Spirituality Involves a Deeper Understanding

Spirituality involves a deeper understanding of what is happening around me. Being a more spiritual person means looking at what certain things mean beneath the surface. I believe that there is always more going on that what we can know and we should be open to that. Being spiritual also includes connecting with others. One thing that can be like a spiritual experience is riding the light rail. When I ride it to work, I always consider myself lucky because I can see the sun rising on the way to work and the sun setting coming home. The contrast of nature and man-made mechanisms is striking. My eyes are looking at the sky and yet I am hearing the noise of the light rail along with the strange smell I associate with it. Most of the time, there is a slight draft on the light rail, even when it is warm. In addition, I always grab a Sprite when I leave work so I associate drinking a Sprite with the experience of riding the light rail. The experience would not be the same if I could not see the sky. Because I love nature, the experience comes to mean more to me. I look at it and I am rejuvenated and the ride home becomes a ritual that I love.

The things that happen on the light rail can be spiritual. I am always looking for opportunities that can turn into positive experiences. These do not have to be life-saving experiences. Most of the time, they are not. For example, once I was on the light rail and I was running late for work. I was rushed and my bag was overstuffed. I could not remember if I had my badge for work with me and as I was looking for it in my bag, half of my bag spilled out on the floor. An elderly woman got up and helped me gather my things. She was handing items to me one at a time so I could put them in my bag. She did not say a word but she did smile as she bent down, picked up items with one hand, and held on to the seat with the other. When all the items were picked up, she just patted me on the shoulder and told me to have a nice day. Her spontaneous kindness turned into a spiritual experience for me because I was reminded of the goodness of man and her actions left me with hope.

2. While spirituality involves thinking of oneself as part of the whole as opposed to being alone in the world, something that is very spiritual to me does not involve others at all. Going to the mountains is nearly always a spiritual experience for me. There is something about being alone in nature that is spiritual to me. Once I am on the mountains, things become very clear and I become calm. When I remove myself from the city and the business of life, I see things from a different perspective. I am less concerned about things such as work, paying rent, or doing the laundry. Instead, I focus on the beauty of nature and that alone makes the experience spiritual for me.

The sun on my skin, the wind on my face, the smell of spring in the air, the sound of the wind, the birds flying overhead, the beautiful views, and the scent of wildflowers are just a few sensory details that make me feel more alive and "in tune" with life. When I am on the mountains, I am grateful for simply being alive. My materialistic nature falls away and I can enjoy and appreciate the immediate surroundings rather than the things I own.