An Attempt To Understand Spirituality Poem by Bashyam Narayanan

An attempt to understand spirituality

The term “spirit” could mean
The soul that gives life to your body
And keeps it alive and active

The term could also mean
The spark or inspiration
That keeps you enthused
And help you stay active,
Creative and contribute

Spirituality may mean
Understanding the former or
Keeping the latter
Nourished and nurtured

Oriental scriptures do not
See the former separate
According to these scriptures
The soul is always
In association with the
Natural environment,
The body (where it is housed)
With a set of physical and emotional qualities
Designed by the nature
And in link with the super soul, the God

All religions, in some way
Or the other
Aim at understanding the spirit
Its stance in the middle of natural environment
And its link with the super soul

All rituals aid in this understanding.
So, spirituality can be the outcome
Of the combination of the terms
“Spirit” and “rituality”

The message is clear
Keep always linking the understanding
Of the spirit with rituals and
Thus become spiritual
Stay not just ritual

Nurturing the spark of
Your enthusiasm is the other way
Of your being in the spiritual path
How to go about

Realizing your desires keeps
You enthusiastic

If the desires are selfish
And thoroughly materialistic,
Though you get initially enthused on achieving them,
You get frustrated and exhausted
On either others’ better progresses
Or your failing short of your own scales

If the chase is after
Selfless and altruistic ends
Your spirit of enthusiasm
Never dies and it keeps its glow
In fact, enhances it
As while on that chase
You do not see others
And you mind not failing

What nourishes your spirit
Is the effort and
Not the results thereof

You choose the spiritual path of your liking
Understanding the soul or
Upkeeping your enthusiastic selfless efforts