It is widely believed that a spiritual person should be very religious and not get along with others in fun activities, but in a workshop held in Orange City Literature Fest Dr. D. R. Karthikeyan shared some sage words with us which I truly believe in; he said, “Being religious is a choice; a person can be a non-believer and still be spiritual; that is the essence of spirituality.” A spiritual person is a man/woman of ethics and morals. They know how to respect other people's boundaries and morals. Spiritual practices such as mindfulness, meditation, etc, can be experienced as beneficial or even necessary for human upliftment. So spirituality in this context is a way of life — it can be a matter of nursing and spreading good deeds in society and not a business. Nowadays more and more companies and organisations are moving towards spiritual values, some because of their beliefs and some to earn profit out of it. But even in the process of earning profit, they contribute significantly to the betterment of society, creating positive impacts that go beyond financial gains.
Earlier, spreading spiritual teachings was one of the ways of spreading joy and was totally free of cost, but who knew what the future held! The speakers at the OCLF literary event highlighted that true spirituality demands sincerity, dedication, and a heartfelt wish for personal growth and helping others. It’s a journey that encourages people to reflect inwardly, to embody integrity, compassion, and mindfulness, instead of chasing after quick solutions or external approval. Wisdom is a gift, and you get it for free, you can’t buy or sell it. So when you share it with others, you also can share it for free, without the intention of earning profit out of it. In the words of Swami Vivekananda, “An atheist can be charitable but not religious. But the religious man must be charitable." With spirituality comes discipline. It is not something that you have to do when it occurs to you; you have to do it daily.“To make the mind obey you is a spiritual discipline.” ~Sivananda.
Mr. N Raghuraman, Pawan Sinha, at the OCLF workshop, emphasised that “Spirituality is a way of life”. indeed it is, but if we look around in today’s world, it has become more of a business. Money has become a necessity, and to earn it people do everything they can, and gaining profit through these teachings is one of the ways. Spirituality is a lifelong practice that involves cultivating values such as compassion, humility, and mindfulness, rather than chasing external success or validation. Though spirituality has just become the new trend in today’s world, its true essence lies in the ongoing, profound transformation of one's character and way of living. It encourages qualities like humility and mindfulness that also make you a gentle and kind person. Being spiritual is a personal choice. It has no boundaries or rules. Sometimes it does have some rules, but again, it is totally up to you if you want to follow them or not. Spirituality is a journey and not a destination. You can’t get there through shortcuts or by spending money on transportation and stuff. It requires patience, practice and perseverance. It nourishes the void within your soul that no material possession can ever satisfy. The teachings that these spiritual books hold cannot be bought or sold with money.