FIVE GIFTS FOR THE SPIRITUAL PEOPLE IN YOUR LIFE

By: Premadasa Gangadeen

It would be fair if you interpreted the title of this article to be a quick shopping list of things to go and get in order to please or impress a spiritual person in your life, particularly if such a person is rare and unique in your family or social circles. If this is you, do not despair, for there will be some suggestions to consider. On the topic of consideration, let’ s assume that we ALL are spiritual people with varying degrees of awareness on how ‘ spiritual’ we actually are. As our life unfolds and we act or react to it, so often a lesson or an opportunity to take a deeper dive into self-awareness comes. As we personally explore these events, we may develop a simple approach on how to meet these moments when they come up again so as to serve us in the most efficient, joyous and loving way possible. Spirituality is both expressed and gleaned as these moments arise throughout our lifetime so it may be best to simply enjoy the process in the moment and consider that to serve the spirit is one of the greatest things to both give and receive.

Present

This is a powerful word with many overlapping principles on the path toward greater spiritual awareness. Most holidays or special occasions are observed between people with the exchange of presents - a thoughtful gift usually tailored for the recipient. It makes the giver feel good and if they are really tapped into the person they are giving something to, the recipient will also feel good. This is a beautiful thing as it provides the space for mutual love and joy. While gifting during these times may seem like solely a material pastime, remember that in terms of the 5 layers or koshas according to Yoga philosophy, the outermost layer has to do with material existence and each subsequent layer becomes less material and more subtle toward the spiritual core of our essence. If you were to flip the material meaning of present to simply being present, this is among the greatest of gifts that you could offer anyone because you are now willing to share space and/or expend the precious and seemingly finite resources of time, attention and energy to that person. You are investing in their spiritual progress when you support them with your unwavering presence. Being present is the expressway to spiritual awareness and/or awakening.

Breathe

The breath is the link between the body and the mind. Practice some form of pranayama to help establish a healthy balance between your body and mind so when you want to be present for someone, the peaceful easy feeling that pranayama yields can easily exude in the space of your meeting and hopefully be supportive to the one you are meeting. Learn additional pranayama techniques and then share them with the one you are meeting, for two people experiencing the peaceful, easy feeling that pranayama yields is better than one!

Learn to meditate

This is the greatest tool for overcoming the various distractions that tend to muddy the mind. Having a clear mind makes the task of being present for yourself and others so much easier. Once again, assuming that we all are spiritual people, there is no telling what effect you may be having on another in your shared lives together. Perhaps meditating together will not only help you both be more present to yourselves, you could be fostering a burgeoning community of like-minded people and there is nothing more fulfilling than the feeling of belonging to something special, which feels good and is helpful for many others.

Discover what inspires the spiritual people in your life

The more that we tap into the source of their inspiration, the greater our sense of intuition becomes as we in turn become more relatable to those people. When we foster inspiration/intuition in ourselves and others, there becomes a wider field of relationship with a lesser sense of separation. Practice this step often and see what unfolds for you and the other person in terms of realization. Foster and share moments of inspiration to cultivate a deeper intuitive connection to others.

Become a steward for another’s spiritual practice

This is known as Karma Yoga, the most potent and common expression of Yoga. The path of selfless service or Karma Yoga is available to all and requires no training, only the purity of heart. We set about supporting others with their spiritual practice by doing our best to remove any distraction or obstacle for one to be able to practice. What is practice? It could be worship, meditation, pranayama, Yoga postures, reading spiritual and inspirational texts - anything which brings about a state of being present in truth, consciousness and bliss.

Most importantly, have fun! It isn ’t hard to play; we make it hard on ourselves to go and play. When we can induce and claim responsibility for our own joy, the feeling of lightness which comes with it is bound to influence someone else, and if we can effectively bring lightness to others, this is the greatest gift that we can channel into the here and now. To serve others, give yourself the gift of Yoga to then share the experience of Yoga with love for all.