Forms of Spirituality

What is Spirituality?

Spirituality can be defined as the sacred relationship that unites oneself with the divine. It can also be defined as a journey to the search of eternal truth or the path of enlightenment at the end of which lies moksha or salvation. Spirituality can be achieved through regular meditation and Yoga. There are several primary goals of spirituality which shape one to become a complete individual or an enlightened soul where one becomes one with God. The concept of spirituality in India traces back to the ancient times, to the eras of the Hindu rishis and saints and the Buddhists.

The term spirituality is highly related to concept of spirit. It is a narrow sense and the concept of spirituality is closely related to the religious faith or belief. There are some major forms of spirituality which are also deal with social belief and religious faith. These major forms of spirituality include-

• Faith
• Mysticism and
• Knowledge

Faith:

It is one of the most important forms of spirituality. It is basically an idea of trustworthiness. The concept of faith is very much related to the term spirituality, which is a confusing term that includes both religious and spiritual aspects. In this form of spirituality, an individual entirely depends on religious faiths. Moreover, this approach also creates a fear on the supreme power or God. Not only that, the person also places his/her life into the hands of the supreme power or an unseen power for a better future.

Knowledge:

Knowledge is another most important form of spirituality and is different from faith-based spirituality which is a belief. People who have faith think that, things will be fine in the future. Basically they have faith in their mind. But on the other hand, people who believe in knowledge possess a different idea about spirituality. According to them, knowledge is the only power to understand spirituality. Knowledge-based spirituality denotes to the understanding of things. It is also a desire through which an individual wants to achieve knowledge about life by his/her own goals and vision. Moreover, the individual can lead life according to his/her own desire.

Mysticism:

The literal meaning of Mysticism is obscure or irrational thought. It is one of the important forms of spirituality that is related to the religious beliefs or faiths. Mysticism is a principle or idea, which is related to the immediate consciousness of God. It can be also expressed as a combination of one or more than one principles. It can be also referred as the direct experience of religious facts or truth. The term mysticism came from the conventional Greco-Roman mystery cults. These cults have their own significance in the society and its people.