions but non-physical part of a person.
2. It determines the mood, attitude, energy, state and strength of mind.
3. It still exists or remains alive even after the death of each individual. Thus multifarious spiritual qualities are heavenly, immortal entity with divine source, linked with extreme energy, emotions, passions, enthusiasm, eagerness, vitality, communication and many other favorable aspects.
4. The confidence improves upon the objectives of life through truth, delight and sincerity, achieved through regular meditation.
5. The word comes from Latin language, ‘Spiritualis or Spiritus’ which refers to soul, courage and vigor breath.
6. The term spirit means a vital principle in man and animals.
7. The traditional meaning of spirituality is the process of re-formation which means ‘aims to recover the original shape of man and the image of God.
8. The soul adopts the virtuous trend of truth and morality. Soul leaves the materialistic desires or incidents to attain purity and strength.
9. We must improve ourselves to acquire the virtuous habits of honesty, truthfulness, humility, tolerance, submission and contentment.
10. Try to achieve strong consciousness to merge with God through meditation because it is faithful, emotional submission of soul to God.
11. Soul is everlasting, spiritual and immortal entity of all living beings.
12. Spirituality extends beyond an expression of religion that creates harmony with the universe.
13. The terms of spirituality and religion remain different. Almighty power of God is presently available for us for spiritual goal.
You can move on from success to success, strength to strength, if you replace hatred with love, jealousy with affection, anger with forgiveness, selfishness with sacrifice, greed with contentment, fear with courage, despair with hope and inertia with refined actions. Very important of all actions is to cherish Divine faith and eminent grace.
Comparison between Religion(R) and Spirituality(S):
R has a set of diagnostic rules but S is virtuous to reason and question about everything.
R may threaten and frighten but S gives inner peace.
R may speak of sins and guilt’s but S says to learn from errors.
R represses every falsehood, whereas, S brings closer to truth.
R does not tolerate any question and S questions everything.
R is human. It is an organization with rules made by human beings, whereas, S is Divine without human rules.
R is looking for you to believe but you have S to look for it to believe.
R feeds on fear, whereas, S feeds on trust and faith.
R makes us renounce the world to follow God but S makes us to live in God without renouncing our existing lives.
Sometimes, R may not be followed but S is inner meditation.
R fills us with dreams of glory in paradise but S makes us live in glory and paradise on earth.
R makes us believe in eternal life, whereas S makes in aware of eternal life.
R promises life after death, whereas, S has to find God in our interior during the current life before death.
We are spiritual beings who go to human experience. Ultimately, religion may be dark but spirituality is light to repel darkness. It unites all creatures and finally it gives life even to dead.
Happiness of Prayer:
Prayer happens when we put our hands together to focus and expect blessings from God. We try to say specific religious words in favor of God. We must think positive and wish goodness for others during prayer. However, there are certain persons who try to think or even convey a few words of hatred against specific religion, which becomes terrible in mind. Actually, the prayer is true liberation, happy feeling and genuine worship. Our satisfaction is truly realized by our heart, mind and soul. The Morning Prayer is attention on seeking Gods plan to need encouragement, peace, strength and blessings.
Everyone must surrender oneself gladly to the divine will power. Such devotion of each person can make him strong, stable and blissful in mind. Cherishing of faith, truly allows divine grace. Be strong but not rude, be kind but not weak, be humble but not timid, and be proud but not arrogant. Meaning of life is to be integrative, selfless and loving. We must make every moment of life prominent, so that our life remains worth living. Develop winning spirit; work honestly with full zeal and determination.
Worship God, through True Spirit:
GOD is the sole regulator, operator, care taker, navigator, savior and all benevolent divine power. His pure and energetic power is presented in every particle and soul of universe. He is the sole destiny regulator and embodiment of love. The word ‘GOD’ has three letters in which ‘G’ stands for generator (Brahma), ‘O’ for operator (Vishnu), and ‘D’ for destructor (Mahesh). He regulates everything material, astral and celestial. He is the destiny regulator beyond the limits of time. We must follow that our God is omnipresent, omnipotent, omniscient and all benevolent divine power. He is one and eternal with grace, fathomless, infinite and illimitable.
Try to follow real Meditation:
Meditation is faithful, emotional and devotional submission of soul with God. Living spiritual master is the true saint, who is one with God. He has definite experience of mentor and philosopher for guiding meditation. He has the secret massage of God words to promote disciples through initiation. These sacred words, if repeated, can elaborate the real meaning for immense energy to create good form of life in this world and help to perceive eternal divine melody. The Latin word, ‘Medito’ means to think, contemplate and ponder, In Sanskrit, the word ‘Simran’ means focusing on Divine. Meditation enables to detach from claim of old thoughts but to acquire best future positive thoughts. We have to modify ourselves for acquiring truthfulness, honesty, tolerance, humility, submission and contentment when we try to search for God from within. Our body gets transformed as temple of God and our heart as seat of God.
However many will counter some of the above all said with the following arguments.
Spirituality vs Religion:
The Future of Truth and Meaning What is religion, and what is spirituality? They have a common subject-matter, but their approaches are very different.
Both religion and spirituality teach that there is more to the universe than what meets the eye, and more to our life than the physical body. Both agree that there are non-physical elements to the universe, and to our existence, and that unless we consciously connect with them, we will never be truly fulfilled in life.
The core difference between religion and spirituality is that religion presents you a set of beliefs, dogmas and “holy men” as intermediaries between you and Spirit (however you may name it); while spirituality promotes your individual autonomy in defining and connecting to Spirit as it fits your heart and mind.
As mentioned above, religion and spirituality can be together. Many people find spirituality inside their religion, and for them, these differences may not be so relevant or true, since the two things are mixed. But for those interested in pure spirituality, regardless of religious affiliation, let u expand on the difference between religion and spirituality in a quote:
Religion asks you to believe. Spirituality asks you to look.
Contributed by: Dr. Triloki Nath Chugh. H.E.S.-I Retired.
The writer is an eminent former Professor of Zoology; he has more than 3 decades of teaching experience in various colleges of KUK He can be reached on his Mobile No:+91-94160 48789 and email: trilokichugh@gmail.com . Dr Chugh has published many Zoology research papers; Guided several M.Phil students for research; M.Sc. Secured 2nd Position BITS PILANI 1968; Gold Medalist in French Diploma 1981 KUK; Prinicipal at SSS Boys College for 7 years. The views expressed in the article are exclusive to Dr TN Chugh.
