What is Spiritual Maturity

More often than not, people define spiritual maturity based on the ability to meditate, get enlightened, able to walk on fire, able to walk on water, blah blah blah. Here I'm not talking about enlightenment or awakening of the Chakras etc. Let us get to the fundamentals first.

Steadfastness

• He or she who realizes the oneness in the nothingness and fulfillment in the emptiness. Ego-less, pride-less, living a simple life, no worldly desires, and nothing provokes him or her to be overly joyed or dismayed. the steadfastness and calmness under any circumstances goes to show that he or she has truly surrendered and accepts that what may come is the will of the almighty. Nothing floats you up high in joy and nothing could drown you down under is sorrow. These requires practice to master one's own emotions. Also, one who is steadfast does not lose trust in God and never gives up. Often we hear people say they have converted to a different religion or started to follow a different Guru or worship a different form of God after certain negative happenings being in the previous faith. This person would go on and on jumping from one faith to another, eventually landing no where. Lack of steadfastness and misconception that God in one faith is different from another only causes confusion and eventually leading towards dissatisfaction in life. With steadfastness, he or she tends to relate all happenings to the law of Karma and quick in digesting the fact that everything happens for a solid good reason. So, stay put, believe in God, believe in yourself and surrender to God. This way, you will never get lost. 

Humble

• Being humble is yet another trade one masters as he or she progresses through spirituality. There is no more I, Me and Mine. The soul realizes that there's only the God and nothing that materializes without His will. The soul does not reflect any positive outcomes to personal contributions. Example, often a time we hear people, ''if not for me, this would not have happened.'' A doctor who strives to revive a patient from a serious disease would often claim that the patient survived due to his or her competence. The same doctor with spiritual maturity, would say it is God's will that the patient survived and he as a doctor was only the mediator. it is not impossible to build such levels of maturity but it requires someone to start realizing the Ultimate Supreme Being and willingness to surrender all good and bad to the holy feet. This point here inter relates with steadfastness. 

Unity

• Often a time we regard certain people as extremists, fanatics, etc. A point to note, religiousness and spirituality are 2 different extremes. Some one who is religious might not be spiritual and vise versa. Being religious and claiming superiority over another religion simply causes chaos. Worse scenario is to preach in the intention to convert someone from another faith. There is no one true belief system or one path towards spiritual advancement. There are multiple paths and one may choose any path that suits one best. If religious teachings are propagated through conversions and by force, it is a sign that the religion is approaching the end of the life cycle. A spiritual person realizes that despite the various religions and faiths, eventually the destination is the same and they refrain from boasting about their belief system to someone from another faith. This is called mutual respect and it breeds unity within mankind. Borrowing or lending certain aspects from different belief systems should be encouraged as it brings about greater quality of life. Example, practicing Yoga and meditation are originated from India and propagated through Sanatana Dharma teachings. A Christian or a Muslim who wishes to have a healthy living, should be allowed to practice these. Of course, there is no Hindu idol worship involved in the process. There are certain fanatics who argue that these are wrong practices and discourage their followers from these practices. An analogy here, if Yoga was Hindu, then gravity is Christian as history says gravity was first found by Sir Isaac newton who is a Christian. So, can we say that all non Christians should not believe that the earth has gravity? Well, let's migrate to the moon then. In short, whether our faith is on Shiva, Krishna, Bhudha, Jesus or Allah, eventually we unite in the name of spirituality, that is wholesome and complete.

Discipline

One other core aspect is about being disciplined. As you progress through the spiritual journey, you should develop a high value lifestyle through self control and self discipline. Waking up before sun rise and going to bed early, having a morning shower followed by daily prayers helps develop a positive outlook about ourselves. Eventually becoming optimistic about ourselves, having greater self confidence and developing a focused mind. Overcoming Tamo Guna can be challenging initially but once we start controlling our whims and fancies through self discipline, we have better control on ourselves and that gives a clearer vision of the life journey. Not over eating and to not consume alcoholic beverages and junk food are the basic rules towards developing self discipline. Avoiding meat consumption helps progress through spiritual advancement faster and keeps the body healthier. having said that, eating freshly cooked food and a balanced diet is crucial to ensure healthy living. Elimination of waste from the body through exercising, visiting the toilet in the morning, inhaling fresh air, drinking fresh clean water and eating high fiber green vegetables and lots of fruits keeps the mind healthy and the body radiant. It helps absorb the positive energy from the cosmos faster and helps retain this energy within us.