I think we should approach life with a whole new perspective. As a species, we humans have witnessed so many events unfold. Many of them nasty ones. Major atrocities have taken place in front of us and are still happening right now. Whether it’s personal relationships or bigger social issues, the list goes on. These events also provide fertile grounds for ideas and theories to flourish. We have an abundance of information and there are no signs of this proliferation slowing down. We hear a lot of conversations, discussions and debates all the time, just go on to your Facebook.
Us versus Them
One phenomenon that caused a lot of pain and angst to many people is the fact that we seem to be stuck in a constant tug of war. There are always two sides to any issue. There seem to be a constant stand-off between the two sides and neither side is ready to give way. It’s always us versus them. In good times, it’s a debate; in bad times, it’s war. It is obviously very frustrating to see what you believe in get crushed by the other camp, no matter which side you are on. We see this in politics, trending issues and of course even among family members. Just think of the last election, this probably applies to any country, we have one side that is completely devastated yet the other party simply is relieved. The difference is like day and night. It’s great to be on the winning side but devastatingly painful to be on the losing side. At times, it is almost a matter of life and death.
State of Humanity
I can’t help but wonder, is this all there is to our existence? Does it have to be a zero-sum game? Is there a way out of this stalemate? We seem to be so advanced as a species that we are surrounded by smart technologies but at the same time we are still at the mercy of this eternal duality. It’s easier said than done of course. When the stakes are high, even the smartest of us lose their cool. Unfortunately despite our best intentions, we don’t seem to have a solution as a species. This is the state of our humanity.
Spirituality
Amidst all the chaos, I stumbled on spirituality. I don’t even know how and when, but there seems to be a lot of hype about mindfulness so I guess it’s a natural discovery. When I first heard the word spirituality, I must say I was a little skeptical. I have always been more of a philosophical kind of person, I grew up been exposed to the ideas of great philosophers. I’d like to think that I am relatively well educated and that I represent the ‘sane’ side on most issues. But I must say, the more I delve into spirituality, the more I am amazed by the profoundness of its teachings (although I am not sure if spirituality can even be defined as a distinct entity as it’s an open and vague concept).
Transformation
Spirituality is like nothing I have come across before. It’s not as dogmatic as religion yet it acknowledges the fact that there’s something greater than us humans out there. It’s not as rigorous as science yet it can reveal itself in substantial ways. It’s not as logical as philosophy yet it can provide us practical guidance. It’s simple yet profound, meaningful yet fun. Put it simply, spirituality encompasses all and has transformational power. I don’t feel like I am the old me anymore, there is a great sense of liberation. It would be an honour to share with you the things I have learned in my spiritual journey and I hope you find the blog posts useful. Enjoy!