Image: Unsplash, downloaded (https://unsplash.com/photos/9W4i_5-OdeE) 14.11.2021.
THE GATES OF SPIRITUALITY
I do not know if any of us can determine when, by God's providence, we reached the threshold of the gates of spirituality and thus slowly opened the temple of spiritual knowledge. All I know is that from that moment on, we fundamentally change our lives and we no longer want to be who we were, before the touch of that magical light that triggered the true change in us. It happens imperceptibly, often reminding us that since we cannot accurately distinguish the period of childhood from youth, mature age and finally old age, we cannot follow spirituality in the graduality with which it permeates and changes us. We only become aware that without it we are people without a spiritualized personality, and as such deeply rooted in the material and its laws.
When that moment happens, it is as if a dove of light, like a holy spirit, has landed on our shoulders, touched us with the essence of spiritual knowledge, and slowly began to transform, without any effort. Because it is the effort that would slow us down and change us abruptly. Benevolence and true change are like a breeze that caresses us and grows into a whirlwind that takes us on a journey to a different world from the one we have lived in so far.
Modern society is increasingly taking on signs of all sorts of emotional and moral decay seeking only physical fulfillment. We strive for consumerism and bodily pleasures, neglecting the importance of spiritual growth. The mind and body need to develop evenly, otherwise one of them decays. Today almost everything is subordinate to the body and the satisfaction of its needs, so the moral decline is evident, and by criticizing others and looking for their flaws, we actually rarely take the time for ourselves and the changes that are necessary to maintain emotional stability, and a healthy mind in a healthy body.
When that click and commitment to the spiritual happens, a change begins within us that significantly increases the quality of our lives. From that moment on, we are still the same in our external manifestation, but our spiritual eyes are opened and we look at the world differently. Flowers smell more intensely and luxuriously, all our senses become sharper and richer, the way we view our family, friends and enemies becomes different, and we are more willing to forgive everything and everyone who has hurt us in any way. We begin to feel grateful for all that we were up until that moment, and especially for what we have become through the spirit. Giving him space in our lives does not mean that we have neglected the body, quite the contrary. We experience harmony of mind and body, so we live happier, healthier and more meaningfully.
“Meaning must be found and cannot be given.”, said Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and founder of logotherapy, a form of existential analysis. Finding that more meaningful life is a gift that comes to us by immersing ourselves in spirituality and its blessings. Spirituality significantly affects the quality of life and brings personal change that does not have to be based solely on faith, but represents a mystical experience that transforms and strengthens us regardless of all the adversities that life brings us. It also strengthens the joy and happiness that we are now able to feel with greater and more complete intensity. We begin to live more and more in the present moment.
We open our hearts and explore the gates of the unknowable, experience spiritual growth and cleanse ourselves of faults aware that we do not need them. Spirituality is a state of consciousness that transforms us and in which there is no central place of suffering in our lives, because we feel pain when we do not grow spiritually. A spiritual person puts the eternal and the metaphysical before the transient and the secular, encourages artistic and creative action, creates balance and harmony in life without effort. So every life experience gains more meaning.
This does not mean that everything will be perfect from that moment on, but we will look at everything that life brings us with different eyes, be patient and have more understanding for people and a deeper knowledge of situations that come up. And even in the most difficult moments, we will be able and have the strength to solve our problems, whatever their nature may be, and that in spite of everything we will be able to know how to rejoice in life, because it is the greatest gift to mankind. An immeasurable gift that needs to be kept as a special treasure by incorporating in it nobility, love and gratitude as basic characteristics, because only in this way will we grow spiritually, and give a chance to future generations.
About the Author: She was born in Koprivnica. After earning her academic title in Zagreb, she earned a degree from the International center for computer graphic design IVORA in Varaždin. As a member of cultural associations; the Croatian Parliament of Culture, Croatian national institution - Matica Hrvatska, Varaždin Literary Society, Society of Croatian Writers of Herceg Bosna, Association for the Promotion of culture KVAKA and Cultural arts Society Podravka, she is a frequent participant in literary manifestations. Her poems and prose have been published in all relevant proceedings recitals in Croatia, in literary journals, as well as on some domestic and foreign literary portals. In addition to a number of recognitions, she received several notable awards. So far she has published six books.
Croatian version:
DVERI DUHOVNOSTI
Ne znam da li itko od nas može odrediti kada je božjom providnošću dospio do praga dveri duhovnosti i tako polako odškrinuo hram duhovnih spoznaja. Znam samo da od tog trenutka iz temelja mijenjamo život i da više ne želimo biti oni od ranije, prije dodira tog čarobnog svjetla koje je potaknulo istinsku promjenu u nama. Ona se događa neprimjetno, često podsjeća na to da kako period djetinjstva ne možemo točno razgraničiti od mladosti, pa zrelog doba i na posljetku starenja, tako ne možemo ni duhovnost pratiti u postupnosti kojom nas prožima i mijenja. Samo postajemo svjesni da smo bez nje ljudi bez produhovljene osobnosti i kao takvi duboko ukorijenjeni u materijalno i njegove zakonitosti.
