Life is realized in a double movement. The first is an exterior one that allows us to explore and get to know the territory, the cultural manifestations and the other characteristics of the people with whom we inhabit the planet; this movement supposes freedom, openness, commitment and responsibility to understand that we need each other in the task of being happy. The other movement is interior, it implies entering ourselves to connect with our own essence. It is about knowing ourselves in our singularity to love and express ourselves without fear and without any desire other than to fully realize ourselves and be happy, helping others to be happy too.
It is this second existential movement that we call spirituality. A journey into ourselves that allows us to understand who we are, where we are going and with whom we want to build life. From self-knowledge we have the possibility of answering many of the fundamental questions that give purpose and meaning to the string of days that come together one after another, that which we call life.
This spiritual experience allows us to transcend and look at existence as a whole and not let ourselves drown in the narrowness of daily work, in which sometimes toxic emotions predominate that make us suffer. When we travel to connect with our essence, we can see the whole map and understand the lessons and learning from some particular experiences that immediately reveal themselves to be painful and even meaningless. Spirituality is a fundamental dimension for those who want to be happy. It cannot be confused with fanatical actions that seek to enslave the human heart with narrow, rigid and mutilating concepts that generate hatred and act as fuel for discrimination. Whoever develops his spirituality is capable of discovering the other in his difference as an ally with whom to empower and realize dreams.
For 18 months I researched, read and wrote a book that I titled: spirituality for humans, in which I propose my vision of how to develop those spiritual abilities that allow us to be happy humans. There is no proselytizing intention in those pages, but rather an invitation to reflect and encourage resignations and appropriations that make life more fluid. I am a Catholic believer, but I understand that the development of spiritual skills requires flexible and respectful thinking for the convictions of others. If spirituality does not make us more and more human, we need to question it, because any tendency that seeks to curtail our desires, emotions, sensitivity and pleasure is denying us a fundamental dimension of our being.
I believe that the experience of spirituality goes through at least three primary attitudes:
1. Stop. At some point you have to get out of the constant and daily dynamics of life. You have to get out of your own world to be able to observe it objectively. Who does not stop to reflect, ends up unconsciously dragged by impulses that can be destructive.
2. Contemplate. This implies being able to discover the meaning that is hidden in the most immediate forms and fully enjoy them. Without contemplating life, we end up knowing it only superficially.
3. Thank. It means understanding that we don’t deserve everything. There is a generous act behind our life.
There are three attitudes, among others, that the book will help us develop. I hope you read spirituality for humans, and be a source of questions, reactions and growth. If spirituality does not make us happier, then it is simply useless.