How to be a spiritually developed person. Stages of spiritual development. How to determine which one you are on

There are many interpretations of what spiritual self-development is. This article provides a definition of this term, as well as ways of spiritual development of a person. It will be difficult for someone who considers himself an atheist to take the path of self-awareness and build correct connections with higher powers. This is a personal choice, if you are ready to start, read the article to the end.

What is spiritual development

Spiritual self-development in the everyday sense is too broad a concept that needs to be specified first. Many people confuse the development of such a plan with other terms - cultural or moral. People mistakenly believe that visiting museums, theaters and exhibitions, as well as reading literature helps spiritual development. But it's cultural aesthetic development. As a result of such mass delusion, people long time does what he believes will help him progress spiritually. In fact spiritual development- these are various actions aimed at comprehending spiritual laws, the universe, and God.

To do this, they visit temples, read the Holy Scriptures, go on pilgrimages and perform other actions. If these aspects are absent in a person’s life, it means that he is not developing spiritually. Culturally, morally, aesthetically - maybe, but not spiritually. Usually, a person comes to the path of spiritual self-improvement after difficulties or difficult moments occur in his life. Lack of money, quarrels and separations with loved ones, problems in work life, struggle with a serious illness - all this pushes a person to think and begin to lead a conscious life and self-development.

The main goal of spiritual self-development

Respectively, the main goal of spiritual self-development is a person’s awareness of his spiritual nature, establishing a previously lost relationship with higher powers (most often with God). This is a long process that requires a person to set a main goal that carries deep meaning.

A person who decides to take this path will need:

• Engage in spiritual practice - prayers, mantras, meditation.
• Carefully study and comprehend the Holy Scriptures.
• Communicate with enlightened people on deep spiritual topics.

All this should help a person understand exactly how to build a relationship with God and what needs to be done for this.

It is believed that all religious traditions should lead to one, One God. One religion cannot be superior to another. Everyone has a common goal - to know God, establish the right connections and relationships with him. This is precisely the main incentive for spiritual progress. All material goods are given to man according to the will of God. If a person pursues selfish and selfish goals and turns to higher powers for the sake of expanding his material Wealth, then the Lord does not like this, and he hides from the appeals of such people.

Therefore, you should not engage in spiritual development for the purpose of obtaining material benefits. As a result, a person will become entangled in material needs and go crazy. spiritual path. In order for a person to successfully establish a connection with God, he must first cleanse his heart and soul from selfishness and sins. It is spiritual practice that helps a person change his character, overcome negative qualities and cultivate positive ones, plus - cleanse the mind and feelings from the dominance of material desires. This is the main goal of self-development, which allows you to progress spiritually.

What happens as a result of this development

By engaging in spiritual self-development, a person gradually loses illusions about material values. At the same time, he does not abandon the cultural, aesthetic and moral development, and continues to do his labor activity. It’s just that the main focus shifts precisely to establishing connections with God and self-awareness, and a gradual reassessment of values ​​occurs. The human mind is in search of how to properly build a relationship with the Lord, and the person’s character is being rebuilt.

Where to start spiritual development

A person who sincerely decides to engage in spiritual self-development must act in several directions:

1. To begin with, he must choose the religion that is close and understandable to him. This is his free choice - otherwise the person will not be sincere in his actions or intentions. Usually, this is the religious tradition to which he is already culturally involved, which dominates his environment.
2. Having chosen a religion, you need to establish contact with exalted people - those who are knowledgeable in this religious tradition. It is necessary to regularly communicate with them on spiritual topics and ask for clarification on issues of interest.
3. From the very first day, a person must engage in spiritual practice, that is, pray, study relevant literature. Special attention should be devoted to the study of the Holy Scriptures operating in a given religion.

In the first few years, it is enough for a person to follow these recommendations. All these actions need to be regularly reproduced in life. Later, he will come to other things that are necessary for further spiritual enrichment.

So, a person has decided to join some religious tradition. People are different, and therefore a certain religion may appeal to one person, but not to another. But this should not lead to rivalry between people - these are the actions of fanatics that do not lead to anything good.

Being an adult and independent, a person can change his spiritual tradition. When choosing a religion, you need to focus on the following criteria:

1. Religious tradition must lead to the One God.
2. Its provisions must be based on the ancient scriptures. Within a given religion there must be many individuals recognized as Saints. Usually these are those who during their lifetime behaved according to the tenets of religion and performed godly deeds.
3. This tradition must have many followers who were able to achieve important results and change spiritually. For example, a person gives up bad habits, overcomes debauchery and immorality, a craving for violence, and the like.
4. The chosen religion must have spiritual practices that its followers engage in. We are talking, first of all, about prayers and calls to higher powers.
5. A person should be comfortable within the framework of a given religious tradition. Must not be discomfort, doubts. It is desirable that at the initial stage the customs and rules of this religion suit him. Later they will become much closer to him.

