Spirituality

By Ken Wells - 06/14/2020

 

“I am not a human being having a spiritual experience but a spiritual being having a human experience”

There are different people who have been credited with this common quote utilized by many. Some people feel boxed in using the word spirituality to describe experience in life. It is often associated with religion. Once while conducting a “spirituality group” during a therapy program- of the eight people who were in attendance, all were atheist. The attempt to define the word spirituality was rejected by all and it was decided by the group that the word “energy” was a better description of resource.  So we spent the hour discussing the experience of energy that connects us to the human spirit. In the human experience we have such a vast vocabulary in different languages that it becomes simple to choose a better word when one is offensive to those in discussion.

For me, spirituality is about a resource that helps me to connect to the human endeavor. I have listened to devout followers of all the world faiths pronounce their deepest convictions of faith with great resolution. Yet, if the concept of spirituality, energy or other alternative descriptions do not help me to connect to the human condition, pragmatically, what good is it?

In recovery, I need a resource that can help me connect to the struggle of self and others. When I am stuck in a quagmire of hate, anger, shame or other dark and difficult life experience or destructive behavior, I need an outside resource to remind me of the ultimate power within that awakens my higher self to connect and make it through the agony of struggle. For some spirituality is rooted in the concept of God and its many understandings. For others, it’s nature, the energy of the unknown source of creation or many other possibilities. If your concept of spirituality or whatever words you choose to identify with is not practically helping you where you struggle, would you be willing to reconfigure your relationship to this concept or radically blow up what you understand and seek something that pragmatically helps you to address your personal struggle? This is what connects to the human condition— struggle.  What are you are counting on to hold your life together?  Is it working? If not would you radically consider something else?  If we are beings of energy or spiritual beings having a human experience, in what ways are you connecting to the human condition that promotes congruency, honesty and consistency?  Spirituality is a resource to remind humanity of its fragile nature and its connection to the universe around us. Today, thoughtfully consider your connection to your life resource and cultivate a connection that promotes congruency.

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