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Spirituality
Spirituality
The quality or state of being Spiritual!
It means so many different things to each of us that it is not possible to clearly state what it is. So, I will express this from my personal viewpoint. When I view myself as a whole being, I consider myself to be 3 distinct parts.
My physical body, my mind or intellect, and My Spiritual essence.
To me, each is a necessary component of my whole self. To be complete, I feel I must neglect no side nor favor any part to the exclusion or minimization of the others. It is my opinion that by addressing fully each of these within my life, I achieve balance, or as they say in the East, CHI. This sense of balance allows me to moderate my behavior and emotions and relate to others in what I consider to be a healthy way. Much within the BDSM world appears to conflict with societal standards of ethics and personal morality. This is an illusion. We carry our spirit within us, and it informs us what our personal limits and boundaries are regarding how we view our life and the lives of those important to us. Many people entering this lifestyle have become disillusioned with traditional organized religious practices because they have felt trapped and, in some manner, unaddressed by the limits required by the directors of that religious order.
Yet, on many levels, that same person needs the affirmation of spirit that provides meaning and understanding. BDSM appears to stand in opposition to much religious doctrine (speaking primarily to the Christian doctrines here), and there are aspects on the extreme fringes that, in fact, are in opposition to direct religious teachings. I said 'appears' for a very good reason. In fact, a large percentage of the spiritual teachings parallel the basic premises of D/s.
Being within the BDSM lifestyle does not mean you must relinquish all your personal beliefs. It does not mean you must now adhere to new community standards. It does not mean you must be sexually promiscuous, morally corrupt, vicious, cruel, and 'evil'. It does mean that you view your life from a different platform, that you consider your actions based on your abiding personal beliefs, not those imposed from without. Many people discover their personal spirituality inside the BDSM world. They find personal happiness, instinctive understanding, and within the purity of their interaction with their partner, they "touch forever" inside the deepest part of themselves. We call this many things, and religious language irritates and frightens some people, but it is an experience outside the range of what is provable within the natural realm. There are many examples of this type of experience in the texts from foreign lands, Yogis reaching transcendent states of being through extreme physical and mental practices. This did not make them 'less' but, in their opinion, 'more' Spiritual. It brought them closer to the source.
Man is 3: body, mind, spirit.
In my opinion, to be whole, we must embrace and nurture ALL these parts.
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Definitions
Spirituality
The personal, non-material aspect of humanity centered on seeking meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than oneself—such as the sacred, nature, or the universe. It involves inner growth, harmony, and, for many, a sense of peace, often pursued through practices like meditation, mindfulness, and nature appreciation, a quality or state of being Spiritual!