These are just the basic criteria to consider when choosing a spiritual tradition at the very beginning. If a person is neither ready nor willing to develop spiritually within the framework of a religion, he can do this without joining any of them. Since all religious movements stem from one principle (that is, faith in the One God and the rules of interaction with him), a person is not obliged to become attached to one religion. The main thing is to join God.

Sincere followers of any religion do not claim the truth of the movement to which they are attached, and do not reject other movements. At the forefront is the idea that everything is a manifestation of God; everyone can come to the Almighty along their own path, making a choice in favor of a certain religious tradition.

It is love for God and all living things, sincere and selfless, that should be the highest value pursued by man. This is what religion is, the rest is just an addition. Any true flow is based on four provisions:

• Purity. Concerns appearance, thoughts and speech, as well as actions performed by a person.
• Asceticism. A person is not required to be a hermit - he just needs to live simply, not take more than he needs. This is reasonable healthy image life, excluding bad habits and excess.
• Mercy for all living things. We are talking about non-violence against living beings.
• The pursuit of truth. First of all, you need to truthfully admit to yourself what sins you have committed and sincerely repent of these actions. A person should not engage in self-deception and justify wrong actions. You cannot justify such actions by internal weakness - on the contrary, you need to overcome such manifestations.

If a person independently develops in all four directions, then he will progress spiritually. Religion, in essence, is only a tool that helps a person come to God. Regular spiritual practice is important.

Within each religion, a certain narrow path is given, a number of recommendations that help a person comprehend the Absolute Truth. They also have many prejudices and restrictions.

All currents have their own paths. God is above religion - they appeared thanks to him, which means that every tradition also belongs to him. Consequently, the relationship between the human soul and the Almighty cannot be limited to the provisions of one paradigm. To begin with, a person needs to properly configure his subconscious. It is necessary to confess daily love for God and living beings. This can be done by simply writing down the main goals in life and gratitude to the Almighty in a notebook every day.

In addition, you need to selflessly serve God and all living things., without demanding in return any reward, no glory, no gratitude and praise. You cannot tell anyone about such actions - this is bragging, a manifestation of self-interest.

It is difficult for a person to immediately become unselfish; this is a skill that develops gradually. This can only be done by serving someone. Over time, the heart will become purer, true selflessness will come.

It is also impossible to judge and criticize people for their beliefs. Manifestations of condemnation, contempt and hatred towards the followers and attitudes of other religions also set a person back, preventing him from developing spiritually. Everyone should live the way they want.

However, a person still needs to communicate with religious people, regardless of his or her affiliation with any religion. They also try to come to God, therefore they are his like-minded people. The main thing is that these people are adequate, not fanatics, and have a peaceful attitude towards other religions and their representatives. The person himself must also follow his own path, but not judge the choices of others. Plus - don’t be too categorical about your life - everything tends to change, and no one knows exactly how his path will change over time.

Ways of spiritual development

Below are several ways to stimulate spiritual growth.

Self-awareness

It's about learning about yourself. A person must give himself an account of his character, behavior, needs, and reactions to certain situations. Including the negative aspects of your character. You need to be honest and open with yourself, perceive yourself as a multifaceted person, with your own strengths and weaknesses. This is the first step towards treating other people non-judgmentally, not expecting more from them than they can actually do.

All this will help achieve inner harmony, balance and freedom. A person begins to perceive reality as it really is. Without unnecessary illusions, fantasies and expectations. He understands that all people and the world are not perfect. The realization comes to him of what he must do. The ability to predict and explain one’s own reaction to a particular event or phenomenon appears, since a person already knows his own worldview.

Literature Study

We are talking, first of all, about studying the Holy Scriptures that exist within each religion. First of all, this:

• Torah.
• Koran.
• Bhagavad Gita and others.

They contain wisdom and spiritual knowledge accumulated in each current. They definitely need to be studied in order to progress spiritually. It is useful to refer to other sources. If a person was able to understand at least part of the thoughts contained in the Holy Scriptures, then he becomes richer spiritually. It is necessary to communicate with adherents of your faith. You need to find places where they gather together and regularly discuss spiritual and moral themes. Each of them has their own knowledge and experience, so each has their own point of view on various problems. By listening to everyone's arguments and position, a person becomes spiritually enriched.

You can listen to lectures and recordings of famous lecturers and representatives of any religion. They carry a certain message, help a person to gain a different understanding, to look at familiar phenomena in a different way. All this also helps spiritual progress. It would be better to attend such an event live - it is much more effective method communication and assimilation of information.

Prayers and Meditation

Prayer practice is prerequisite spiritual progress. The peoples of the world have their own prayers.

It is important that the chosen practice is closest to the person. This is a need that must be satisfied for further spiritual development.

