Breakfast with Spirituality

Title: Breakfast with Spirituality


Create a life that feels good on the inside, not just one that looks good on the outside.
- Anonymous

Since ages the family system has embarked on the importance on religious practices for wellbeing. However, with spread of education there has been paradigm shift from religiousness to spirituality. The shift is extremely fulfilling for a democratic country like India. Its important for us to understand the difference between spirituality and religiousness. Religion is a cluster of beliefs that is not your own, whilst Spirituality is what you experience on your own, in your terms and conditions and your own pace. The rules of spirituality are like democracy, rules for self-connection, by self-connection & of self-connection.
The future of our country rests in the hands of the “YOUNGISTAN” (The young India). However, for students that is the time and age where connection with self is much required to make better choices. The crucial choices made at this juncture affect them for a lifetime after all Life is the choices we make at the right time at the right place.
Our youngistan thrives in a very challenging environment. Their surrounding is filled with information, knowledge, updated gadget, best in technology etc. At the same time, they have many distractions to tackle. Just like our both hands have to work in synchronization with each other so has to our body and soul. That’s soul connection!
Why is the soul connection so important?
Education today has lot more to it than simply adding degrees. Education make us a better person and subsequently responsible citizens. The values like compassion, love, forgiveness, patience, persistence, endurance etc. are inculcated through value-based education is massively helpful to make the right choices and leading a good life. This helps to create a sense of belonging and accountability towards fellow human beings on the planet. After all, “VASUDHAIVA KUTUMBAKAM” is so true in the dynamic ecosphere.
Can soul connection bring academic and personal excellence?
In the student life it is important to have a healthy combination of student life and personal life. In the student life, it is imperative to add knowledge everyday as much as possible from as many sources as possible. As rightly said, student should be like a sponge, absorbing as much knowledge as possible.
Friendships and classmates are also very important at this stage. However, to nurture these relations for a longer time frame and in a healthy manner, right attitude and behavior is a requisite. The desired and true attitude and behavior will emerge when one develops a stronger value-based system for self. The system enables us to differentiate between right and wrong, good, bad and ugly for a long-term emotional wellbeing. The soul connection helps you to be in the best of our behavior, fun, happiness, knowledge and spiritual wellbeing.
Is it too early for students to talk about spirituality?
Spirituality is being in the state of happiness persistently. So, there is no sooner or later for it. It helps us to establish connection with oneself. It is easier then to understand what we want, taking up correct decisions, strengthening our belief system, taking correct steps to build a successful career, making parents happy and many more…
So students create a desirable life for themselves filled with bliss!
What should students do for attaining connection with self?
The idea is to propagate spirituality not religiousness. The idea is to have a happy and blissful life and not completely materialistic. These are few techniques which would help to take some preliminary steps towards spirituality
• We are humans, so be humans – It is important to be good to others irrespective of any parameters. This gives us a feel-good factor about self and helps to connect with ourselves. This feel good factor is very addictive. Once used to it, it becomes a habit.

• Morning makes the difference – it is very important what you think of yourself rater than what world thinks of you. The better we think about ourselves, the more we reflect the same to the outside world. Every morning look at self in the mirror and smile at oneself. Then say as positive things as possible to oneself and keep repeating the same every day. This morning routine is very helpful to boost confidence. Afterall confidence is the key to Success!

And the most important of all

• Gratitude and respect – Each and everyone around us contribute to our life in a very fulfilling way. Some enrich our lives, some teach lessons. So, each experience counts! Its great to show gratitude and respect towards each and everyone that we meet and touch our lives. It begins a positive cycle of gratefulness and appreciation and then comes back to us!

These three are the basic steps towards spirituality that all of us can take and appreciate life. Students are young, vibrant, vivacious but vulnerable. Spirituality will enhance your student life and personal life in such a way that you would be successful and desired by everyone. Afterall who doesn’t like people who have feet on the ground and head on the shoulders!

Author
Mrs. Sneha Ravindra Kanade
Assiatant Professor
Garden City University
Bangalore