Articles about the spiritual development of man. What is spiritual development? Spiritual Development or the illusion of perfection

For the umpteenth time, I am getting down to the topic, where the main idea is preceded by various explanations. And then it turns out that almost each of these explanations draws on a separate article. As a result, the original idea is postponed indefinitely. The process is interesting. You watch how the original thought turns in different facets and reveals additional features. Today we continue the topic of mental health. Let's consider it in the context of mental development.

Good mental health is not a consequence of some "correct" personality traits, but a consequence of agreement with those qualities that are already present in the present. That is, while a person is dissatisfied with himself, no matter how smart and kind he may be, he will not see peace of mind. And on the contrary, if you are not distinguished by great intelligence and kindness, but you live in harmony with yourself, the state of mind is normalized.

Here I will emphasize - we are not talking about some subjective signs of mental health, but about actual personal well-being. Society, on the other hand, can easily condemn and praise such a person who is satisfied with his life, consider it by its standards not healthy at all, or, on the contrary, a role model.

For a person living in harmony with himself, the standards are like bizarre rituals of an overseas country - they cannot be taken seriously, but you can take them into account just in case.

And somewhere here, many people have a fair, natural question: if there is no dissatisfaction with oneself, then how can one develop and move through life? Will not such "harmony" lead to a passive vegetable state?

The movement in life can be viewed from two sides. The first is "internal" mental development, the second is "external" social activity. In today's short article, I will only touch on the first. I will talk about social development next time. I will try not to procrastinate.

The fact is that all the changes necessary for mental development occur spontaneously as one becomes aware of the ongoing life. And not so, what they say, "dyke I will change and become wiser." For example, when a person truly realizes the futility of his capriciousness, he does not need any volitional decisions for change. An outdated style of behavior, obviously unprofitable, falls off on its own.

Roughly the same thing happens at the level of the senses. They do not lend themselves to volitional modifications. It is useless to condemn and punish for them - they will only be suppressed ... For the time being. But feelings can be studied, investigated, on which they are held. And one should understand that even such self-knowledge does not give any guaranteed results.

Therefore, a person who has reconciled with himself does not try to artificially remake himself, or these attempts become something like an unobtrusive game. You can continue to develop, try to become "better", get to some new peak, but such development ceases to be a strained obligation, and becomes something like entertainment, or free preference from the category of "why not."

And if, as usual, a person dares to choose independently where and in which direction to grow, and then problems begin. The mental changes outlined by the superficial mind, at times, are fabulously far from the actual possibilities. A person cannot measure his real potential, and even more so he is not able to predict the insights and shocks necessary for mental development.

Even if a person regularly practices meditation, or introspection, any expectations of specific results lead to a dead end of disappointment. ...

But if the naturalness in which the body and soul expresses itself is not driven by, but sensitively listened to it, you may not reveal some outstanding qualities, but there is a chance to feel consonance with what is happening.

Imagine a fisherman who comes to an unfamiliar shore hoping to catch a goldfish. And he comes across only sprats and herring - a good catch by other standards, he could not catch anything at all. But the fisherman is indignant and offended by fate, because he planned a completely different result, and does not even pay attention to the quantity and quality of the fish actually caught.

Likewise, mental development is like an eternally new river, uncontrollable. You can create suitable conditions - learn fishing skills, equip yourself with tackle, move to the reservoir. But the quality of the catch is already the real potential of the river, which does not depend on the training and pretensions of the fisherman.

Therefore, psychologists do not remake clients, but help to understand what is happening at the current stage in the personal river of life. Natural mental development occurs not from some presumptuous expression of will, but on the basis of real information about oneself and the world.

And the infantile consciousness, invented for itself "must" and "must" requires the impossible. Therefore, dissatisfaction with oneself and life does not lead to spiritual development, but to disappointment. Another thing is that the very experience of mental wanderings can be useful as an additional effective attachment to the filter of the mind, filtering pure knowledge from illusions.

Simply put, one should not improve oneself, but investigate. It is self-knowledge that brings an individual unique personality a natural mental development for her.

With social activity, everything is not so simple. We will discuss it in the next article.

