Are you spiritual?

DarkDusk

Hi,
For over a year now I have been contemplating becoming a atheist and leaving the CC. However, there was something pulling me back, something I thought that I would miss if I left. Recently, I have looked into spirituality and meditation, which has opened up a whole new world for me. I never knew until now that spirituality and religion are totally different things. I'm not sure if many people believe in the spiritual awakening but I really do think I have woken because of the many changes I've made in my life lately.
I've been meditating daily for about 20 minutes for the past few weeks and a feel GREAT. I've never felt better in my life, actually. In my opinion, religion destroys spirituality in us and that's why I am drifting away from it.
I am wondering is there any other atheists that are spiritual out there, and could you describe your spiritual journey please?

Thanks in advance,
James.

Doctor DooM

Define spiritual first, I guess.

It's a word like "energy" which when used in connection with the supernatural seems to basically mean whatever the persons saying it wants

Mardy Bum

You can be an atheist and meditate.

This lad is a pretty famous atheist who practices meditation.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8U5J_LV3UI

Dades

It sounds like you're an atheist, alright. But there's nothing to stop you being "spiritual", too, as long as there's no gods involved, I guess.

I'd kinda like to tell people I'm *spiritual* but I'm totally not.

Rheo

I took up mindfulness meditation about a year ago, and it has certainly helped with things like anxiety. At no point has this conflicted with me being sceptical of supernatural claims. While meditation has largely been associated with religions and eastern mysticism, in modern times it is recognised more in the realms of psychology.

So, to answer your question "Are you spiritual?"
Well, as Doctor D points out, you kinda have to define what you mean by "spiritual" first. It can be a bit of a wishy washy term.

If you define it as something like, for example 'Meditate for the purposes of well being and personal development' then yes, I'm spiritual. But I can be a bit more specific about this definition. I meditate (become aware of thoughts and feelings as they arise without judging them) for the purposes of well-being (to reduce negative feelings like anxiety and/or increase positive feelings like contentment) and personal development (to cope better with irrational thoughts and day-to-day worries).

So I don't have to believe in gods, fairies, ghosts, ESP, telekinesis, the after life, UFOs, Hitler, rituals, etc, to be spiritual (in a definition that's actually comprehensible :pac:).

So, no worries OP, you can be an atheist and spiritual (unless your definition requires the belief in a god ).

Canis Lupus

You can be spiritual if you like (whatever the hell it means. Look in the spirituality forum and the definition appears to be nothing more than new age verbal diarrhoea with every person having a different idea of what it is).

Just don't start spouting on about chakras etc and I'm sure it'll all turn out fine. (Oh, I see you're already talking about a 'spiritual journey'. It's probably too late for you.)

T-K-O

Of course you can be both. Dont get caught up in the beliefs or rules from an outside source.

A person can be spiritual in many different ways. Make up your own rules.

im invisible

Be whatever you want to be OP, and don't let these people tell you otherwise, I'm agnostic, but these lads keep wanting to stick different labels on me aswell.. :pac:

Ah no, I'd be an 'a la carte Catholic agnostic deist' with an interest in athesim, but not at all spiritual, or whatever you're havin yourself. (i must look up these chakra things...)

Ruudi_Mentari

Faith, Morals & Spirituality religion does not own these things...

Faith. I will try to retain an optimism

Morals - I know right from wrong and will try to adhere to the slightest detail.

Spirit - I acknowledge people, places. Are they lstening? Not necaserrily it's just a mark of profound respect I feel like spontaneously paying

DarkDusk

Don't worry I'm not into the chakras! When I mentioned "spiritual journey", all I meant was since I have discovered spirituality I have felt a great deal of relief and freedom, something you do not feel when you go to mass every Sunday... Rheo's definition of spirituality is bang on with what I was thinking.
Mardy, I will have a look at that video soon, thanks.
Thanks guys for all the responses.

Zombrex

I don't like or use the term spiritual because to me it heavily implies supernatural, and/or that the body and mind are separate entities.

I think there are modern notions that better encompass healthy mental living that don't need to fall back on the more ancient and primitive notions our ancestors had about the separation of our essence into spirit and body.