Richard Pettinger

In his short lifetime of 38 years, Swami Vivekananda, worked tirelessly to harmonise the dynamism of the West with the spirituality of the East.

Reincarnation is the idea that death is not the end. After death the soul leaves the body, but, after a temporary rest takes rebirth in a new body. Reincarnation is an integral belief of many spiritual traditions. It is often asked why is reincarnation necessary? The main reason is that Reincarnation gives the soul chance to make slow steady progress towards fulfilling its highest goals.

In the west yoga has become synonymous with hatha yoga; the yoga of physical postures and exercises. However hatha yoga is just one small branch of an ancient scientific art for spiritual discovery. In short yoga means to “yoke together” or unite. The real aim of yoga is to unite the aspirant with God.

Meditation can bring many spiritual and mental benefits. It brings peace of mind and real abiding happiness. Meditation has also been shown to improve physical health. It simplifies our outer life and energizes our inner life.

There is a big difference between desire and aspiration. Desire is our wish for material, finite things. We desire because we feel that through possession we will have pleasure and satisfaction. Aspiration is a very different. Spiritual aspiration is a wish to grow into a more divine consciousness.

Forgiveness in one sense means being absolved of our sins. However real forgiveness means more than just the forgiveness of our wrong actions. Divine forgiveness involves illumination.  Our ignorance becomes not just temporarily absolved but transformed.

Religion is a path to God. Spirituality is also a path to God. However they have differences in approach.  At the same time Religion can embrace spirituality.  Great saints have attained the fruits and realizations of a mystical approach to God.