Rationally Spiritual

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Is this possible? Because I consider myself one of those individuals of reason who also has the ability to be spiritual. I am not sure how to fine-tune the topic, but I will start by saying that rational does not have to disregard or shun spiritual pursuits or ideals. A lot of spiritual practices have factual basis and things that look miraculous can just be another part of our universe we have yet to be able to measure, see or study.

As humans our abilities to comprehend the universe are rather limited.

I consider spirituality or any other form of superstition to be inherently irrational. You cannot measure spiritual energy or force, or auras, chakras, whatever... It seems unnecessary to me to believe in any of these things, as they represent a "fill in the gaps" sort of ideology. These gaps being knowledge. So spirituality, to me, is pretending to have factual knowledge that does not actually involve fact, but feeling. Emotions have immense power over the mind



Which ones, exactly? And how are they factually based?



This is a rational viewpoint, which I do not feel fits in with your claim to be a spiritual individual. Computers would seem magic to an individual in the past. It is not far fetched to believe people would even worship a computer if they did not understand it's true nature



Our knowledge of the universe is vastly greater than when people started codifying their spirituality into religions. Our ability to comprehend improves as our technology and knowledge expands. When we were most limited, we came up with spirituality and religion. Now we are not nearly as limited and much better explanations have been arrived at or are in the process. Though new discoveries do lead to new questions, that is the wonderful thing about science over spirituality; it is an attempt to broaden knowledge, not limit it by fraudulently claiming expertise given divinely or spiritually.

To an extent. Some of our bodily functions, we have no real control over. For instance, we can't make ourselves dump adrenaline in to our bodies at will. With a somewhat spiritual slant, learning to control your body enough to be able to do that (if it's even possible) could be rational spirituality.

That does not need to involve spirituality. I find it irritating that spirituality is considered the catalyst of some of the physical feats certain individuals are capable of, when in truth it is just intense mental discipline

Part of that mental discipline tends to involves a lot of meditation. Like or not, that falls under the realm of spiritual stuff.

While things like that are often done in spiritual circumstances, as far as I'm aware it is a matter of mindset and self-control. I would say that can be done without spirituality. I meditate and it has a deep affect on my state of being, for example, but I do not consider it a spiritual practice.

Besides, that's not so much rational spirituality as it is a tangible, real-world outcome of spiritual practice. There's a pretty big difference there, I would think.

There is nothing magical about meditation. Spirituality is inherently superstitious. They consider this discipline to be externally granted. Which is where they are wrong

Yeah, no. It may largely originate as a spiritual practice, but you don't need to be spiritual to meditate.

There are atheists aplenty who practice meditation, because it is calming and helps put the world in some perspective. It's also a philosophical practice for many, just as Buddhism and Taoism can be philosophies rather than religions.

Absolutely. By asking this sort of question, it seems to me that you lack the maturity of reasoning. I was an atheist until I had a near death experience. Now I experience the world differently and believe that there is a god. Not the kind of god that religions worship, but a more matrix/architect/programmer kind of god; A god that physics and math are proving to be inevitable. I still consider myself to be atheist because most people can't talk intelligently about god.

Eh, maybe I just have an odd definition of spirituality. My idea of spiritual is control control over the mind and body.

Can't help but wonder what Dawkins would say about this!

You should go by the actual definition. Definition wrangling is exactly what spiritual and religious people adore. Mental prowess =/= spirituality. Maybe some people use a spiritual belief to get there but there is nothing magical about it. I mean do you believe in "spirits"?

The closest thing to spirits I believe in is consciousness.

Consciousness is physical though!

Yeah. Your point? It's still the closest thing I believe in to spirits.

Consciousness is not really a matter of belief. Spirit/soul is