Just as we eat healthy whole foods to build a strong body, the mind, too needs to be nourished with the right knowledge and higher principles to develop inner strength and resilience.
The right knowledge to help buffer us from the storms of life is spiritual knowledge.
The Advantages of Spiritual Knowledge
What exactly is spiritual knowledge, and how is it relevant to our lives?
Spiritual knowledge can be found in the sacred texts and wisdom traditions of many faiths. It points us towards an understanding of our deeper spiritual identity and the nature of who we truly are.
Religion tells us that divinity or God is within us, while spirituality tells us we are divine. In fact, there is only one divine essence in all living beings.
Why is this important? If we accept and live by the truth of our innate divinity and our oneness with others, it can transform how we see ourselves, others and the world around us.
Knowing that we have a higher spiritual identity brings a sense of sanctity and preciousness to our daily lives and interactions. It helps us see our human roles, responsibilities, relationships, sorrows and joys for what they really are—temporary and incidental to our true nature. We would be like actors who put on different costumes to play different roles.
This understanding can inspire us to make higher choices in the way we live. Letting go of negative emotions, forgiving others and moving forward can become easier when we recognise the temporary nature of human life and understand that, at the deepest level, we are essentially one.
Spirituality strengthens the mind by connecting us to the Divine. It offers practices that help to purify, calm and uplift the mind. They include prayer, chanting the Divine Name, study of sacred texts, contemplation and meditation.
It reassures us that the same divine intelligence that governs the outer phenomenal world so perfectly also sustains and supports us. This understanding gives us faith and confidence that whatever life brings can ultimately serve our highest and best good.
It also gives greater purpose to our mundane lives, teaching us that all is not lost when we die. We take two very important things with us—the results of our deeds and the lessons we have learned. Knowing this can help us see our difficulties and suffering as opportunities to learn, outgrow our ego and evolve into a higher way of being.
In this way, spiritual knowledge anchors us through life’s storms, giving us the inner strength and resilience to face whatever comes our way.
Life will inevitably bring its share of storms. We cannot always control what happens around us, but we can choose how we respond. Spiritual knowledge helps us make higher choices in the way we live and interact with others. It deepens our faith and helps us understand that even our difficulties can have a deeper purpose. We can then use life’s challenges to outgrow our limitations, deepen our understanding and evolve into a higher way of being.
Like the coconut tree, we too can learn to bend and bounce back. This is the resilience that spiritual knowledge can help us cultivate.
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Manisha Melwani is a teacher, writer, speaker, and student of Vedanta who brings spiritual wisdom into everyday life. She is the author of Your Spiritual Journey, available in print, e-book, and audiobook formats on Google Play Books, Apple Books, Storytel, and other major audiobook platforms. Learn more at www.manishamelwani.com.
