Spirituality and air

Spirituality is the science of the Spirit, the Soul, the Atman, the life energy within us. And this is who we are. Spirituality leads us to this truth. It helps us attain the purpose of life; it helps us accomplish what our ultimate goal is. It not only helps us realise who we are, but also who God is and what life is all about. Spirituality can liberate us from all suffering on earth and from the Karmic cycle of death and rebirth. It can unite us with the Supreme Immortal Power we call God. It can help us attain, Moksha, salvation — this is the goal of every human being.

We live in the darkness of ignorance, instead of living in the light of the truth. We live believing in the cosmic illusion and assume that the world we live in is real. We think we are what we appear to be, not realising that we are neither the body, nor the mind and ego, we are the Spirit, the Atman, the Soul, a Spark of Unique Life. We are a part of God — the Soul is a Divine power. If there were no life energy within us, then we would be dead, there would be nothing. The only thing that is real, that truly exists is this life energy, which is who we are, but which we don't realise. Spirituality is about being aware, being conscious of our true self and living as the Divine Soul. If we do not live a life that is spiritual, as that life energy, that Soul or the Atman, that we truly are, we are living a life of illusion, we are living in darkness, in ignorance.

It is this very Soul, the Atman, this life energy that causes us to live, that gives us breath. While we become alive because of the power of the Soul, we continue to live as we breathe into the air that surrounds us. Just as we need air to survive, we need spirituality to help us live with meaning and purpose. Without spirituality, we will flounder in life, focus on wrong things and live with misery and stress. Of course, air is one of the 5 elements of nature that constitute the body. We are one with nature, the elements of nature. God is everywhere, in everything. God is in every molecule of matter. Nobody can doubt that we are made of 5 elements - earth, water, air, fire, and space. At death, the elements return to their original form as the life energy in us departs.

We must not forget that we all breathe this very air, no matter where we are, who we are. It is a unifying factor. It can help us contemplate the truth - that we are all one, that God is one. Could one God have created air, could another God have created water, yet another, fire? Of course not. God is one. God is a power. We are a part of SIP, the Supreme Immortal Power. We come from SIP; we return to SIP. Consider this simple analogy. We may fill different coloured balloons with air. When we burst them, the air merges with the air outside the balloons. Similarly, at death, the Soul merges with the Supreme Soul, the Supreme Immortal Power we call God.

Air surrounds us, it is critical, imperative for our existence; so is spirituality. We should let spirituality surround us. Just as air engulfs this world, spirituality should engulf the world, not materialism that drives us.

If spirituality pervades the world like air, there will be harmony, peace, bliss, love. That is what we should aim for — to live surrounded by spirituality.