Some might describe yesterday's introductory posting as dismal. I want to say that the intention of these pages is not to bring anyone down. There are many ways to find a spiritual life and still show up at a job every day. My point yesterday was that the very impersonal nature of work may well draw us away from such a life. It will take work of another nature to bring us back. I want to help by giving hope, not taking it away. I am out to help myself, too. While I am not completely sure of where all this will end up, I plan to do good. First, though, we need to understand the problems, and this can have its depressing moments.
For now, let's start with definitions. What is a "spiritual life," after all? I define it very simply: it's a life where we realize that total reality is beyond our grasp, and that despite this, we constantly strive to improve our awareness by embracing reality, in whatever form it takes. This, indeed, opens the door to many descriptions. Certainly, spirituality can be defined as a belief in God and a further belief in God's goodness. Yet, it does not have to be so. An atheist can practice spirituality if he or she wishes to pursue greater awareness and does so with true humility - knowing that not everything is known or even knowable. The motivation to learn and improve oneself is certainly a spiritual quest, and whether our beliefs take a certain form in the process is a secondary issue. I will avoid controversies of this nature and instead discuss spirituality within the definition I have made above.
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