If in a religion there is no need to engage in prayer practice, and a person only needs to be a follower in order to develop spiritually, this is a false tradition.

It is useful to meditate regularly. This helps you concentrate on what is important, focus on the right state and positive attitude, and determine your feelings at the moment.

Environment

An important requirement necessary for a person's spiritual progress. His environment should, at a minimum, not criticize or condemn him for his views. It’s even better that they have a similar look. This will give additional strength and motivation for self-improvement. In difficult moments, such an environment will help a person cope with problems and continue his development.

It is better to find a spiritual mentor - a person who is at a higher level of spiritual wealth. He will help a person, point out his mistakes, give useful recommendations on self-development.

A mentor can be anyone you are willing to listen to and treat with humility. Instruct on Right way There may also be a situation from which a person can learn certain lessons. But a true mentor is one who can give good advice and help the person. To do this, he himself must long years lead an exalted lifestyle.

Spirit- this is a particle of divine Fire, therefore we cannot develop the Spirit, we cannot improve what was originally perfect. A person can develop himself, not the Spirit, by increasing the role of the Spirit in his life.

Spiritual development is the development of the relationship between the surface self (ego) and the Spirit (deep inner self). The spirit must prevail over the “I,” which is initially imperfect and may be prone to darkness [Bokachev O.V.].

Spiritual development- this is self-improvement, self-purification, restoration of the harmony of the world. We must turn to our conscience more often, listen to its voice and abandon everything that forces us to act not according to our conscience. If we compare our thoughts, words, actions with the ideal, with conscience, with spirit, then we will develop spiritually [Novikov Yu.V.].

Spiritual development- getting rid of shortcomings, from many habits. This is overcoming many obstacles, which makes the path of spiritual development constant struggle, first of all with yourself. This is a willingness to take on the role of a student, to admit that you are at the beginning of the path, and to respect the opinions of those who are one step higher [Mianiye M.Yu.].

Methods of spiritual development

Many methods of spiritual development are offered - reading holy books, meditation, visiting holy places, rituals, getting education, physical exercise, visiting theaters, concerts, exhibitions...

Judging by these recommendations, it is quite simple to develop spiritually, there are many ways, and all of them are beneficial to a person. True, it is not entirely clear what spiritual development is? Is it enough to follow these simple recommendations for spiritual development?

Spirit- this is an immortal particle of divine fire, invested in every person by the Creator. This is what gives us life vitality. This is our creative beginning, which gives us the opportunity to draw closer to God. Finally, this is our conscience, i.e. an internal, unmistakable criterion of truth, an idea of ​​the ideal, harmony, of how everything should really be.

We cannot develop (improve) our spirit, because we cannot improve what was originally perfect. We can increase the role of the spirit in our lives, that is, turn to our conscience more often, listen to its voice, and abandon everything that makes us act not according to our conscience. We can also implement our own Creative skills, fanning, thereby growing your inner divine fire. At the same time, only that which is consistent with conscience, that does not contradict the will of the Creator, that strengthens the world's good and reduces evil, can be considered true creativity. This is precisely what brings us closer to God, makes us more perfect, and develops us spiritually. Everything else is just a means that can help spiritual development, but cannot be called spiritual development itself.

Spiritual development is not the development of the spirit itself, but the development of a person towards the spirit, towards a more spiritual life.

And the reverse process is possible - spiritual degradation. But this is not degradation of the spirit, since a perfect and immortal spirit cannot degrade. But a person himself can suppress his spirit, fence himself off from it, surrounding it with all sorts of dark shells, depriving it of the opportunity to break through, manifest itself fully, and be realized in the world. This is one of the main sins of man - the sin of pride, the renunciation of one’s divine nature and one’s true destiny, the renunciation of one’s conscience. It is the sin of pride that most often is the first step towards active service to evil.

Methods of spiritual development

Now let’s analyze the methods that are offered to us for spiritual development. The criterion for evaluation is very simple. We will look at the results achieved. If the proposed method makes us better, i.e. cleaner, more conscientious, kinder; helps to renounce evil, to realize oneself in true creativity, then this method is really useful, and it can be called a method of spiritual development. If, having applied the method, we remain the same as before, or may even become worse, then this has nothing to do with spiritual development. Thus, key questions need to be answered: “So what next?”, “What for?”, “What will this give me?”

• Visiting holy places and meditation. We are offered to travel to distant countries to climb a sacred mountain, swim in a sacred river, meditate among ancient ruins, etc. At the same time, they talk about a feeling of grace, about the opening of inner vision, about certain “thin” (or thick) channels, about the expansion of consciousness, about visions of some higher entities, etc. It is said to be good for spiritual development. Let's ask our key questions.

