Many people are under a misguided belief that to be truly spiritual one must completely renounce modern life and live a life of a monk, be unaffected by drama and chaos and usher in good vibes.The truth is, spiritual living is accessible to all of us, because we all are spirit. And the power to know your spiritual nature exists in the actions of your everyday life.
Part of becoming spiritual is about taking control of your own inner chatter and making it healthier. It’s about trusting in the path of your life, and whilst sometimes that path seems very hard, or people are put there to cross you, it’s your job to think positively, and when relevant, to release any negativity or foul thoughts you may have.
Spirituality is recognising that we are all connected to each other by a power greater than all of us, and that our connection to that power and to one another is grounded in love and compassion. The spiritual value of compassion has been shown to extend to mind and body as well. It’s in our nature to be sympathetic and kind to others, while doing great good to ourselves at the same time.
Countless scientific studies indicate that compassion doesn’t merely help those who receive the compassion. Practising compassion makes us happier and healthier. It strengthens relationships, creates communities and fosters world peace.
New research at UCLA and the University of North Carolina evaluated the levels of cellular inflammation in people who describe themselves as very happy. Inflammation is suspected to be at the root of cancer and other diseases, and is generally high in people who live under a lot of stress. We might expect that inflammation would be lower in people with higher levels of happiness. But the study shows an important distinction. People who were happy because they lived a life of pleasure (also known as hedonic happiness) had high inflammation levels, while people who were happy because they lived a life of purpose or meaning (also known as eudaimonic happiness) had low inflammation levels. A life of meaning and purpose is one focused less on satisfying oneself and more on others. It is often a life rich in compassion and altruism.
In other words, as human beings evolved, we became more aware of the good that results from empathy and kindness. We developed an alternative to selfishness. Studies have suggested that compassion is indeed an evolved part of human nature, vital to good health and even to the survival of our species.