How do we understand spirituality to be? The subjective experiential approach to seeking the truth is a religious search. Spirituality seeks to appropriate this truth through a vision and way of life, thus seeking fulfilment or self-realization. Such vision gives meaning and motivation for life.
Both reason and faith-based spirituality, based on a world view gives purpose and value in life. It serves as practical Sadhana, a way of life, than a belief system that is more ritualised through a structure and institution. ( Cf. R.C. Heredia, Science, Religion and Spirituality, in VJTR, 84(2020)2, pp 7-8).
Spirituality is the inner symbolic, conceptual and non-conceptual way to realise the ultimate transcendental realities beyond reason and interpretation, which is, in turn transformative. It is beyond being meaningful, but a natural way of being one’s self in its fullness and is open to varied worldviews to chose from. It is an endeavour to constantly seek the truth, Satya, reality. It is beyond faith and reason, above all rituals and dogmas. Beyond all fundamentalism and fanaticism, there is always an open discernment and discretion in a spiritual search for truth according to place, people and time.
The experiential approach to spirituality is one of extrinsic testimony, that is the witness to truth with self-authority and not something that is based on rational experiment that can be verified. It is “self-reflective rationality” that makes one more human. It is an act of faith, non-compulsive but freely sought after, in ones search for truth that is humanizing. Spirituality is a constitutive element of human living with the nature in the most natural way. It is the way to self-understanding and ordering of life in the natural order.
Spiritual charisma of individual is often distorted when such charisma is institutionalised. Spirituality is a charismatic experience within the nature. It loses its true charism when stereotyped into some routine religious practices wherein the natural experiences loses its vigour and authenticity.
Spirituality is in the realm of consciousness of the true reality of self, world and others. Such conscious experience of reality affects our being and lifts one to super-consciousness with superior moral goodness. It fulfils our deepest hopes and desires, and engages one with meaning and motivation within the nature and its existential realities.
There are common elements within diverse spiritual practices in so far as it is naturally human, across cultures and nations. A basic spirituality based on the nature bridges the divide across geographical distances. A spirituality that recognises oneself in the other and vice versa, and everyone is connected with the other and the cosmos. We all breathe the same air – the breath of life for all.
An inclusive spirituality holds the nature at the centre of humanism globally for persons to love each other instead of hate. It is beyond borders and boundaries, beyond all religious differences and parameters which are due to perspectives and ideologies. Beyond faith and reason spirituality has to be grounded on nature and engage itself with it. This spirituality helps to internalize the truth with a balance between self-realization and detachment without becoming exclusivist.
The present ecological crisis caused by consumerist culture, socio-religious bigotry and a globalised market economy, and the Covid-19 as a consequence, has to find a new spirituality with a concern for human values, new world views and supernatural realities. We need to reverence the universe, in a special way our only planet to care for and thus change our attitude and behaviour.
This would be a spirituality that can appropriate such values and express it in a way of life (Cf. Heredia, op.cit., p.105). In this present moment of global plague and crisis of different kind, putting away all religious divides, a universal eco-spirituality can give meaning and show the united path to overcome human misery with united motivation and hope for a holistic universe.
That would be an enriching experience for all in this cosmic journey, of which we are all participating pilgrims. We are a part of it. With its transcendental nature eco-spirituality is consciously concerned about humanity as a whole, and is stretched to the divine reality beyond the material to pure consciousness where each is connected with the rest. Spirituality brings the human and divine together.
Spirituality must “penetrate” the ecological ethos through prayerful connectedness. The ecological crisis is a spiritual problem (cf. Laudato Si/LS 119) where the relationship between humanity and the earth has been broken.
Today it calls for ecological asceticism (cf. LS 9). In order to protect our planet with all existing within it, an eco-spirituality harmonises the material with the human and divine consciousness through “cosmostheandric solidarity”. According to Pope Francis’ “On care for our common home” (Laudato Si), only an integral eco-spirituality can transcend this material realities with all its crisis and lift the human to the divine (cf. LS, 11).
In the midst of the present degrading world order caused by human greed and creed, we need to get our act together and live unitedly an eco-spirituality with a common transcendental vision without losing sight of what looms within the nature.
Tomorrow: COVID-19: Eco-Spirituality is a Way of Life
Fr. Soroj Mullick, SDB is a Salesian priest from the Kolkata Province. He has a Licentiate in Catechetics and a Doctorate (Christian Education) from UPS, Italy. He has number of years of teaching experience in college and in the formation of future priests. Besides, he has written number of research papers and articles, and has 25 years of Ministry in India and abroad as Educator, Formator, Retreat Preacher, Editor and engaged in School, Parish Catechetical & Youth Ministry. He is now an assistant priest in Bandel Basilica, rendering pastoral and catechetical ministry to the parishioners and to the pilgrims. He can be contacted at [email protected].