In general, it is interesting to receive an answer to the question: “ What do you mean by the word spirituality (spiritual growth), are you a spiritual person?“Someone will say that this is going to church and someone to the theater, reading religious literature or Tolstov. Less often you hear the answer - spirituality is a conformity to God, or a stage in the perception of the world.

If a person strives not in material terms, but in terms of achieving success in his development as a person, personally grow (for development itself), one cannot do without a clear understanding.

If a person wants to understand other people and be understood - again - you need to understand what is such spirituality and spiritual growth, at least approximately.

And the very concept - can correspond to spiritual growth.

Collect, study, analyze - summarize

This is exactly the pattern I followed. At one time I collected all possible knowledge about spirituality and by sorting, a little utilization of unnecessary ones, relying a little on - I will cite the circumcised - the pyramid of spiritual growth. In general, which will give an understanding of what spirituality is. Of course, this is my opinion, this is not the truth - this is an assumption.

The pyramid of spiritual development (growth)

It can also be a staircase - therefore, it is depicted in the form of steps. But a ladder presupposes movement, but unfortunately, it rarely happens that a person climbs up on it. Each step is a state of the human soul. And more specifically, in NLP-Yorovski: breadth and needs.

Description of the pyramid of spirituality

I repeat, each step reflects a person's worldview and needs. A person who is one step higher is to the main degree "puzzled" by the corresponding concept, but he is less familiar with the lower levels. The higher from the base, the fewer people in this group, but exceptions are possible, for example, the very first step is still much less than the step above.

Super animal. Usually people of this spiritual development are despised in society. They can only "Eat, Sleep and Reproduce" and they do not care anymore.

Consumer... The basis for the development of the economy. The more things in the house, the better. The main focus is on gaining something and having something. Obsessed with novelties, gadgets, money.

Esthete. This is essentially a smart consumer. Having overdone, in addition to things, he can already sort out his views on the world. Often very arrogant, as they have risen above super-animals and blind consumption. But they themselves do not create anything, they only criticize.

Creator. These are the people - for whom nothing lower is so important - they are driven by a tremendous desire to change something on their own. These are scientists, engineers, inventors, filmmakers, authors of books (or sites :)).

Seeker. Knowing how to create, a person does not calm down - he sees imperfection in everything. And then the corresponding question comes: “ What is perfection and what is truth?". Busy with eternal self-improvement. He may be in perpetual search.

Benefactor. They do not have to find perfection, or truth, although they can think a lot about it. But the main goal of their life is to change the lives of all people for the better. They care about all of humanity.

Messiah. We are ready to die, as well as beneficiaries standing below for all mankind. But unlike them, they have firm confidence in a global understanding of the processes associated with humanity itself.

Practical conclusions from the pyramid of spiritual development

Don't throw pearls to pigs ...... If you are on a certain step, those people who are on the lower one will never understand you.

Don't be a pig. If you are on a certain step - you may never understand - why, for example, a person is ready to die (or died) for his idea (there are a lot of examples, not only among believers, but even among opponents - communists ... if not believe - read above again). Those. difficult to understand above-standing.

To live with wolves…. Communicate with the person at their level. It is very simple to understand at what level a person is. His entire interested attention will be reduced to relevant conversations. It is difficult to communicate with the subordinates (but you will understand them partly, they are unlikely to you ...), and it is useful to communicate with the superiors (but now there will be a misunderstanding on your part).

Do not overstrain…. Wanting to get out or get off. Your gene code has been formed for centuries, your personality has been formed for years - just be " as everybody"It will not work, but to climb higher is a titanic work. There are stars in the sky of different sizes - you are one of them, this is the order of things. More than one person was blown up on the quest " be like everyone else"Or be above your head. Dear, whoever disagrees with this is great, it means you have a different life experience.

The higher, the more thorny. If you decide to climb higher, you will calm your soul - but there will be more problems. It's one thing to be preoccupied with making money - it's another to try to influence an ungrateful environment. Remember history, great inventors, scientists and messiahs - how peaceful was their life?