Kada se dogodi taj trenutak, kao da nam je svjetlosni golub, poput duha svetog sletio na rame, dotaknuo nas esencijom duhovne spoznaje i polako počeo preobražavati, bez imalo napora. Jer baš je napor taj koji bi nas usporio i nasilno mijenjao. Dobrohotnost i istinska promjena je poput povjetarca koji nas miluje i prerasta u vihor koji nas nosi put drugačijeg svijeta od ovog u kom smo do sad živjeli.
Suvremeno društvo sve više iskazuje naznake svekolikog emocionalnog i moralnog propadanja, tražeći samo psihofizičko ispunjenje. Težimo za konzumerizmom i tjelesnim zadovoljstvima, zanemarujući bitnost duhovnog rasta. Duh i tijelo je potrebno ravnomjerno razvijati inače dolazi do propadanja jednog od njih. Danas je gotovo sve podređeno tijelu i zadovoljenju njegovih potreba, pa je moralni pad evidentan, a mi kritizirajući druge i tražeći njihove mane zapravo rijetko polazimo od sebe i promjena koje su nužne da bi održali emocionalnu stabilnost i zdrav duh u zdravom tijelu.
Kad nam se dogodi taj klik i posvećenost duhu, u nama počinje promjena koja bitno mijenja kvalitetu našeg života. Od tog smo trenutka izvanjskom manifestacijom i dalje isti, ali nam se otvaraju duhovne oči kojima drugačije gledamo na svijet. Cvijeće intenzivnije i raskošnije miriše, svi nam osjeti postaju izoštreniji i bogatiji, pogled na obitelj, prijatelje ali i neprijatelje postaje drugačiji, a mi spremniji na opraštanje svemu i svima koji su nas na bilo koji način ranili. Počinjemo zahvaljivati na svemu što sto smo do tada bili, a posebno na onome što postajemo posredstvom duha. Dajući mu u svom životu prostor ne znači da smo zanemarili tijelo, baš naprotiv. Doživljavamo sklad duha i tijela, pa živimo sretnije, zdravije i smislenije.
„Smisao se ne može dati, već se mora pronaći“, rekao je Viktor Frankl, austrijski neurolog i utemeljitelj egzistencijalne analize. Baš je pronalaženje tog smislenijeg života dar koji nam dolazi uranjanjem u duhovnost i njegove blagodati. Duhovnost bitno utiče na kvalitetu života i donosi osobnu promjenu koja ne mora biti utemeljena isključivo na vjeri već predstavlja mistično iskustvo koje nas preobražava i jača nas bez obzira na sve nedaće koje nam život donosi. Isto tako jača radost i sreću koju smo sada u mogućnosti osjećati s većim i potpunijim intenzitetom. Događa nam se i da sve više živimo u sadašnjem trenutku.
Otvaramo srce i istražujemo dveri nespoznatljivog, doživljavamo duhovni rast i čistimo iz sebe mane svjesni da nam one ne trebaju. Duhovnost je stanje svijesti koje nas preobražava i u kom nema centralnog mjesta patnji u našem životu, jer nju osjećamo kad duhovno ne rastemo. Duhovna osoba stavlja vječno i metafizičko ispred prolaznog i svjetovnog, potiče umjetničko i stvaralačko djelovanje, stvara ravnotežu i sklad u životu bez napora. Tako da smisleno živi iskustvo života.
To ne znači da će nam cvjetati samo ruže, već da ćemo na sve što nam život donosi gledati drugim očima, bit ćemo strpljivi i imati više razumijevanja za ljude te dublje shvaćanje situacija koje nam život donosi. Da ćemo i u najtežim momentima smoći i imati snage za rješavanje svojih problema ma kakve oni naravi bili i da ćemo se usprkos svemu moći i znati radovati životu, jer on je dar čovjeku. Neizmjeran dar koji je potrebno čuvati kao posebnu dragocjenost ugrađujući u njega plemenitost, ljubav i zahvalnost kao osnovne karakteristike, jer samo tako ćemo duhovno rasti i dati šansu budućim pokoljenjima.
O autorici: Rođena je u Koprivnici. Nakon što je akademsku titulu stekla u Zagrebu, diplomirala je i na Međunarodnom centru za računalno grafički dizajn IVORA u Varaždinu. Kao članica kulturnih asocijacija, Hrvatskog sabora kulture, Hrvatske nacionalne institucije - Matice hrvatske, Varaždinskog književnog društva, Društva hrvatskih književnika Herceg Bosne, Udruge za promicanje kulture KVAKA i Kulturno umjetničkog društva Podravka, česta je sudionica književnih manifestacija. Njezine pjesme i proza objavljene su u svim relevantnim zbornicima recitala u Hrvatskoj, u književnim časopisima, kao i na nekim domaćim i stranim književnim portalima. Osim brojnih priznanja, dobitnica je i nekoliko zapaženih nagrada. Do sada je objavila šest knjiga.
