Gale Tobin on Practicing The 7 Spiritual Needs — Gale Tobin
Spirituality is a boundless concept that holds various perspectives. It may be a sense of connection to something greater than themselves, a way of being, a form of calling, and a feeling of interconnectedness. Spirituality is also molded from different cultural understandings that contribute to its many concepts. Fundamentally, it is a universal human experience that seeks to develop an in-depth understanding of and connection with the self and the world.
Spiritual gurus and experts have emphasized their own delineation of spirituality. As expressed by Sadhguru, an Indian yoga guru and author, “Spirituality does not mean any particular practice. It is a certain way of being.” While Christina Pulchaski, MD, Director of the George Washington Institute for Spirituality and Health, emphasized that “spirituality is the aspect of humanity that refers to the way individuals seek and express meaning and purpose and the way they experience their connectedness to the moment, to self, to others, to nature, and to the significant or sacred.” As for me, I identify spirituality as a form of consciousness that leads the path to a deeper understanding of the inner being and its purpose.
In the same way, experiencing spirituality is subjective-often relating to awakening or enlightenment. It is depicted as an incident that transcends human understanding in how or why the experience emerged. It may be a near-death experience, getting in touch with the spiritual realm, seeing synchronicities, or being visited by an animal. It may not be any of these, it may just be a simple incident that led to a sense of aliveness. The individual defines what spirituality is, what it feels like, and how it is fulfilled-while it may vary, every spiritual practice is considered sacred.
While the meaning of spirituality and its practices may differ from person to person, Howard Clinebell, a psychologist and pastor with more than 30 years of experience asserted that humans have 7 spiritual hungers in common. As such, I will give an insight into how I understand and relate to these needs. Clinebell felt that human beings yearn the following:
Experience the healing and empowerment of love-from others, self, and an ultimate source.
Love is the ultimate force that bonds internal and external relationships. It gives meaning to life as much as it receives an acknowledgment of what life has to offer. It is one of those concepts that is also subjective yet shared in the same way. It is in our human nature to be driven by the desire to give and receive love-something that we naturally feel without the need for justification.
Love from the self is essential yet often overlooked. While we can inherently display feelings of love, we sometimes forget the initial person to who we should be showing love-ourselves. Love should be cultivated within, mirrored from the source of being. The Self is the only home that we cannot stray away from. Since birth, we have subconsciously created that place in which our soul situates. When we are being called to connect with our spirituality, it is most likely a sign that the soul is trying to find its way back home. It is in this same place where we can experience healing and empowerment without bounds.
On the other hand, love from others is how we feel that sense of belonging. Without this, we would feel hopeless as if there’s no point in waking up every morning. There would be no sense of purpose considering the lack of reciprocation or misalignment. We thrive the best when we feel loved-in simply knowing that there is someone who accepts our true being, in feeling secure even in moments of vulnerability, and in finding harmony in our relationships.
Love from the ultimate source is usually connected to an individual’s religion. The identity of God varies but as such, it is the root of everything in life. If not religion, love from an ultimate source may also come from the universe or mother nature. Anything beyond the self that relates to one’s set of beliefs.
Experience renewing times of transcendence-expansive moments beyond the immediate sensory spheres.
An experience that goes beyond our understanding, something that prompts us to become astounded with life. This is an occurrence that we wish to feel because it gives us purpose and motivation to continue the spiritual practice.
When I continuously see synchronous numbers, I view this as a message from the universe. The patterns that appear to me almost on a daily basis are 444 and 555. The meaning of 444 is that a divine force is trying to establish a communication, give a blessing, or show a divine sign; The meaning of 555 is that the universe is conveying an alignment with the true self or the right path.
Have vital beliefs that lend meaning and hope in the midst of losses, tragedies, and failures.
In times of crisis, we need to have strength in dealing with and overcoming challenges. It is through our set of beliefs that we would have the spirit to overcome those. Our beliefs are naturally aligned with our way of thinking and approach to life.
Some of my strongest vital beliefs are my family, sense of being, freedom, connection, and personal development. These keep me elevated yet grounded-it fosters the balance that I need in attaining my highest self.
Have values, priorities, and life commitments centered on issues of justice, integrity, and love to provide guidance in personally and socially responsible living.
Values, priorities, and life commitments serve as strings in life that prompt us to function with the right intentions and with ethics. These assist us in walking on the path to achieving our aspirations.
In my case, I am passionate about advocating for the vegan lifestyle. I am able to encourage people by writing about it-I recognize this as my own contribution to society and nature.
Discover and develop inner wisdom, creativity, and love of self.
I recognize this spiritual need similar to “ Experience the healing and empowerment of love-from others, self, and an ultimate source.” Fully loving the Self means doing things that would enrich its development.
Develop a deepening awareness of oneness with other people, the natural world, and all living things.
Life is not just about the Self. There should be a connection with nature, animals, and people-it is through this interconnectedness with living beings that make life more meaningful. Unity and harmony can be depicted in many ways, it’s not just about agreeing with each other nor conforming to each other’s needs. It’s about understanding and accepting the differences while preserving self-dignity.
Have spiritual resources to help heal grief, guilt, resentment, unforgiveness, self-rejection, and shame and deepen experiences of trust, self-esteem, hope, joy, and love of life.
Spiritual resources are anything that teaches more about the essence of spirituality. These are powerful resources that assist in deepening any practice like yoga and meditation. These are also helpful in tough times as they ground the inner being back to its core.
Part of my daily practice is meditating through Hindu chants. I either sit or chant with it as they enliven my spirit and unblock each of the chakras. This has been my ritual for years-it has been one of the strongest ways in which I get to connect with my soul and the ultimate source. — Gale Tobin
Originally published at https://galetobin.com on September 25, 2021.