Well, a man climbed this mountain, swam in the river, and meditated. So, what is next? What will happen to him? After this he will no longer be able to lie, steal, humiliate, kill? Will he change his life, will he live according to his conscience, will he engage in true self-realization? Will he get at least one step closer to the Creator? But no! The way people go there is the same way they usually return. The only thing they can boast among their friends is their long, difficult and very expensive pilgrimage, their experiences. But what does spiritual development have to do with it? IN in this case there is no progress towards spirituality. After all, no movement of a person’s body in space can automatically make him better.

• Visiting theaters, concerts, exhibitions. Let's say someone went to a concert of wonderful music and even shed tears at it from the surging feelings. And what? The next day he will stop taking bribes and stealing public money? Nothing happened! He needs to “earn” money to attend concerts. There is no guarantee of spiritual development.

• Physical exercise. Suppose a person, with the help of certain exercises, developed his body, learned to better manage his internal energies. And for what? To crush competitors more brutally? Or to cheat on your wife more often? Or to drink with fewer health consequences? And in this case, both spiritual development and spiritual degradation are possible.

• The acquisition of knowledge. Let a person read a lot of books, become more erudite, smarter. So, what is next? Will he invent terrible weapons? Will it begin to produce genetic monsters - plants, animals, people? Will he become a cynical religious scholar, mocking the feelings of believers? Gaining knowledge is not a guarantee of spiritual development.
• Donation. What if someone donated money for good causes - building a temple, helping the disabled, children, preserving works of art, etc.? It would seem that this is certainly spiritual development. But no! Tomorrow he will return to his business - plunder natural resources, inflate prices, deceive clients and partners, give bribes. And he will justify these abominations with the desire to benefit someone again. And here there is no guarantee of spiritual development.

Conclusion: no external influences on the body, mind and feelings can be considered as methods of spiritual development. Everything we need for spiritual development is within ourselves. This is our spirit, our thoughts, words and deeds. If we more and more often compare our thoughts, words and deeds with the ideal, with conscience, with spirit, then we will develop spiritually. This is not a one-time action, not a single act, even the most beautiful one, but everyday work. We cannot rest from spiritual development, we must not forget about it, otherwise we are in danger of degradation. That is, the only correct path of spiritual development is self-improvement, self-purification, the fight against evil, the restoration of the harmony of the world. And there cannot be a spiritually developed scoundrel, just as there cannot be a spiritually undeveloped righteous person.

For spiritual development, it is not at all necessary to go somewhere, read something, or do something. All of the methods listed can only help us in our own efforts. But they may not help. They can even interfere if you take them too seriously, if you consider them self-sufficient.

And one last thing. In our evil-stricken world, spiritual development, as a rule, does not simplify or make a person’s life easier, but makes it more difficult, more dangerous, more stressful. But all this is only external. But spiritual development brings inner peace, greater agreement with oneself, with one’s conscience, with one’s spirit. And this, by the way, is another criterion for spiritual development. If your life is becoming outwardly easier, more prosperous, more carefree, “beautiful”, there is reason to think about whether you are living correctly.

Starting from childhood, each person, consciously or not, develops. And this happens not only with the body. Scientists cannot explain the concept of a “human soul,” but all people, from the earliest moment of self-awareness, know that they have a soul.

What does the concept of spiritual development mean? Some say it is the development of man through a variety of cultural programs that abound in theatres, art exhibitions or concerts. Some argue that for spiritual development it is necessary to read books of occult content and maintain the aura with the help of yoga and meditation. Some associate this concept with reading sacred books and going to temples and places of pilgrimage.

Dmitry Lapshinov interview about the secrets of prana-eating, cleansing, fruitarianism and parenthood.

Psychologists have come to the conclusion that the spiritual development of a person is his learning and taking all kinds of actions to maintain his life in a positive and creative direction. For a psychologist, the human soul implies an abstract concept that includes the joint work of a person’s consciousness and subconscious. Therefore, experts in the field of psychology have come to the conclusion that spiritual development includes:

1. Human self-improvement;
2. Maintaining a person’s physical body in good condition;
3. Giving thoughts and emotions a positive nature;
4. Performing actions that help a person enter into harmony with himself and the world around him, be it or listening to music.

Today, problems of spiritual development are considered more occult than psychological or even philosophical.

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AS SPIRITUAL PRACTICE, UPGRADED MASTER

Believe it or not?

People who have achieved some heights in this area often pass on their experience through books or audio recordings to other people. Why so many different techniques and options for spiritual development? In fact, the answer to this question is simple: there is a different path for each person, and others may not be suitable. For a simpler comparison, we can use the example of taste or musical perception.

After all, even those people who eat the same prepared dish or listen to the same song they like perceive it differently. Therefore, a technique that helped one person may not have an effect or even have the opposite effect on another. It depends on the perception, and on the state, and on the mood, and even on the character of the individual.

Loss and gain of mental energy

Which development path to choose?

