The Spirit is in the Heart...
Someone asked me "... you define yourself as a spiritualist and yet you continue to deal with many topics, often in contrast with others, why this controversial attitude?".
The answer is simple, lay spirituality manifests itself by living in the world (the English also define it "secular spirituality"), so its expression is not separated from all the actions that take place in the world, whether they are of a social or political nature, cultural, economic, etc. A lay spiritualist lives and works in the world, like a lotus flower is born and grows in the mud, without being "contaminated" by it.
Abu Sa'id ibn Abi al-khayr, a Muslim sage said: "A true Sufi sits with his companions, gets up and eats, sleeps, buys and sells in the market, marries and participates in society, and yet never for a moment. forget God ... ". I believe that in this case the description referring to the "Sufi" corresponds perfectly to that of a "lay spiritualist" ... "
And my friend M.G. writes to me: “Paolo good morning, I don't know philosophy, spirituality, I just know that sometimes the opinions of each of us find the contrast on the part of others. But this serves to open the discussion and validate one's belief or modify it, improving it precisely to be compared. Dealing with many arguments in opposition to others show intelligence, desire to know and compare, to choose and follow in our opinion the best and abandon the worst that was in us. I carry out my life daily next to my wife, I never leave her, because she suffered a stroke four years ago, I don't know if it is my spirit that guides me, but it is certain that my love guides me, towards the person who I chose next to me as long as I live. Is the spirit in the heart? There is God, there are my dead parents, are there my feelings, are there my certainties, my insecurities? I don't know, but it is certain that when I need the spirit to help me overcome the difficulties of life, I feel that my heart is beating fast and then my God, my parents, my feelings ... my soul, are there, in the heart that will accompany me to the end. A strong hug my friend who teaches me so many things that at 70 are so good for the heart and soul ... "
My reply: “Dear M.G., yours is a wisdom without pretentiousness that starts from the Heart. Yes, the spirit resides in the Heart and you are full of it ... "
Paolo D'Arpini
The answer is simple, lay spirituality manifests itself by living in the world (the English also define it "secular spirituality"), so its expression is not separated from all the actions that take place in the world, whether they are of a social or political nature, cultural, economic, etc. A lay spiritualist lives and works in the world, like a lotus flower is born and grows in the mud, without being "contaminated" by it.
Abu Sa'id ibn Abi al-khayr, a Muslim sage said: "A true Sufi sits with his companions, gets up and eats, sleeps, buys and sells in the market, marries and participates in society, and yet never for a moment. forget God ... ". I believe that in this case the description referring to the "Sufi" corresponds perfectly to that of a "lay spiritualist" ... "
And my friend M.G. writes to me: “Paolo good morning, I don't know philosophy, spirituality, I just know that sometimes the opinions of each of us find the contrast on the part of others. But this serves to open the discussion and validate one's belief or modify it, improving it precisely to be compared. Dealing with many arguments in opposition to others show intelligence, desire to know and compare, to choose and follow in our opinion the best and abandon the worst that was in us. I carry out my life daily next to my wife, I never leave her, because she suffered a stroke four years ago, I don't know if it is my spirit that guides me, but it is certain that my love guides me, towards the person who I chose next to me as long as I live. Is the spirit in the heart? There is God, there are my dead parents, are there my feelings, are there my certainties, my insecurities? I don't know, but it is certain that when I need the spirit to help me overcome the difficulties of life, I feel that my heart is beating fast and then my God, my parents, my feelings ... my soul, are there, in the heart that will accompany me to the end. A strong hug my friend who teaches me so many things that at 70 are so good for the heart and soul ... "
My reply: “Dear M.G., yours is a wisdom without pretentiousness that starts from the Heart. Yes, the spirit resides in the Heart and you are full of it ... "
Paolo D'Arpini