The higher, the more interesting. The higher the level on which a person stands, the more questions and answers he has. A higher step affects the lower one. You can just eat food, but now you have reached the stage of esthete - and you will already be too much in food, or there is only " kosher food».

Someone lives, multiplying material wealth, and someone believes that the main wealth is spiritual. As one friend of mine says, assuming that a person has several lives: "You cannot take material trash with you to another life, but spiritual wealth will always remain with you, whether in this life or in another." Maybe she's right. In any case, a person who has developed spirituality in himself, under any circumstances, will never be at a standstill in the face of difficulties. Does this mean that need to develop spiritually? Undoubtedly, because it is easier for a spiritually rich person to adapt to life without losing his moral character.

What does it mean to develop spiritually

Any development involves moving forward in the direction that makes a person better. Spirit is a natural part of a person's personality and it also requires development. The development of spirituality is a person's striving for perfection and the disclosure of inherent abilities.
Thoughts and actions aimed at creation also constitute the path of development of spiritual qualities. Learn to perceive people as they are, without being annoyed at the weaknesses of their essence and without judging them. One of the main points in development is learning to observe yourself from the outside. And it is not so important the very correction of the negative aspects of your personality, as the realization that they are. Awareness is a huge work in developing the inner state of a person.
The first stage on the path of spiritual development was and will be the receipt of information. It comes at the very moment when a person is ready for a new stage in his life, but does not yet know how to develop spiritually. A randomly seen book on spirituality on a shelf in a friend's house; a watched film that makes you think about the meaning of your existence; meeting people, a conversation with whom gives a tangible impetus to learn something more - all this is not without reason. These are the clues that you are ready and you need to develop spiritually. Often this development happens intuitively.

How to develop spiritually

Working on yourself throughout your life, you develop spiritually when consciously and when not. If you have already learned to think positively, then we can congratulate you - with such thinking it is easier to move up the steps to the perfection of the spirit. Positivity rejects negative emotions that are holding you back. And the question no longer arises before you - how to develop spiritually.
Getting rid of misconceptions about life, from illusions; awareness of your true essence; striving to become more patient and tolerant; rising above the circumstances that affect your mood and mind are all stages in the development of your spirituality. With its growth, your inner strength increases.
Of course, there are times when you don't have the strength to deal with the challenges that hinder your growth with dignity. For this, there are occasional mantras and meditation. Taking advantage of them, you will not lose control over yourself.
It is never too late to learn to develop spiritual qualities in oneself - each person has his own period for this.

Spiritual development of a person is a process that includes the deliberate evolution of personal qualities, which consists in improving the inner world for the sake of its rational interaction with the external environment. In essence, it becomes an act of intellectual self-improvement. As a result, on the basis of comparing one's experience with great historical achievements in different spheres, one comprehends one's own purpose in this world, the likelihood of taking a worthy place in it. Spiritual development is a long and thorny path, full of ups and downs. Ideally, it is infinite. Having achieved certain results, a person only approaches the truth, but does not finally cognize it. Any stop, the belief that everything has been achieved, leads to degradation. Personal development is possible only in the direction from simple to more complex and constant improvement of what has been achieved.

But how to do it? Study! For those who have already reached certain heights in their biography. Development of spirituality, its level, is tested by life. Shifts in the evolution of personality can be considered truly positive only when they are gratefully noted by the person's environment: his relatives and colleagues. This is the only way to achieve career growth in any of the existing cases. A spiritually developed subject can have a significant impact on people. This will help him to solve many previously insoluble problems. The flip side of this involvement in the environment becomes isolation on himself. Such a person is constantly acquiring new knowledge and opportunities, but in no way realizes them outside. The person could improve the situation of other people around, but he does not. He only imagines that everything is within his power. There is no benefit to society from its existence. This spirituality is usually empty, and ultimately only leads to disappointment and thoughts of wasted life.

What becomes the illusion of spiritual self-improvement

People think about how they can develop themselves spiritually. Popular methods are:

• reading informative literature;
• visiting rating films, concerts, theatrical performances;
• religious or philosophical meditation;
• hermitage;
• denial of the material world for the sake of the spiritual.