As mentioned above, development paths should be chosen individually. Look through the descriptions of the works of the authors of books on this topic, decide what is closer to you, and familiarize yourself with all the possible options. Some people create their own path of spiritual development by collecting and combining several techniques.

There are people who just need to go out into nature to find harmony, and there are people who need company certain people. Therefore, always strive for what helps you achieve “balance.” But don’t blindly trust even the chosen method; always listen to yourself and analyze the result.

But what about the world?

If a person is closer to the path of spiritual development, which implies unity with nature, this person still should not isolate himself. It’s enough just to devote some time to be in your own “path,” going out of town after work, for example. Man is a social creature, and, one way or another, will not feel good in complete solitude. If the people around you are annoying, the easiest way is to find like-minded people in free time pay attention to them and your inner world. But don't distance yourself from others!

If everything in life is bad and you can’t find positive aspects, you can, for the purpose of self-development, organize a trip to orphanages or to places where the homeless live. Of course, everyone has enough problems, and each person thinks that his problems are more serious than others. Therefore, force yourself to look around “soberly” and understand that there are always those who are worse off. Yes, there are those who feel better, but this is another reason to strive for something!

Where to start Spiritual Development - Elina Matveeva

When should you start spiritual development?

It is best to start it at the moment of realizing that it is necessary. Each person comes to this conclusion at one time. How to implement it depends on the person himself. In fact, people develop spiritually from the moment of their awareness. This is facilitated by both family and kindergarten, and school... Much in a person’s life is carried out unconsciously. Conscious development is possible only after the individual realizes this need.

What can hinder a person’s spiritual development?

Certainly, modern man subject to the “tendency of the transience of time”, it is difficult to keep up with everything, and at the same time pay attention to your inner world. However, the real obstacle is the person himself: his constant haste, unwillingness to pay attention to the “little things” or use all his capabilities. Everyone can find time for themselves. It’s just that not everyone uses this time profitably.

Channeling - How to reach the level of spirituality

What can lead to degradation?

Psychologists answer this question even more clearly than the question of the path of spiritual development. According to the advice of experts, you should:

1. avoid unnecessary stress and stressful situations;
2. do not allow yourself to fall into apathy;
3. do not allow daily household problems to occupy yourself all day;
4. remove evil emotional states as much as possible;
5. devote time to yourself every day, pay attention to intuition and feelings of the subconscious “I”.

Is it possible to stop in spiritual development?

In fact, spiritual development can be compared to the development of the body. If a person stops developing physically, he either begins to age rapidly or degrades. “Frozenness” in one position of spiritual development can also be equated to degradation. In addition, the subconscious, being in a non-apathetic state, is itself subject to changes in connection with changes in the world around a person, and a person’s consciousness can easily control the perception and consequences of such changes. Therefore, a person thinks about his spiritual development. And precisely because of the predominant work of the unconscious in the area of ​​such development, it is difficult for a person to develop the correct methodology for himself.

Annaya. Spirituality - what is it? How not to go left

The problem of spiritual development is topical and exciting. With any cultural and civilizational changes, there are those who either intuitively or consciously seek their path and understand that spiritual development for them is a vital process and goal. At the same time, few understand what spiritual development is. They don't know how to achieve it.

And indeed: millions of works have been written and billions of words have been spoken about spiritual development, thousands of schools have been opened preaching their way, but no one has yet given unambiguous and universal instructions. Seekers of the secret of spiritual development say that one should develop through spiritual work. It is logical, but such statements are not able to fully reveal the essence of the problem.

To understand how to achieve a goal, you first need to define the goal. Define the concept of “spiritual development.” There are many interpretations of the concept of spiritual development (spirituality), but despite such diversity, each interpretation contains its fundamental foundations. First of all, spirituality is selfless love, faith, meaningfulness, etc.

Selfless love

Selfless love is all-encompassing love towards everything that surrounds a person. Such love excludes the desire to receive something in return, it does not set restrictions or conditions, it is devoid of love. But selfless love is an oxymoron. People always love for something. Even a mother loves a child because it is her child.

It is almost impossible to achieve selfless love, but what is important here is not the achievement of the goal, but the path to it. To progress in spiritual development through selfless love, you need to accept the world around you and people as they are. Unpretentious, .

It is important to observe and study people, try to understand the motives of their actions and the causes of anxiety. By understanding what lies at the heart of people’s intentions and actions, you can get rid of bias towards them and gain respect. Selfless love is love not because of something, but in spite of everything.

Faith

Faith in this case is not what world religions preach. Faith for spiritual development is not faith in someone, it is the understanding that everything is possible, and that limitations exist only in our heads. To grow through faith, you need to review your own limiting beliefs and eliminate them. At the same time, you need to acquire new useful beliefs, identify existing ones and tirelessly develop them.

