Both are some form of study. Both have method. However, their subject of study and their actual methods are distinct. Nevertheless, we can put the two of them together in a phrase or term that makes sense: science of spirituality. In this case, though, spirituality becomes the subject of science.

When we say science of spirituality, however, we are not talking about actual experimentation. Rather, it's more of observing and learning from observation. Science in spirituality is not something that a mathematical equation or even methodical system can quantify. It is more your own personal science – your branch of knowledge that defines what spirituality is to you. It is about spiritual lessons.

Although there are spiritual mentors and gurus that you look up to – those who seem to have mastered the art of spirituality cannot tell you about a proven formula for tapping your own spiritual depths. They can tell you how they got there; what internal processes they had to go through to be in their own “inner peace circle” but they can only hope that their own spiritual journey will be useful and valuable to you. You, however, are still responsible for your own spiritual journey; they told you about their experiences but it's up to you to follow their advice and to gauge when such advice is relevant.

Spiritual Lessons

If you haven't come to grips with it yet, it's high time you accept that we are all here to learn valuable lessons. We will sail through life or struggle through it, depending on how well we learn our lessons.

Have you ever noticed how, sometimes, you keep getting hurt over the same reasons albeit in different circumstances? What does this tell you? It is saying that until you learn your lesson and be changed by it, you will keep getting the same results.

We have to pay attention to the spiritual lessons that life has been giving us from Day One. We call them spiritual lessons because these events, situations and incidents that happen to us, the things we feel or experience in the hands of the people we love, strangers that we meet, the colleagues at work, and our bosses, these are supposed to teach us the way so our true selves can emerge.

Sometimes these lessons come in soft, gentle whispers so as not to scare us or hurt us. But more often than not, we don't hear these soft whispered lessons. We are too busy thinking about and focusing on much bigger things: bigger houses, bigger jobs, bigger finances, bigger egos, and bigger debts.

The spiritual lessons continue, but now they are more audible. We feel a twinge of guilt for things we did not do, perhaps a slight dissatisfaction for things we were unable to accomplish. However, our consciousness still brushes these aside. We think we can get to them later on.

Finally, the lessons will come in the form of painful events, tragedies and disasters. Then we notice the lesson; that's the only time we pay attention to what is really going on.

If you tell me you know a man who has no problems, I’ll know that's not true because everybody has problems. The severity and type of problems differ, but the fact remains that everyone has his or her own cross to carry.

We shouldn't regard problems as obstacles to our spirituality. They just happen to be in the way of our spiritual growth so we scale it, build a tunnel under it or remove it one piece at a time until our path becomes clear again.

Dramatic persons that we are, how many times have we considered something so impossible to get over, that we get depressed, we lose our way or we simply give up? Later on we realize that what we used to think of as a life or death situation was actually just something as ordinary as changing a tyre; it is only difficult the first time.

In fact, this should tell you that problems are learning experiences. They will help you grow and become more mature so that when you look back, you’ll see that the mountainous problems which so scared you before have become mere molehills you’ll just step over. You have become bigger than your problems.

When we stop thinking that problems are punishment for some obscure sins or some past mistakes, we will begin to realize that each obstacle we encounter is just the right size – one that's perfect to help us validate our own spirituality. When we accept that we are being taught something and not being unfairly punished, we will begin to open ourselves up to the valuable lessons that we need to become a better person.

What you cause to happen will affect you whether you believe it or not. In simpler terms, it's the law of ‘reaping what you sow’. If you planted good seeds, you will get a good harvest. It's the law of nature; you can't twist it or bend it. It happens exactly the way it says.

Your thoughts actually cause your reality; hard as it is to believe. Consider all the dominant negative thoughts that you've been carrying with you before you became aware of your own spirituality. Is there someone you think of as a nuisance because this person is always in your face and meddling in your affairs? Ever considered thinking different thoughts about this person just to see if your new positive thoughts affect the way this person behaves towards you? Do you feel that you always get the shorter end of the stick at the office, even if you’re the one putting in all the work? What if you suddenly shift your focus from getting shortchanged to being appreciated for a job well done?

Your positive thoughts will not only make you feel better, you will possibly attract the same vibes from your colleagues and bosses as well. Treating life, people and ourselves the way we want to be treated will result in a positive flow of energy from you to your environment – and vice versa.

When you start to believe that you get exactly what you give to the Universe, you will begin to be more aware of everything that you do, every word that you say and every thought that you think.

By TTS Holistic Counselor Mehdi Jaffari