Why people are spiritual in the first place?

[Jennifer]

Originally Posted by Abhaya

For me that quote alludes to the experience when one is fully in the moment and everything seems exactly how it should be. Everything is One and there is not such things as time or duality. I have had that experience in fleeting moments. Every atom of my being vibrates in unison with all that is. I want to develop this state of consciousness and that is why I am spiritual to learn to live fully in the moment with an awareness of the true nature of things.

It's quite the contradiction, isn't it?

You can only be in the moment when you're not aware you're in the moment.

As soon as you step away from yourself to observe you are in the moment, you are no longer in the moment and the moment is lost.

It is like being Aware yet Unaware all at once.

[Abhaya]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

It's quite the contradiction, isn't it?

Contradiction is where the secret dwells

Also, I am not talking about a strictly mental awareness more of an awareness of being. But maybe that is what you mean by..

Originally Posted by Jennifer

It is like being Aware yet Unaware all at once.

Words just don't do this "stuff" justice.

[Little Linguist]

Originally Posted by Jennifer

Prove it.

At the risk of sounding totally foolish, ignorant, and stupid:

Trying to prove we have spirits is like trying to prove that we love someone.

You either believe it, or you do not.

Some things cannot be proven because we do not fully understand them. We just believe, intuit, and know.

Surely you can understand.

[gokartride]

I'll say right off the bat that I have many thoughts on this, but don't worry, I'd be lucky to corral only one or two (at most) at any one time.

To me essential spirituality is a recognition, great or small, of a connection to something beyond us that is profound, meaningful, mysterious, and good...that's why we search as we do. Ultimately, it is all about connection. That easy to say, but a whole lot of other things flow from that, including the myraid of wonderful paradoxes that has been alluded to.

The spiritual world, from what I can see, is no less complex than the natural world....both in the micro and macro sense. It is a delightful place.

[Ilah]

For me it all comes down to the N. Spirituality is just something I intuit. Certain places or objects "feel" spiritual. By feel I don't mean emotionally, it is more of a "knowing" than a "feeling." it is extremely strong. It goes beyond logic or emotions. It cannot be explained it just is.

Sometimes I feel the presence of the divine and at times I have heard the voice of the divine (in my head, not out loud). For the record, it was words of comfort, no profound new messsage. I am drawn to places, objects, traditions but I could not really tell you why.

This has shaped my spiritual path and led me away from the tradition I was raised in. I feel the presence of the divine in so many things that were not part of the faith I was raised in.

As with all things N for me, it is very difficult to put into words anyone else can understand. My T side is annoyed and a bit embaressed that my N side does not seem to have any logic to it.

[gokartride]

Originally Posted by Ilah

I am drawn to places, objects, traditions but I could not really tell you why.

I think that is fair. I generally start off there, but after some study (over a period of many years) and becoming more familiar with the subject...that initial inspiration is even stronger/more solid/more vivid to me.

Oh, yes, I could go on for hours explaining every detail of this stuff....but why? Gifts are given to different people for different reasons, and this must be appreciated. I think there is something to be said for just going with your intuition if it is strong enough. Even though I followed up mine with some significant study, I wound up coming back full circle, in the end, to that initial mystical connection!!

[01011010]

People want their lives to have meaning. It's a rather scary thought to believe there's no point to it all.

[Edasich]

Originally Posted by Antisocial one

I will leave this completly open because I am interested in all viewpoints.

Because they desire to be whole. Everyone feels this, it has nothing to do with type, lol. Why do people often rush into relationships? Because they long to be loved, to feel complete (fleeting “love” of course though, lol).

I read somewhere that the more spiritual a person is, the more energy they see in another person, as opposed to that person’s projected image, and just seeing the shallow (looks, wealth, achievements blah blah). Seeing that person’s essence.

[Samuel De Mazarin]

I think you can be existentialist and still spiritual at the same time... and not in the Kierkegaard way...

[abra]

Originally Posted by Minako-bot

People want their lives to have meaning. It's a rather scary thought to believe there's no point to it all.

It's not the scariness, it's the implausibility of there not being one combined with the impracticality of our wanting one.