What is Spiritualism? What is Spirituality?

Oct. 21, 2012 - PRLog -- spir·i·tu·al·ism \ˈspir-i-chə-wə-ˌli-zəm \

Is spirituality truly distinct from reality? Some may claim to distinguish between what we perceive as our “physical” reality from that which is distinguished by our “spiritual” reality, as if there were a delineator between what we can physically experience, and the overriding spirit, the universe itself, and our individual inner being.

Read the full article online at http://www.sethchernoff.com/enlightenment/what-is-spiritualism-what-is-spirituality/.

Merriam Webster defines Spiritualism as the view that spirit is a prime element of reality, and that the basis of spiritualism is the conviction that spirit is the essence of life, and lives on after the body dies.

So what is Spiritualism? If you accept that our thoughts create our perceptions, and thus our perceptions create our reality, then we become the ultimate driving force for everything we see, feel, and experience in this “physical” life. However, if we believe in a higher power of any kind, and we understand that we are a soul, energy, or are in some way connected to God or that higher power, then our entire reality exists as a direct result of that higher power or universal energy. Spirit or spirituality becomes the basis for every element of this physical existence.

For most who believe in some type of higher power, this is potentially the natural assumption, that perhaps spirit permeates all things – that maybe it isn’t distinct and dissimilar from physicality. Beyond the permeation of our spirituality into our physical reality, without the spiritual would we ever have the physical?

Take animals for example. Many would naturally assume that their purpose for being, albeit perceptively trivial, does not include the higher aspirations of the spiritual. As service is the defining factor of a life of fulfillment, it becomes our greatest aspiration, the direct connection between ourselves and another, and consequently a direct path to happiness. So the question becomes – do animals serve?

Does a bee pollinating flowers and producing honey not serve his hive? Does a mother nursing her young not serve? But of course you may say that these are simply animals and insects, but clearly they are not responsible for the creation of this universe? But would this universe exist if it weren’t for its inhabitants? Would any of the systems and structures on this planet exist if it weren’t for those who occupy and help to create it?

Without ones purpose for being, many of what is created and that currently exists would cease to do so. Everything you can feel and touch within this “physical” existence is here in large part because we perceive it to be so. If our perceptions create our reality, then how can we separate that which exits physically from that which exists spirituality?

There isn’t as much delineation as we might initially think, because we are holistic beings. We cannot separate our arm from our body without tremendous pain, and nor can we separate our emotional body from our mental body, or our soul from our living and interacting physical person. This life is experienced through our interconnectedness, in how we reach beyond our internal physical being to be a part of our community, through our contributions, and through our path to experience love and true happiness. It is through these methods that we express the full embrace of our soul within our reality.

Our perceptions do create our world – as a direct reflection of who we choose to be in any given moment. Our choices are not driven nor directly controlled by our physical presence, only influenced by it. Our higher calling – our reason for being if you will, is what determines our ability to not only find happiness and fulfillment, but to express the fullness of who we choose to be in this life.

So then – what is spiritualism? Spiritualism is how we embrace and understand that we are more than this physical body, that we are here in this life to express the fullness of our being. Our very existence is the integration of our physical reality in conjunction with our truth, our belief system, our inner knowing, and the universe itself. There are no coincidences that aren’t premeditated in some way as a result of the choices we make in any given moment. Our impact in this life is directly correlated by how we live our truth in the present.

What is the path to happiness and fulfillment?
To embrace your truth, the fullness of who you are, of who you came here to be, and your unique purpose in this life. Your spirituality is not governed by any outside force or belief system, only contributed by those elements that support your journey.

Write your own story – allow your life to naturally unfold before you. Fate is not predetermined – we consciously and unconsciously set the groundwork for every event that transpires in this life. Consciously create your life with pride, awareness, and intention so that your life unfolds exactly as you desire. Choose happiness over misery, greatness over pettiness, and choose to live the life you were destined in this moment, and in every waking moment.

Allow yourself to embrace the fullness of this life., and until next time…

Many blessings,
Seth

Seth David Chernoff is the award-winning author of the acclaimed Manual For Living book series. He was given the amazing gift of life after surviving cancer on two separate occasions. He is an inspiring leader and an in-demand speaker, trainer and coach. Seth helps people find true happiness and fulfillment through his books, seminars, and lectures. Seth’s work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Chicago Tribune, San Francisco Chronicle, Popular Mechanics, Business Week, USA Today, and on hundreds of TV and radio interviews nationally and internationally. As the founder of True Happiness Immersion, Chernoff is a leading expert on Happiness & Fulfillment. Learn more at www.SethChernoff.com.