"I am not spiritual." - A statement blatantly made by a person who is a believer.
Call it whatever you want - blasphemy or heresy, but I don't get impressed by spirituality...I don't understand it...the eternally confused person that I am, I'm sure I'll never understand.And where arises the need to understand spirituality?
I'm comfortable and satisfied with what I am - a religious guy...I'm a devout Hindu...I love Hinduism...and before you accuse me of parochialism or label me as a right winged extremist..let me tell you that I'm not against other religions...In fact I love religions - Christianity for its serenity (and for Santa Claus!), Islam for some of its principles, Sikhism for its leaders(the Granth Sahibs),Buddhism, Jainism,Taoism,Confucianism,and even Pagan religions(thanks to Dan Brown for throwing some light on the worshiping of a female power)......
On why I'm Religious
Talking about my religion, I love it...The gods and the goddesses (they have become an integral part of my life - each God being called by me every minute for some silly want of mine!), the mantras and chants(they are pleasant to hear)..the rites and rituals( havan or yagna, the splashing of holy water with leaf-spoons! )...the devotional songs(from Om Jai Jagdish Hare to the popular South Indian devotional songs...I rarely listen to them, but I like them when they are played early in the morning or in the evening in Temples)..................and ofcourse I also fear some of the practices(I used to shudder at the thought of somebody in a state of trance near me...I was too afraid to go near those people when I was small - at the temple festivals in my hometown during summer hols.Even now I fear them.I don't go close to them for fear of getting killed by strangling or with a spear or trishul....lol) and am also amazed by the devotion of those people who walk on fire, pierce spears everywhere through their body....the colourful heavy kavadis...the celibacy and fast observed by those who wear Maalai(a sacred garland worn around the neck as a mark of purity ).......
I luv the epics(one of the best literary works, I believe), the Essence of the Gita(best thing to read when you get depressed),and the Vedas,Upanishads, puranas (this is too much..Honestly, I've never read them!....they Sound good na!)The worshiping of nature...trees, animals, sun, mon, planets and wind,rain, river, sea....
My religion (and any religion to its follower) energizes me, encourages me and teaches me to live...its a sort of cultural link with all those ancestors of mine...and also a form of connecting with my Creator...whereas spirituality is not...
On why I'm not Spiritual
Spirituality is abstract, vague and confusing...Its too complex and when I hear of all that people speak or write on it, I get a feeling of hollowness, a sense of nihilism, and all the energy gets drained out of me..so that is why I don't like to get involved in it...I don't understand the concept of cycle of life and death...abt Moksha n all that stuff!...And I get a strange feeling that all these spiritual leaders are quacks and charlatans(sorry,if I've hurt anyone's sentiment..but thats what I feel like)... How can a mortal, who looks like any other human being, have special powers and... how could he be so great that he or she could be worshiped as the omnipotent Almighty?
To conclude
Spirituality makes me feel insecure,confused and small while religion makes me feel confident, peaceful and Big!
Religion is for the layman like me, while Spirituality is for the saamiyars,saadhus,saadhvis and their like!
I'm worldly and materialistic !
So, I'm in favour of the colourful, lively and vibrant religions.....the more diverse, the merrier!
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