These methods are correct to some extent and allow raising the intellectual bar to impressive heights. That's just directly to spirituality, each of these actions and all of them in general have no direct relationship. At best, they expand the horizons of knowledge of life.

What do books and more or less analogous visual spectacles give? Indeed, they contain knowledge and sensory experience. But knowledge that is not applied in reality is quickly forgotten. The time spent on acquiring them can be considered lost as meaningless.

To know does not mean to be able. Skill, unlike knowledge, is a purely practical category. This is an automatic habit. It is acquired in the constant use of the information received in a specific case. This is the only way to actualize knowledge and give it a universally significant, spiritual coloring.

The same goes for sensory experience. Someone else's experience, not correlated with their own feelings, can teach, but only in the abstract. To act or not to act in the same way, he will not force not everyone. This requires personal experiences. Only they get stuck in the memory and help in the future.

How does this happen? The main postulates were formulated in the Bible, in the moral admonitions of Moses. He elaborates on what not to do to avoid public condemnation. In a more collected form, Kant formulates this, suggesting categorically not to commit those actions that you consider unacceptable in relation to yourself.

Meditation also does not lead to spiritual development. It only contributes to the concentration of biological energy to achieve its own goal, which does not matter to others. The humanitarian factor, which is one of the defining indicators of spirituality, is absent here.

Prayers and all kinds of mantras provide an opportunity to escape from real problems and transfer their solution to certain mythical sources. They can be given spiritual meaning only by crowded ceremonies that unite their flock around events that are equally valuable to everyone. For example, concerning war and peace, life and death.

Hermitage, as a way to escape from the world, was originally intended to preserve the values ​​pursued by modern society and revered as truly correct. In pre-Petrine Rus such were the Old Believers, in Ancient China - the monks of the mountain monasteries remote from the capital.
The culture of hermits, like the wild tribes of South America or Africa, has a shade of even high spirituality, but it is closed within a certain territory and, in essence, is inaccessible to others. Its significance is limited to world civilization.

Refusal of material well-being in the name of spiritual self-improvement is one of the extreme concepts. The ascetic worldview is based on the belief that only a person liberated from the constant search for means of subsistence is able to freely develop himself.

This idea is persistently promoted by numerous pseudo-religious sects. At the same time, their true goal becomes the enrichment of the preachers with the help of a complete robbery of their adherents. All doubts about the disinterestedness of all kinds of spiritual teachers are suppressed by force.

In fact, the material well-being of the individual does not in the least contradict the development of his spirituality. On the contrary, it only helps this process. The capabilities of a wealthy person allow him to constantly improve his education, as well as travel, adopting the best from other cultures and civilizations and thus increase his spiritual potential. The problem lies only in achieving harmony between material and spiritual development.

What is meant by spirituality

There is no exhaustive definition of spirituality that can convince of its practical necessity. Only one thing is clear: a person deprived of spiritual potential will not have a beneficial effect either on the development of society, or on the happy determination of his own destiny.

What, then, should you be guided by in order to develop qualities in yourself that are more or less close to the spiritual ideal? A sociological survey conducted among students of several leading universities in the country showed that they made a conscious choice in favor of a number of attitudes. The main ones are:

1. all-round personality development;
2. morality that ensures respect in society;
3. meaningfulness of their actions;
4. formation of intellectual and spiritual baggage sufficient for career advancement;
5. disinterestedness and devotion in friendship;
6. sincerity in love;
7. equality in marriage, where a man and a woman help and support each other, without disturbing the peace of mind with unnecessary quarrels.

Young people are inclined to eternal, recognized by the majority, ideals. Such, for example, as faith in God, cementing the best spiritual traditions of generations. At the same time, the very name of the Lord among people will be different, signifying any of the world religions. But whether it is Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism or Buddhism, the concept of the highest justice that each of the gods personifies remains the same for representatives of different religions.

Patriotism occupies an important place among the values ​​of the spiritual plan. This sublime feeling concerns not only love for loved ones and for the country, but also the readiness to consciously protect all this in difficult times. Family and society should instill it from childhood. Every child, born, becomes a citizen, responsible for his country. He needs to constantly introduce it into consciousness.

