A CONTINUOUS NEED FOR SPIRITUALITY

the most mundane things or for the higher things of life. It does not befit us to use this blessing for the sole achievement of our worldly or material needs, which in any case will be fulfilled with lesser effort. However, this is possible only when one makes a conscious endeavour to keep life simple. If we do not take a conscious decision, things will get complicated and we will create a web of frivolous goals that will ensnare us in the bonds of materialism. Our focus will shift from a spiritual life to a materialistic existence. The Prophet had predicted that material wealth will be the cause of much evil amongst his followers. The only way of saving ourselves from such evil will be to adopt simplicity in everything. If we adopt simplicity in our lives, we will save ourselves from many distractions. Only then will it be possible for us to use our faculties for higher thinking. High thinking is the result of simple living. This is an essential ingredient in our endeavour to be spiritual. With reference to spirituality in one’s thinking, we should understand that spirituality is not a state of ecstasy. It is not a trance-like state. It is rather marked by a high level of acute intellectual development. It is a form of intellectual awakening. It is associated with contemplation. It encompasses the qualitative aspects of nature so that, within its scope, the things of a spiritual nature are brought to light, just as the honey bee extracts honey from flowers. Flowers are the greatest concern of the honey bee. For a honey bee, its whole world is a world of flowers. It never wastes its time on other things. It concentrates on flowers, takes the nectar from them and returns to its hive. The same is true of an awakened mind. For an awakened mind, the whole world is a world of spirituality. It extracts spiritual content from everything. The awakened person thus enhances his spirituality until he grows to be a spiritual giant. Spirituality in the area of one’s interaction with people does not refer to seclusion from society. Spirituality being an inner quality has to be applied, if its external actualization is to take place. Practically, there is a vast difference between the spiritual person who lives within society and shares his spiritual experience with his fellow men and the one who dies in solitude without ever having benefited others. Spirituality is not a state of ecstasy. It is not a trancelike state. It is rather marked by a high level of acute intellectual development. It is a form of intellectual awakening associated with contemplation.