The people you see in spiritual settings commonly have this look in their eyes, one of pure joy and peace. They seemed fully content not only with themselves but also with each step, as though there were a tether connecting them to something greater, and they knew that every action they took would bring them closer to that bond. This was what I longed for: that single look.
It has long been a goal of mine to become more spiritual. My father, in his early years in America, an Indian man out of his water, came across a spiritual group in his quest to find his people in a new country. Over time, his connection gently grew, and his new wife, then new family, joined in on spiritual events whenever they could. These little connections gave me a peek into the spiritual world, and what interested me the most was people’s eyes.
When you think of spirituality, you automatically refer to meditation. But I started to think, what is meditation really? Is it just breathing with your eyes closed? Is it completely leaving yourself without any thoughts for a few minutes? If so, how do you discover more of yourself when you’re meditating if you’re not thinking about anything? And most of all, what is spirituality?
To answer all these questions, I did something groundbreaking: I googled it! I know, crazy, right? To spare you from going through this same excruciating process, here are the definitions:
spirituality
Spirituality is a broad human experience concerning the search for meaning, purpose, and a sense of connection to something larger than oneself.
meditate
to engage in contemplation or reflection
to engage in mental exercise (such as concentration on one’s breathing or repetition of a mantra) for the purpose of reaching a heightened level of spiritual awareness
to focus one’s thoughts on : reflect on or ponder over
to plan or project in the mind : intend, purpose
As you can see, the word meditate has a LOT of meanings. But I believe this shows that meditation can take many forms. Through any of the definitions above, you can learn more about yourself and your surroundings, from your career choices to your love for chocolate cake. Meditation is one of the many roads to spirituality, and through it, you learn about the roots of your interests, emotions, and the world around you.
I learned that spirituality is not required to lead a good life, but it sure does help. Spirituality and neurology intersect in the emerging, interdisciplinary field of neurotheology. This science explores how spiritual and transcendent experiences correlate with distinct brain states and neural networks. Practices like meditation physically alter brain function, fostering well-being, empathy, and a reduced sense of self. The neurological study of spirituality reveals that transcendent and mystical experiences are tied to activity in specific regions of the human brain that create feelings of “oneness,” self-awareness, concentration, clarity, peace, and so much more.
So is my quest for spirituality worth it? Well, I like to think so, and I hope others might too.
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