A modern person, in the opinion of young people, is obliged to constantly improve.

Only in this way will he be able to adequately act in a world that is changing with increasing speed. Along with obtaining information useful for professional activities, one should develop one's own emotional and sensory sphere, which allows one to humanize, make more humane, personal relationships of different people.

An irreplaceable means for harmonizing your inner world is communication with the beautiful. So books train imagination, fine art expands the range of visual representations of life, suitable immerses in a host of unusual sounds that can create any mood that is comfortable at the moment.

Much of this is perceived unconsciously, at the level of hidden instincts. Not everything is accepted at once. In the early stages, something from what was read, seen or heard may be misunderstood and rejected. Only over time, gaining knowledge and experience, being able to compare different things, people realize what is not important for them, but what is necessary, like air.

Why is it needed

Spiritual development of a person always gives a positive effect. No matter how it may seem secondary, at first glance, ultimately its fruits are tangible in life.

As a result of constant improvement of the inner world, sharpening of the intellect and sensory sphere, a person acquires the ability not to be afraid of difficulties and achieve their goals, regardless of any obstacles. Fate is on the scales of biography for each of us. It is possible to arrange life properly only fully armed, clearly representing the ultimate goal and having the appropriate spiritual potential to achieve it. A truly spiritual person proceeds precisely from these considerations, bold but correct.

The only exceptions here are the so-called "evil geniuses", people who channel their extraordinary energy to the detriment of others. The consequences of their activities in world history and in everyday life are appalling. Good and evil, in the understanding of these individuals, often change places. Violence, fear, godlessness, savagery are exposed as just. What can be opposed to the activities of the villains? On this score, there are different views, including the biblical-Tolstoyan non-resistance to evil by violence. In practice, however, brute force is often the most effective method of dealing with evil.

A weak, ignorant nature is alien to such contradictions. She is constantly overcome by doubts about her vulnerability. Such people are not even sure of the possibility of achieving any significant goal. She scares them. Failures make you not look for a new option of action, but only make excuses, referring to harmless circumstances, which, out of laziness, are considered insurmountable. The existence of such subjects is meaningless. They don't deserve respect. Their lot is vegetation in life and oblivion in its bitter finale.

It is very difficult to overestimate the importance of spiritual maturity for each individual and society as a whole. Its result is not only technical, but also social progress. This is evidenced by the positive development of world civilization, capable of overcoming all kinds of difficulties that stand in its path and moving through thorns to the stars.

Spiritual development- this is the study of the device of INTELLIGENT LIFE, through the knowledge of YOURSELF, your feelings and thoughts, from where and how they are born, how they affect us, on a personal and general level.

The real Spiritual path of development (growth of the Soul) is not possible without real knowledge of oneself (one's inner world of feelings and thoughts).

Not everyone is able to come to this Path. Someone is busy getting their daily bread, someone needs to arrange their personal life, that is, most people are immersed in “everyday life” and they simply have no time to stop to think about something else. Fear also has a place to be. Indeed, even realizing the meaninglessness of the “race” for new acquisitions and the growth of one's social significance, it takes a lot of courage to boldly look into oneself and try to change the usual way of life, and at the same time transform oneself.

To leave the “comfort zone” of such people can only be forced by some out of the ordinary event that can shake a person - it can be stress, a sudden inspiration caused by shock, the death of loved ones, etc. The event should make him understand all the illusory nature of such a life, where values ​​are coming, and human life, by and large, has no meaning.

When understanding comes and the familiar world collapses, a person has a choice - how to live now, what to believe, what or whom to serve? What can stimulate a person to believe in himself and think about the values ​​that are eternal and unshakable? At this moment, a difficult path of changes and transformation of his spirit opens before him, an opportunity opens up to touch his Divine beginning.

Evolution of Spirit and Soul

Spiritual development is the Path of the evolution of spirit and soul, which distinguishes people from animals, and for which we all incarnated here on Earth. After all, the meaning of life is that, through moral victories over one's shortcomings, character traits and habits, cleanse the mirror of one's soul from dirt, strengthen the spirit and continue improving already outside our reality, in higher worlds and in more subtle matters.

