Spiritualism is the study of the spirit about life. It is a philosophy that seeks meaning and purpose beyond the cognitive mind, with a higher power considered the ultimate reality. The fundamentals of spiritualism require us first to know the meaning and purpose behind the spirit, distinct from matter and similar to what science prescribes as energy today.

This article draws its core ideas from Advaita Vedanta, a systematic Vedic philosophy rooted in the prehistoric Upanishad’s teachings. In Vedic philosophy, all that exists is “Brahman,” which means to expand and grow, described as the infinite, all-encompassing ultimate reality, which today bears a striking resemblance to the current understanding in Quantum Physics showing energy as the fundamental unifying concept of all that exists in the universe.

The above illustrates the deep scientific connection between the laws of quantum fields of energy and the Vedic science of Brahman, which is synonymous with energy. In science, energy is the fundamental element of the universe. The description of Brahman as the infinite, expanding ultimate reality is the same as the scientific concept of energy. Both point to the complex, abstract truth about existence. Under all diversity lies a unified essence of what we refer to as energy. While the Vedas express this as the spiritual truth, modern science approaches the same concept through empirical inquiry, showcasing the similarity between these two perspectives.

As humans, we comprise the body, mind, and soul. The third component embodies the highest energy ability, which the Vedic science inscribed as ‘Parabrahman.’ To simplify, we visualize the spirit in each soul, giving life to each person and allowing the mind and body to become aware and continue their life journey. In spiritualism, we attribute this highest energy—awareness—to the spirit within; from this awareness, the mind gains consciousness, allowing it to perceive and conceive all it knows and will come to know of the universe. Therefore, energy is that interconnecting, unifying central force in the universe from which matter and consciousness emerge and go back into the same

So, as a result, we are spiritual beings who are going through human experiences. The role of a spiritualist is not to be a knower, believer, doer, experiencer, or enjoyer. He is required not to attach to all that the mind emotionally desires. It allows the human mind to experience material life in duality. Also, believing is essential for the mind and not for the nondual. A true spiritualist is merely a watcher, unaffected by the identities and attachments the mind undergoes to experience anything. By simply and constantly watching from your soul, you free yourself from the mind’s cognitive functioning, freeing you from unknowingly getting trapped in worldly entanglements.

The concept of the spirit in spiritualism holds diverse meanings for different individuals. People often associate spiritualism with religion despite their distinct connotations. A spiritual person is an atheist because spirituality is the oneness of all three – god, guru, and self. Both the divine and devil are within the mind; your divine or devilish deeds reflect what you are in its practice. Similarly, your selfless deeds in empathy and self-awareness reflect the practices you follow in spirituality.

Spirituality today is a universal phenomenon that people approach in many different ways but with the same goals. They wish to find meaning and purpose in everyday life, to make sense of life, and to connect themselves with something more significant. The word spiritualism denotes a specific belief system. On the other hand, spirituality refers to the quality or state of focusing on a higher meaning, while to be spiritual refers to that being itself. The spiritual beliefs and customs may differ depending on the people who practice them. However, the wide range of mental health benefits of spirituality unites them.

Now, let’s discuss mental well-being and its relationship with spirituality. A person’s mind influences their thoughts, feelings, and actions. You will consider a person to be in good mental health if they can realize their abilities, cope with the everyday stresses of life, work productively, and contribute to their community, as stated by the “World Health Organization.” For those who are struggling with mental health, find a more precise meaning in their faith that can help alleviate unfavorable symptoms, build a stronger sense of self-esteem, and guide their interactions with others. Roughly billions of people worldwide today are dealing with or suffering from mental health issues at any one moment, and many of us will have mental illness at some point in our lives.

Everyone, from individuals to families to communities, is feeling the effects of the mental health crisis, whether it’s from loneliness or any other diagnosable ailment. A lot of people have a short-sighted perspective of mental health, associating it solely with diseases like melancholy and anxiety. However, there is a lot more to mental health than that. Social, psychological, and biological factors all play a role in this multi-faceted aspect of our health. Why? A huge material-spiritual imbalance exists, which means that becoming more spiritual is our only hope for survival. The world runs after material wealth, destroying soil, sea, and air.

