SPIRITUALITY IN AGING
What is spirituality?
Spirituality, as opposed to
materiality, is always invisible, immeasurable, and lasting. Spirituality is
like the wind—it is invisible and yet palpable. It provides guidance,
direction, and understanding to the mind or the soul. Spirituality takes the
form of love, joy, and peace, and it is often expressed in human action and
behavior. Materiality, on the other hand, is always visible, measurable, and
transient. Humans need both spirituality and materiality: the former to
understand the self, and the latter to understand the world and the universe.
However, as aging continues, materiality often gives way to spirituality.
Therefore, spirituality plays a pivotal role in the golden years.
Spirituality not only energizes the
body but also inspires the mind—a body-mind connection necessary for holistic
wellness and well-being in the golden years.
Spirituality provides the rites of
passage from adulthood to the golden years. But this transition can be painful
and even devastating, such as from the orderly to the disorderly, or from the
familiar to the unfamiliar. Without the separation from the comfort zones,
there will be no enlightenment leading to the ultimate transformation of self,
which is essential in the golden years.
Spirituality, at a deeper level,
means a desire to have a personal relationship with God.
How to believe in spirituality or
discover your own spirituality?
According to St. Augustine St.
Augustine
So, begin to believe in order to understand more. To begin
your journey of seeking spirituality in your golden years, you must, first and
foremost, believe in seeking knowledge to understand your spirituality.
Do not close that door to further understanding.
Many people do not believe in spirituality because they
cannot see it with their own eyes: they believe that “seeing is believing.”
According to Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese
philosopher, seeing is not believing, but believing is the
beginning of seeing:
“The more we look, the less we see.
The more we hear, the less we
listen.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching,
Chapter 12)
“When a wise man hears of the Creator,
he immediately begins to do some
soul-searching.
When an average man hears of the
Creator,
he half believes him, and half
doubts him.
When a foolish man hears of the
Creator,
he laughs out loud.
If he did not laugh,
there would be no Creator.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching,
Chapter 41)
“The more we look, the less we see.
The more we hear, the less we
listen.”
(Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching,
Chapter 12)
According to Lao Tzu, you
must reverse the conventional mindset of “seeing is believing”; do not
just think out of the box but create your own box to “believe in order to see.”
That is to say, you must demonstrate the intent not only to believe in
and also to seek spirituality in your golden years.
With the intent, come
your awareness of your inner longings and your consciousness of an inner voice
speaking to you.
Then you must persist and persevere
in your search and pursuit of spirituality, such as daily prayers and acts of
compassion.
Finally, down the road, life crises
and problems may further awaken you to your own innate spirituality.
To sum up, spirituality is awareness of your true self with the
desire to become wholesome, connecting your body and your
spirit through your mind. Spirituality is also a deep longing to have a closer contact
with the Creator to receive His divine guidance in your everyday living
throughout your golden years.
Believing in spirituality may help you believing in yourself
once again as well as believing in your own spirituality in your golden years.
Stephen Lau
Copyright© by Stephen Lau
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