Real Spiritual development is possible only under these conditions, when a person goes beyond the boundaries of the Destructive Mind, in which there is the creativity of illness, death, doubt ...

Our body is the seat of the soul and through the spirit is connected with the Creator (God or Creator). You can also say that each person, animal, insect, plant, mineral or atom in the aggregate constitutes the body of God, or it manifests itself through everything that surrounds us, and this all evolves and develops according to cosmic laws and cycles.

Having reached human nature, the soul and body are subjected to severe trials. On their way, obstacles arise in the form of an ego, doubtful desires, negative emotions, a sense of self-importance, etc. In the fight against these factors, a person sometimes lives many lives until conditions are ripe and formed in which a person can no longer continue to live like this without changing yourself.

The essence of spiritual development

The most important thing on the path of Spiritual development is to find the integrity of your views and aspirations with the desires of the soul, and then, it is possible to become like God not only in image, but also in content. Love is the key to discovering limitless possibilities in yourself. Love is the language of God. Learning to love truly is not easy, and many do not even have an idea of ​​what it is. Their understanding does not extend beyond carnal friction with each other and possessiveness towards their beloved.

We must learn to give love to the whole world around us, without expecting anything in return, because God has already rewarded a person with everything that could only be dreamed of at birth. However, this is not enough for some and they rush from one extreme to another. Hence the wars, and rivalry, and fornication ... This is the path of suffering and dissatisfaction, which destroys the body and destroys the soul.

But how, by what means and methods to come to an agreement with oneself? Perhaps prayer for someone will become a consolation, but it is not able to give an impulse for evolutionary growth. Religion is an unnecessary mediator between man and God. Nowadays, it increasingly serves as a tool for manipulating people, a means of profit and dirty machinations on the part of the church or higher authorities.

Only evolution matters now. Therefore, by choosing a voluntary, firm and conscious intention to know and change yourself, you can come to the desired result. As the saying goes, there are many who seek the Creator, but not many find him. The Creator lives in each of us, but without engaging in his awakening, we turn away from ourselves. He does not hear the voices of our desires, requests or laudatory odes - he reacts only to the manifestations of the spirit expressed in actions.

Doubts in their abilities and fear of an unknown future and, most importantly, an unconscious choice of the Spiritual path will very quickly return an immature person to a familiar and comfortable way of life. To stay true to your choice, especially at the initial stage, you need to be vigilant, listen to yourself and pull back whenever the ego begins to dictate its conditions - complete control of thoughts and actions.

• You need to accept yourself, having figured out your delusions, mistakes, grievances, albeit not immediately, but over time. First of all, you should learn to always remain honest and be yourself under any circumstances. There is no need to blame anyone for the current situation, and even yourself - after all, this is a school where we all go through training and grow our souls with each class.

Freed from the burden of past mistakes and resentments, a person gains lightness and self-confidence. The world around us begins to create favorable conditions for a person, fills the space with guiding signs, life becomes joyful and transforms right before our eyes. Feeling inner peace and desire to live, a person in the future will never be able to repeat the mistakes of the past and will not commit new ones.

Reading philosophical literature, spiritual practices, meditation will help speed up evolution. Religious literature contains too many conjectures and falsehoods, so a person who is ignorant of such matters can easily take anything on faith. There are a lot of ancient and modern literary artifacts that can acquaint the traveler with the structure of the universe, with cosmic and spiritual laws, with concepts that reveal the very essence of a human being and much more.

Spiritual development is possible only if a person sincerely wants to know his inner world, really change the structure of his feelings, give himself the opportunity to learn how to actually live, breathe, love, without feelings of fear.

Literature:

H.P. Blavatskaya, D.L. Andreev, Roerichs, Sri Aurobindo, Osho, ancient Indian epics - "Mahabharata" and "Ramayana", Bhagavad Gita, Vedas, Philanthropy, AllatRa and many other books that are recommended for deep study for those who chose the path of the spirit.