Meaningfulness

Meaningfulness is a state of being in reality, living every moment of life, the ability to focus on the outside world, and not just on one’s own person.

It is extremely important to be able to live in the moment, this allows you to control your behavior and emotional condition, makes it possible to enjoy the process, and not just the result. The ability to live “here and now” will eliminate the past and disappointments from unfulfilled dreams and dreams.

To learn to live meaningfully, in everything you need to follow the principle of the Zen masters, which says: “When I eat, I eat, when I carry water, I carry water.” To understand how it works, try . To do this, take a banana or any other fruit and, instead of quickly swallowing it as usual, chew each piece for a minute. Concentrate on the texture of the pulp, every note of flavor and aroma, and try to make absorption as long as possible. It's important that you squeeze as much pleasure and sensation out of the banana's flavor and aroma as possible. In this way, you will learn to realize the significance of every particle of whole things and phenomena. Learn not to generalize, but to feel and see diversity.

Peace of mind

Peace of mind is clarity of thoughts, a serene state of mind, irritation and anxiety. Inner balance and harmony.

Peace of mind is achieved through feelings. Free yourself from hatred, etc. Reach complete cleansing It’s difficult, but even trying to get rid of everything unnecessary brings relief.

There is a secret to finding peace of mind. Nature abhors a vacuum. Therefore, when clearing your consciousness of garbage, you need to fill it with constructive thoughts, useful ideas, pleasant feelings and good mood. IN otherwise the void can be filled again with impurities.

What is spiritual development?

In general, spiritual growth can be described as a transformation of the overall understanding of the world and oneself in it. Such transformation entails the purification of consciousness from negative beliefs and destructive thoughts, and forms a creative lifestyle.

A highly spiritual personality is peace of mind, acceptance of oneself and the environment without distortion.

Why develop spiritually?

Development is needed to improve life.

His life is like the flow of a pure mountain river. Such a person feels many times better than a frightened, aggressive person, full of hatred and anxiety, trying to hide from reality in a world he has made up.

Spirituality makes it possible to free and fruitfully use energy reserves that were wasted on negative feelings, thoughts and actions. Developing spiritually, a person moves towards harmony and creation.

How to develop spiritually?

Progress in spiritual development depends on the formation of its fundamental foundations: selfless love, faith, meaningfulness and peace of mind. You are now waiting for instructions on how to achieve spirituality and enlightenment. There won't be any. Such a desire is just an example of a limiting belief. Patterns of human thinking have developed in such a way that people necessarily expect conclusions and further instructions. But this is not an axiom. Life does not always give a person answers to the questions posed to him, and instead of waiting for manna from heaven and a guide, a person needs to take an independent step forward.

Start your path to spiritual heights by working on this belief.

In general, development is a natural process. This is a natural physiological mechanism that functions if a person creates the necessary conditions for its manifestation and operation.

Life gives no other rule than the unconditional acceptance of life. Everything we turn away from, ignore and run away from, everything we deny and hate, ultimately turns against us and becomes the cause of our destruction. And what we perceive as offensive and unhealthy or seems disgusting and reckless will become the key to beauty, joy and strength when met with an open mind. Every phenomenon and moment will become gold to those who see them that way.

Physical body

At the same time, it is important to remember that in addition to the subtle body (soul), a person also has a physical body. While developing spiritually, one must not forget about physical development. It is not without reason that they say that in a healthy body there is a healthy mind. Through bodily sensations a person perceives processes occurring both within himself and outside the body itself.

The body is a large, complex, but sophisticated conductor between the outside world and human consciousness and spirit.

For a guide to work well and contribute to spiritual development, it must be treated with love and care. Otherwise, this large mediator, like a broken telephone, will transmit distorted and untruthful signals from the surrounding world to the consciousness.

Harmony of form and content

Harmony of form and content is another law of human development. Except physical exercise And healthy eating, there are several mental principles that affect physical health.

First principle. A person needs . A person without a global goal-mission, without awareness of the reasons for his stay on earth, will not achieve success in life and high level development. Neither physical nor spiritual. But, taking this principle into account, remember that for each person the meaning of life is (again) different and it is embodied differently for each person.
Principle two. This principle is about self-improvement. If a person does not move forward, then he will certainly move backward. Following this principle, a person receives daily physical and spiritual growth.
Third principle. The principle of balance and optimism. A person adhering to this principle maintains emotional balance and an optimistic outlook on life.

The path to spiritual development is long and thorny, but those who reach the heights understand that the path could not and should not be any other way. For this the person is grateful.

A parable about the path to spiritual development

The sage went to travel and find out how people live. On his way, he saw a noisy crowd of people dragging heavy stones up the mountain. It was clear from the people that they were tired. People's palms were covered with calluses, and sweat poured down their faces. The sage became curious.
- What are you doing? – he asked one man.

