How can one word take on so much?

This course has opened my eyes to just how much can be defined as spiritual. I previously did not feel I was a very spiritual person, as I am not religious, but I now know that I find spirituality in other things: animals, the ocean, and writing to name a few.

Although I feel positive about my new-found enlightenment about what is spiritual to me, I still struggle to come to terms with how one word can sum up so much. Spirituality does not just mean religious views, but also everything in between. Does it mean that everything I am passionate about actually all lends back to my spirituality? My beliefs and what made me the way I am? I feel like the word spirituality has the world on its shoulders and could tip over at any moment.

One concern that I have with acclaiming that so much is in fact spiritual is that it does not leave room for much else. Or does it? For example, if I enjoy a sad song could that just be an emotional connection I feel with it, or is it spiritual? Or emotional and spiritual? But if it is in fact both do I feel spirituality from the emotions... or emotions from the spirituality? I am getting myself into a 'chicken or the egg' conundrum here...

Likewise, how about the ethical side to things. If I believe something is spiritual, then what right does someone have to say it's not? Correct? Yes. However, if something they deem to be spiritual is in fact the very opposite to what I believe spirituality is (for example, terrorism), am I to just accept that we are sharing the same word for such a different belief and purpose? I think the line here is that something can be un-spiritual to me, but not to another, and in that way our use of the word can be poles apart but still be relevant to our different beliefs.

All in all I love that I have found a more spiritual side to me in this course- I think I will just have to come to terms with how broad the term spirituality is. I will have to accept that it is different for everyone, and never claim that something should not be spiritual for someone else, even if it is not for me and I don't agree with it. Maybe one day I will discover just where my spirituality is rooted, but for now at least I know it is there.


Image:

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