So I was sharing with my wife some of my most recent insights about spirit, spiritual, and spirituality and she challenged me to justify my writing. "Why write about spirit?" she asked.
Why I Write About Spirit
I asked in reply, "Why would anyone write about about our bodies and our physical health and well-being? Why would anyone write about our minds and our mental health and well-being?" My answer is that I write about spirit because I value spirit and the health and well-being of spirit. Spirit is every bit as important as body and mind. I value most the human spirit but also the spirit of other animals, plants, rocks, valleys, mountains, springs, streams, rivers, oceans- all animate, spirited beings. I think that if more of us valued the spirits of all more of us would live healthier, happier lives.
How I Define Spirit
"But there are so many different understandings of what spirit, spiritual, and spirituality mean. Anyone can read your blog from their own perspective," my wife said. That's true. Because of that I work with a very specific, simple definition of spirit: that which animates or makes alive. I consistently use this definition of spirit. It is important for my readers to go with my definition of spirit when reading what I write if they want to understand what I'm saying. If my readers go with their own understanding of spirit, they will not understand what I write.
How I Define Spiritual
The same is true with the words spiritual and spirituality. I work with very simple, specific definitions of these words. Spiritual refers to that which is of or related to spirit. For example, spiritual practices are practices of or related to spirit, that which makes alive. Similarly, spiritual writing is writing of or related to spirit.
What practices are of or related to that which makes us alive? Are not breathing, eating, drinking, working, resting, thinking, imagining, touching, experiencing emotions, having sex, experiencing pleasure, conceiving, giving birth, nurturing our young, caring for everything on which our life depends, and many other practices that are of or related to that which makes us alive and spiritual? I think so. Spiritual practices are practices that affect our own or other's spirit.
What words are of or related to spirit? They are words that either directly affect spirit or are about spirit. Some words directly affect our spirits. They can lift or lower our spirit. Other words are simply about spirit; for example, breath, wind, animating, great, small, and so on.
How I Define Spirituality
Spirituality refers to a body of words and practices related to spirit. For example, my spirituality refers to my own words and practices related to my own spirit and that of others. Your spirituality refers to your words and practices related to your own spirit and that of others. Christian spirituality refers to the collective body of words and practices related to spirit within the scope of Christianity. American spirituality refers to the collective body of words and practices related to spirit within the scope of American culture. Western spirituality refers to the same within in scope of Western culture and so on. With this definition of spirituality we can investigate a rich variety of different spiritualities.
So, for the purpose of what I write-
Spirit refers to that which animates, makes alive.
Spiritual refers to that which is of or related to spirit.
Spirituality refers to a body of words and practices related to spirit.
Well put, simply put, I like. An author once said "Write what you know, just write what you know" I would add that as another reason you write about spirit.-------Tina
ReplyDeleteI have been considering your definitions of spirit since you first proposed them in one of your earlier entries. What I read here suggests to me that within your definitions, there is room for each of us to overlay our own ideas about "that which animates" as well as practice our own forms of spirituality. Is this accurate? Is this what you intended?
ReplyDeleteI ask these questions in light of one of your even earlier posts where you observed that there is no single common definition of what spirit is. If I understood correctly then, you hoped to obtain some agreement on a common understanding of the words, and then use this to expand spirit care.
BTW, I like your definition of "that which animates". And I very much value your perspective that care for the spirit has an equal place in our standards of care for ourselves, along with body and mind. I look forward to seeing how you continue to expand your vision.