Spirituality and Humanism

Spirituality and humanism are intertwined with oneanother. Spirituality is the basic source of human selfrealization —identifying the self, while humanism in its basic spirit calls man to discharge his eternal duties at all levels, from individual to universal, and in all walks of life. In short, we can say that spiritually is a universal human experience to find meaning in life and humanism is the value system, the path to execute it. To derive the relationship between the two, it is necessary to first know them separately.

- Dr. Ravindra Kumar

Spirituality is an awakening state of human spirit or soul rising above the mundane or material world, but it is in no way to be confused with anything supernatural. It is to be reborn not after death, but before death -reborn as an awakened soul. It, in fact, connects us with the natural order of the universe, from where we have come afar through our journey of being civilized. It is the acknowledgement of the Divine spirit that lives within us and the reunification of Atma -soul with Paramatma -supreme soul. It is also not to be confused with any religion. It is, in fact, a Dharma in itself, a set of beliefs, actions, meditation, an art of living and a science of purification of soul. As mentioned in the Vedas, it covers all dimensions of life, i.e., we can still be spiritual even while discharging our daily duties, we do not need to shun this world to achieve a spiritual sublimity. This is an attitude of perceiving every soul as a part of the supreme soul and connecting with the same. According to the Vedas, the outer world is only a mirror of our inner world. What we think we perceive. It moves from inside to outside. Hence, it becomes essential that we declutter our mind and thoughts first and then our body followed by this world. Performing spiritual practices regularly is like becoming one’s own Antivirus programme, keeping him away from all the junk that he carries around with him. Such a person emits a magnetic aura absorbing all within its ambit. Being in control of what we think and feel, can affect our IQ (Intelligence Quotient) as well by improving the way we feel, think and believe. A spiritual person remains detached of Maya -illusion of the material world even while living in it. He is aware of his identity as a soul and acknowledges the same in everything he sees. The Gita also propounds ‘renunciation not of action but in action’ -discharging one's duties, but with a detached mind. It is a spirit of selfless action, which expands to being conduci