Being Spiritual

Someone once asked me if I was a spiritual person, and I really wasn't sure what they meant. I shrugged and said "yeah I guess". What one person might mean by "spiritual" could be very different to the next, and I'm not even sure what it means to me. At first, I start to think about ghosts and spiritual mediums who claim to communicate with the deceased. Does being spiritual mean that you believe in ghosts? Spiritualism is a religion in the UK which seems to be based around communication with the deceased, but I'm not sure what else their beliefs entail. I often pass the local Spiritualist church on the bus. It's a very humble little building, and I imagine seances being held every week where people imagine conversations with their dead grandparents. I don't give them much credence myself, but if that's how they want to spend their weekends then that's their decision. Who knows, maybe there is some way to reach those who are no longer living in the same time and place as us. I've never felt the need to contact the people of the past, but I suppose there are a lot of people who feel that they need to gain closure on some issues by speaking with their dead relatives. I can understand how this might be helpful in some circumstances. Other than healing some emotional wounds, contacting dead people seems to be something that people do for kicks. I tried a ouija board once and it was fun to see my friends shriek and squirm in their seats. I didn't take it very seriously. Does that make me un-spiritual?

I can see why spirituality would be associated with ghosts and ghouls, but I don't think that's a necessary part of it. Does it matter whether you can communicate with the spirit world or not? What is this stuff called spirit anyway? Your essence, your energy, your passion, your life. What happens to all that stuff after you pass away might not be as important as what you do with it while you're alive. 

I read that the word "spiritual" was originally used to refer to the monastic life. In the Middle Ages, a spiritual person was someone who gave up all their worldly goods, all hopes of romantic relationships, marriage and children, in order to live a pure life in service to good. I suppose that being spiritual means aspiring to saintliness. Put simply, it means being a good person. Is that it? Surely we all try to be good people? Perhaps some more than others.  

I think that being a spiritual person means that you recognise that there's more to life than just earning money and buying stuff. It means appreciating the fact that the most valuable things in life cannot be bought or sold. It means valuing the intangible over the material. Intangible things like love, peace, compassion and mindfulness. Being spiritual means putting these things first, before your ego, your pride, your greed, your anger or your sorrow. Living a life lead by spirit means following the high ideals of ethical decision making. In order to do that, you need to understand where your wants and desires come from, and how to keep a clear mind, focused on what really matters. This could be achieved through daily meditation, prayer, or various other spirit-nurturing activities. The many religions of the world each offer their advice on being a spiritual person, and can even give you a guidebook, a weekly talk, and a place to meet up with like minded individuals. On the other hand, you could attempt spirituality without structure. I guess that's what I do.