Living in the iPhone age we tend to think all we need to communicate is literally at our fingertips. With a few flicks and several taps we are able to go anywhere, see almost everything, and be in contact with nearly everyone. Yet we don’t need to give Apple our cash or pay for a comprehensive calling plan to have that capacity within us.
I spoke with Stephanie recently about some personal challenges she’s encountering. I asked her if she were spiritual. She said she had no religion nor was she aware of any sign of the spiritual in her life. After a few questions she discovered that she did have spirituality and called upon it frequently to connect with her deepest self.
We are spiritual beings in a human form. We, all of us, have spiritualities which may just be waiting to be more clearly articulated. Through spirituality we connect in two important ways. We connect to the transcendent and to the immanent.
The transcendent is entirely “other,” completely outside of us. God (your higher power, however you define It, Him, Her), nature, art, the cosmos, the animal kingdom, and other people are all transcendent. We connect with them through the senses: voice, sight, touch, smell, taste and emotion. We may use tools to enhance or facilitate those means: computer, phone and even snail mail!
The immanent is entirely within us, as close to us as our souls. Our conscience, thoughts, feelings, intuition, and memories connect us with the universe and all that is within it. The tools we use to enhance our immanence are ancient: meditation, contemplation and conscious mindfulness. Our immanence is further differentiated by our sexual gender, orientation, or identification.
Those of us who say we are not spiritual, or who have put words to our spirituality, simply have not taken a moment to reflect about it. Your spirituality is present and active, quietly working behind the scenes of your life to bring you fulfillment and peace. It’s a wondrous and awe-inspiring reality that makes us tiny humans feel as vital parts of the vast cosmos, moving us beyond ourselves and connecting with the spirits of others, past and present.
Contact the Man’s Coach at michael@parisecoaching.com .