The term “spirituality” can often seem like an abstract concept, open to interpretation, and therefore considered inferior to “religion”. Chopra quickly puts the mystery surrounding “spirituality” to rest, exposing that spirituality and religion are interconnected. “Spirituality is the experience of that domain of awareness where we experience our universality. This domain of awareness is a core consciousness that is beyond our mind, intellect, and ego. In religious traditions this core consciousness is referred to as the soul which is part of a collective soul or collective consciousness, which in turn is part of a more universal domain of consciousness referred to in religions as God.”
Although concept such as self-awakening, enlightenment, and the universal unconscious are old as time, there is a larger following today than ever before. People of diverse faiths, cultures, races, and nationalities are realizing the importance of spiritual unity. In many ways, this is the true essence of interfaith. Call it what you will, in the end it all comes down to a deep understanding of our own spirit, and realization that we are al connected. Chopra says it best, “As we begin to have a more scientific understanding of the transcendent level of our existence and look at the basic tenets of all religions, we find that the spiritual experience is fundamental to all and similar in all. This experience also leads to unbounded love and compassion. Getting in touch with our deepest self is therefore the utmost importance because it is our connection to the mystery that we call God.”
According to Chopra, it is a lack of interfaith dialogue and the absence of spiritual unity from all organized religions that has caused much of the conflict between the faiths. “Unfortunately, many times the followers of religion, instead of understanding the religious experience and seeking it for themselves ended up merely worshiping the founder of the religion. It is more important to fully grasp the teaching of the religion and its basic tenets that have come from a deeper experience of transcendence. Self-righteous morality is not a means for experiencing higher consciousness,” Chopra explains.
Chopra credits the lack of spirituality in the world to the “custodians of organized religion”, who due to the power of spiritual knowledge, adopted destructive behaviors such as “power mongering, cronyism, control, corruption, and influence peddling”. As a result, religion is seen more as a cause of conflict throughout the world than peace.
Chopra sees going back to the basics of self-awareness, spiritual awakening, unity, and interfaith dialogue as the best ways to healing humanity and the planet we call home. To accomplish this, Chopra borrows the words of Sufi mystic Rumi, "You're not just a drop in the ocean, you're also the mighty ocean in the drop."
Chopra concludes the article with the following insight, “The word, "healing" and the words, holy and whole, all mean the same thing. To be healed is to have the return of the memory of who we really are. When we return to our sacred source, the world will be holy, and it will be healed.”
About Dr. Deepak Chopra
Dr. Deepak Chopra is the author of more than fifty books translated into over thirty-five languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers in both the fiction and nonfiction categories. Dr. Chopra is a fellow of the American College of Physicians, a member of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists, Adjunct Professor at Kellogg School of Management and Senior Scientist with The Gallup Organization.Time magazine heralds Deepak Chopra as one of the top 100 heroes and icons of the century and credits him as ‘the poet-prophet of alternative medicine’.
Website: www.huffingtonpost.com
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