— I’m carrying stones up the mountain.

- And you? – he asked the second one.

— I earn food for the children.

- Well, what are you doing? – he asked the third.

- I am building a temple of God!

Then the sage understood: it doesn’t matter what you do, what matters is your attitude towards it. One thing brings pain and torment to a person, but gives joy to another.

Spirituality is one of the most complex concepts on Earth. A lot has been written and said about it, but no one has yet given an exhaustive, convincing definition and it is not clear enough why a person practically needs it, which significantly reduces the possibilities of its development. Many stereotypes and contradictions do not allow us to form a coherent understanding of spirituality, so we will consider the primary issues of spirituality: its concept, meaning, development and main mistakes.

Understanding Spirituality

Spirituality is the knowledge realized in a person about God, Good and Evil, about our society, one’s destiny and everything that concerns a person’s interaction with higher powers, himself and the world around him. This knowledge determines most of the basic manifestations of a person (thinking, psycho-emotional sphere, behavior, lifestyle), his individual characteristics, the attitude of other people towards him, the ability or inability to achieve any significant achievements, and much more.

The most important goals of spiritual development: achieving perfection (inner strength, positivity), knowledge and realization of one’s destiny. Truly spiritual knowledge makes a person’s life joyful and happy, allows him to gain power over himself and his destiny, and brings him closer to God. Pseudo-spirituality and various delusions make a person weak and evil, lead to suffering and unhappiness, and oppose him to the will of higher powers.

Inner strength is the ability to achieve any significant goals and overcome life's obstacles. It is characteristic of a few, they are born with it or form themselves, receiving the appropriate upbringing, they clearly know what they want, have a great desire for the goal, unshakable confidence in themselves and their abilities. They do not rely on chance and are convinced that everything in this world must be earned through their professionalism, development and activity; they actively act and achieve goals, respect and recognition from others. “Nothing can stop me” is their motto.

Weakness is a purposeless existence, lack of dignity, respect from others and any significant achievements, endless doubts, uncertainty, vulnerability, etc. Such people are the majority, obstacles stop them, failures break them, and they only make excuses: “What can I do?”

In esotericism, internal power has many clearly defined levels (stages of development), which describe the logic and sequence of changes in all the main components of a person: from his beliefs to external manifestations. Understanding these levels is extremely necessary for people, as it allows them to determine the direction of human evolution, the stages of his spiritual development, evaluate oneself, one’s strengths and find one’s place in the general hierarchy of beings in order to set more complex but realistic goals and objectives, and answer many others questions.

The acquisition of power is subject to universal laws, but it can be light or dark, which is determined by the goals and methods being implemented. The distinction between Good and Evil is one of the key issues of all world religions and most spiritual schools; it is this that determines the choice of the path of development. The bright path is the path of Love, Goodness, Justice, service to God and society. The dark path is perfection in Evil, the path of violence, fear, destruction, struggle with God, society, etc.

Kindness, positivity - purity of thoughts and motives, the absence of any negative emotions, the ability to maintain goodwill, satisfaction in any, even the most unpleasant situations, the ability to love and believe, to see in every person the creation of higher powers and wish him happiness. All this is achieved through appropriate spiritual practices and leads to enlightenment and other elevated states. Evil, negativity (to one degree or another are characteristic of almost every person) - deception, desire for evil, anger, envy, fears, lack of freedom, violence, aggressiveness, disbelief in God or purposeful service to evil, crimes and any other violations of spiritual laws, the will of the highest strength

The Meaning of Spirituality

The importance of spirituality cannot be overestimated. It allows a person to rise above the animal world, step by step, as he evolves, to cognize the will of higher powers and approach divine perfection. Realizing the importance of spiritual development for God, man and society, performing a great feat, missions (high-level beings: deities, gods) came in different eras to convey spiritual knowledge to people, to found religions and teachings. They largely determined the history and culture of many peoples.

The main purpose of a person before higher powers, which is spoken of by all religions and positive teachings, is to become an assistant to the Creator in the implementation of his plans, to serve God. The path to realizing one’s destiny is development – ​​achieving spiritual perfection and revealing all the abilities inherent in a person. Life on Earth is a unique opportunity for pleasure, good deeds and development, a large classroom. When the training is completed, you can go to higher worlds, “come out of the wheel of samsara,” “be born in the world of the gods” (according to Buddhism).

Power over oneself is one of the most significant results of spiritual development. This power means that only those feelings, desires and emotions live in a person that he considers correct, that strengthen him, i.e. he is free from irritation, resentment, anger, etc., calmness, goodwill and contentment have become his nature. For such a person there are no fundamental barriers to any internal changes; he is able to realize in himself any knowledge, qualities and states that he needs.

