What is the definition of spirituality and how far is it required in life?

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Seeker: What is the definition of spirituality and how far is it required in life?

Sirshree: Spirituality means knowing our self and understanding our true nature. Many people think that spirituality is not really required to that extent. Let us understand this through an example. There are some people who live in a jungle. They work with their eyes covered with a strip of cloth. They make huts, pluck fruits, do some cleaning, rear animals, and carry out other such activities. However, they perform all these activities with their eyes blindfolded. Hence, while working they keep stumbling, falling and dashing against things. It is so difficult for them; yet this is the way they have always lived.

Once, one of them happens to go to a place where his blindfold is removed. He begins to see! He is amazed. This person now comes back and tells everybody that they should go to this place where blindfolds are removed. They should all get the strips removed off their eyes and that will be extremely beneficial for them. If one of them replies, “I don’t feel that there is really any necessity to do this. Also, I don’t have the time for it”, then what will you say? You will say, “You are a fool! If you remove the blindfold, all your work would be completed much faster and in a better way. ”

All those people who are leading their lives blindfolded by false beliefs do not need spirituality. If you are going to live with such people all your life, then even you do not need spirituality. But, if you want to come out of that darkness, then spirituality is essential for you. When you will understand the real meaning of spirituality, this question will not arise. This question has appeared only because you do not know what real spirituality is. If you consider applying vermillion on the forehead, wearing saffron clothes, adorning garlands and rosaries as spirituality, then you are under an illusion. True spirituality is knowing your essence, recognising what you actually are.

Then the question is, how essential is spirituality? Is it really required? In spirituality, is it necessary to perform all the rites and rituals, rise early in the morning and read holy scriptures and perform worship, dip a lotus flower in water and sprinkle that water on everyone? The fact is that carrying out such activities is not spirituality; these acts are merely reminders of spirituality. People mistake these reminders (medium or channel) to be spirituality. That is why questions such as whether spirituality is necessary are asked. When reminders of spirituality become spirituality (or when the means become the end), things go wrong. The medium or channel is not the goal. The medium or channel exists for achieving the goal.

True spirituality is experiencing (not intellecutally knowing) the answer to the question, Who am I and then establishing in that experience of consciousness. It begins by casting off the blindfold of assumimg yourself to be a separate individual. All that a guru does is to help you cast off this blindfold. Everything else done in the name of spirituality is akin to leading you to do various exercises with a blindfold on. Someone who can ‘see’ can help you cast off your blindfold so that you too can see. Cast off this blindfold (assuming yourself to be a separate individual) that has clouded the Truth, shrouded the Self and eclipsed who you truly are. Nothing else is required!