Murshid Hidayat Inayat-Khan
Spirituality, February 21, 2009
In the precious teachings of Hazrat Inayat Khan we read that, in reality, everyone is spiritual because life itself is spirit. Spirit is the life-power motivating the materialized garb of the “self”, which mistakenly identifies itself with its mental and physical limitations. Along life’s path, one loses sight of that inborn spirituality, without realizing that the all-pervading immanence of Life is that indescribable power which is constantly manifesting behind all impulses. Therefore, spirituality really means rebirth, in the sense that one awakens gradually to the realization that spirituality has always been one’s birthright.
Spirituality can neither be taught nor learned, but it can be discovered by way of the heart. It cannot be described in words, which are poor, and which are limited to each one’s understanding. It is a condition different from self-assertion, in which there is a need for confirmation, hidden under a cover of false pretence. Spirituality does not necessarily correspond to physical qualities nor to psychological conditions, although it does have indirectly a harmonious influence on the personality. Spirituality reveals itself as self respect as well as respect for others. A spiritual person has a natural inclination to politeness, moral integrity and self-discipline in regard to any temptation that could be detrimental to those who depend upon one’s example. It is a condition where the feeling heart is unconditionally pouring out inner emotions, which have an uplifting influence upon those who are responsive to the magnetism of a spiritually awakened soul.
Spirituality cannot be identified as being the property of one single transmission because of its universal nature. It is a call for “the human rights of thought and feeling”, which has been resounding since eternity but has not always been understood, because of the use of speculative terminologies, which generally offer misinterpretations regarding the reality of true inner realization.
Religious ideals, which were originally spiritual messages destined to offer a helping hand towards the realization of truth, tend to be confined within different religious forms and clad in various dogmatic garbs by those who fail to see that the means to attain an objective cannot be the goal; the goal is further still.
Hidayat Inayat-Khan