Having received strength, power over himself, a person is able to gain power over his destiny. All major life goals: work, personal life, creating an environment - become achievable, because spiritual person knows how “things happen”, how spiritual laws, karmic tasks, the past influence fate, where a person is free in his choice, and where he is obliged to act only in a certain way. Such a person is able to make the best decisions and the best way bring them to life, getting closer to your goal.

Our society can become more perfect only if its citizens become more perfect, if people are able to get rid of the state of loss and embitterment, find the meaning of life and receive the power to change it. Spiritual development awakens in a person the desire for positive activity and helping people, for serving society, finding one’s place in it and eliminating its main problems: ignorance, lack of spirituality, aimlessness, lack of love, crime, violence, drug addiction, poverty, environmental disasters...

Development of spirituality

Despite the fact that the concept of spirituality is quite widely known, most people still do not understand its true meaning and the words of Krishna, spoken thousands of years ago, unfortunately remain true to this day: “Out of a thousand people, hardly one strives for perfection, and out of a thousand who strive and achieve, hardly one truly understands me.” If a person really strives for spiritual perfection, then, first of all, he must make a responsible decision and choose the appropriate development system.

A responsible decision has a number of fundamental differences from various pseudo-decisions (good wishes, all kinds of excuses, etc.). It is based on a clear understanding of the meaning of spiritual development for oneself, one’s destiny, God and society, and this is brought to such an extent that a person can say about himself: “I will overcome everything, I can do everything.” This corresponds to the maximum possible strength of aspirations and involves getting rid of everything opposite, from any doubts about the need for development.

The path of spiritual development is not strewn with roses, it involves getting rid of shortcomings, changing many habits and seemingly unshakable beliefs, overcoming many obstacles, which is never easy, without struggle. A responsible decision is based on the fact that a person understands this and is ready to fulfill all the conditions necessary to achieve the goal. This is a willingness to take on the role of a student, recognizing that he is at the very beginning of the path and respecting the opinions of those who are one step higher.

The choice of a development system should ideally be such that a person will never regret it. This is a difficult and important task. Any normal development system, compared to self-education, has a number of undeniable advantages: a clearly developed, time-tested program and methodology that gives positive results, the ability to monitor the adequacy of development and receive the necessary advice, a circle of like-minded people who are ready to help.

In the overwhelming majority of cases, self-education in the spiritual sphere is as futile as attempts to independently learn to play the violin, fly a modern airplane, etc. Unsystematic study of spiritual literature often gives rise to internal contradictions that a person cannot cope with, which blocks his further development. The primary purpose of spiritual literature is to awaken interest in this field of knowledge and the desire for perfection, and lead to the path of development.

Basic mistakes

The more complex the area of ​​knowledge, the higher the likelihood of errors, and in the spiritual sphere there are more than enough of them. The first global mistake inherent in spiritual schools is ignoring, opposing or rejecting the second component of complex development - energy development (improvement of the body, energy management, disclosure psychic abilities, etc.). The explanation for this attitude can be anything, but there are only two reasons - a simple misunderstanding or a desire to retain the audience, killing interest in other issues.

Integrated development accelerates the achievement of both spiritual and energetic perfection. Spiritual development allows you to clear your consciousness, remove the prohibitions of higher powers, and gain the right to discover your abilities. Energy development makes a person energetically stronger: it increases efficiency, increases the speed of internal transformations and decision-making, when the vision is revealed, it allows you to come into contact with the subtle world and your soul, and test most spiritual positions in practice.

“Science begins where measurements begin.” The second global mistake of many spiritual schools is the lack of clearly defined development criteria: levels (stages of internal strength) and positivity (distinguishing between Good and Evil). In this case, it is deprived of specific goals and stages, becomes ineffective and inaccessible for analysis, and often turns into a pastime. The presence of criteria allows you not to violate the logic of development and invest effort in accessible tasks that give the greatest return.

The next mistake is not very easy to discern the first time - this is fanaticism - a distortion of loyalty, a path to disaster. Devotion - necessary condition development, the ability not to change the chosen path, to overcome all difficulties and temptations. This presupposes that the system adheres to the code of honor of the hierarchy of Light, the ability to see one’s mistakes, shortcomings and, if possible, eliminate them. Fanaticism is blind faith, it is a justification for any stupidity and atrocities, if they correspond to dogmas or are brought down from above, an inability to critically analyze what is happening.

A common mistake is also a negative attitude towards other schools and directions. A little sooner or later, but all positive forces will unite into a single hierarchy of Light on Earth, now each of the systems is realizing its karmic task. The Forces of Light should not fight each other; for this there are a sufficient number of other opponents: internal problems, diseases of society and other manifestations of Evil. When choosing a development path, it is advisable to check that the corresponding system is free from at least the specified errors.

Mianiye M.Yu.
Doctor of Philosophy, Professor,
founder and scientific director
Center for Human Development