According to the second law of thermodynamics, energy moves in entropy, meaning disorder. Similarly, our thoughts move in a state of disorder, constantly multitasking at any moment here and there into this or that, for our likes and dislikes in selfishness. Incorporating more and more gradual destruction in our environment, resulting in the ever-increasing population to genetic modification of agriculture and some animals, deforestation, pollution, global warming, destroying ecosystems, and climatic changes all create an adverse impact on our earth. Furthermore, multiple factors motivate warfare, including economic gain, territorial disputes, religious beliefs that one god is superior to another, and various other ideological differences, severely damaging our world and human quality of life.

The only answer to all the above, which we go through, clearly suggests spirituality is imperative if we wish to live mentally in a healthier and more peaceful state of mind. We must first gain self-knowledge to experience self-awareness and realize there is no self as such but only the spirit. Nevertheless, the spirit, the highest energy ability, goes beyond your mind and body to ascertain any individual utilization of the inherent superpower in your mind—That Art Thou, righteously or not.

Mental well-being is the state of mental health enabling individuals to cope with the stresses of life, learn, work, and enjoy life. It includes the capacity to recover from challenges—and achieve individual goals. The key elements of mental well-being are physical, emotional, psychological, social, resilience, and satisfaction from life.

The above paragraph may seem to look and feel simple, but you will not come across anyone who has never faced mental health problems. They affect all castes, creeds, cultures, and classes. If spirituality is inevitable, so are mental challenges, all because of a tremendous imbalance between the material and the spiritual. Besides psychologists and psychiatrists, spiritual awareness can evolve and transform bodies and minds through meditative awareness, yoga, and self-knowledge. Otherwise, you are bound to get drowned in mental illnesses like loneliness, lack of security, low self-esteem, anxiety, stress, etc.

Of course, there are specific momentary therapies like prayers and listening to music of your choice. However, counterbalancing material life with spiritual wisdom is the final answer. Again, the Vedas have graciously conveyed great spiritual wisdom in living your life: Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha. It means righteously (Dharma), earning economic prosperity (Artha), and satiating sensuous desires (Kama) while realizing spiritual freedom (Moksha) with your third eye open. Spiritual freedom here indicates how to be free from identifying and attaching to all that you physically and materially adhere to in selfishness.

Spiritualism teaches us that outward pleasures, however much we may cling to them, never bring lasting happiness. The shadow of sadness always lurks behind us to counter the happiness we yearn for. Liberation, or spiritual freedom, frees your mind from possessiveness and selfishness, releasing you from all your personal and preferential clinging. In spiritual terms, we use the word dispassion, where there is zero attachment to personal feelings.

In this state of mind, you come closer to your true self, who you are as the spirit and not what you are as the body and mind. You realize the true meaning of Thou Art That—the difference between the eternal and the non-eternal—so why run after the transient and not balance with the permanent as explained above? Seek for that spiritual self within to control and subside your wants and pursue your needs, as lust and greed are limitless, but needs are few.

Material riches without inner peace may provide some assurance but are never consistent. Preferring your fickle consciousness over what is changeless and serene is a sure way of disturbing your mental well-being. Look within your authentic self to seek physical, cognitive, and spiritual nourishment. Spending less and earning more to also share with the needy, living and thinking high, and exercising mind-control in self-awareness are the mantras of spiritualism for your mental health.

Intuitiveness, instinct, and your unique inner intelligence provide that authentic intellect of spiritual insight, which no other remedy can provide. The first great saying of the Vedas, ‘Prajnanam Brahma,’ – Intelligence is Divine describes that spiritual master, the god residing within as the spirit, waiting for your awakening. No outside source has ever helped for long. Eventually, you must walk that path after discovering your inner source. In a spiritual journey, no outside god nor guru can come to your aid except to provide temporary solutions, which you will boast to others of how much you know, further enhancing your ego.

The ultimate state of spiritualism confers with that mental well-being, where life allows us to comprehend and realize the absolute non-duality and the eternal truth. To know and experience this ultimate, we are required to transform and evolve from the dual operating mind in relativity from the dichotomy of truth/lie, love/hate, positive/negative, divine/devil, etc., which makes our mind dance in ignorance in the duality of this and that. The vision of the ultimate nondual aspect is necessary for spiritualism to transcend and transform towards the permanent awakening of our sixth sense for contentment, consistency, clarity, and calmness for that clairvoyance we desperately require for its divination.

NAMASTE