What is spirituality?

Spirituality is a way of being and a direct inner experience that transcends the boundaries of the physical body and the mind. It is neither a religion nor an ideology, and it requires no fixed beliefs, rituals, or dogmas. It entails transcending the five physical senses and the logical mind in one's perception in order to experience the non-physical. The primary goal is to liberate oneself from all psychological and physical constraints, limitations, and automatic patterns. It does not require withdrawing from the world or retreating into the jungle; rather, it involves experiencing life to the fullest and with complete awareness. The process of creation takes place within. A spiritual person does not look outside for the source of their well-being or suffering, but rather within themselves.

 

Dreams are not secret messages

 

Dreams are not secret messages: Most dreams do not contain profound, mystical prophecies or warnings. They serve as a release of energy; since people constantly harbor unconscious desires in their daily lives, the mind invests energy in them. Because it is impossible for all these wishes to be fulfilled in real life, they are processed during sleep. Instead of trying to meticulously interpret every dream, view dreams as a free cinema—whether the film is a horror story or a romance.

Conscious dreaming and Tantra—compensation vs. creation: While ordinary dreams act as unconscious compensation, Tantra involves the conscious use of dreams. Manifestation: A conscious, highly focused dream (a clear vision) can be used to crystallize and manifest reality in the external world.

The influence of consciousness and meditation—fewer dreams through clarity: The more consciously and attentively a person lives during the day, the fewer unconscious desires they accumulate. Dreamlessness: People who meditate deeply, or who are enlightened or conscious, dream significantly less or not at all.

Life as a dream—Maya (Sanskrit: "illusion," "magic"): The illusion of identification—when a person is completely identified with their thoughts and emotions, waking life is fundamentally no different from a dream; it is merely a mental projection.

May your dreams not come true. By this, I mean that our dreams are based on what we already know. Life, however, holds possibilities that extend far beyond our imagination.

The goal is dreamless sleep (*Susupti*): In Yoga, deep, dreamless sleep is considered far more beneficial for the system and organ function. Frequent dreaming tends to indicate a restless or unhealthy state of body and mind. The yogic state (“sleeping like a yogi”): Instead of lucid dreaming in the conventional sense, a yogi strives for a state in which the body and mind are completely asleep, while inner awareness (awakened consciousness) remains fully awake. This is not dream control, but rather a complete separation of inner consciousness from physical repose.

Thoughts can't be controlled

 

Attempting to forcibly control or stop thoughts is impossible and only worsens the situation. 

Why the attempt to control thoughts fails: 

The mind operates on the principle of addition the human intellect works by adding and multiplying, not by subtracting.

If you tell yourself not to think about something specific (like an elephant), that is precisely what your brain focuses on. 

Suppression intensifies the experience: 

Forcibly fighting a thought or suppressing it gives it more power and causes it to multiply. 

You then suffer from a kind of "mental diarrhea": An uncontrolled stream of thoughts, not true "thinking," but a form of mental diarrhea. 

True thinking is a conscious choice, whereas a chaotic stream of thoughts occurs unconsciously when mindfulness is lacking. 

How to handle your mind instead: 

Distance yourself from your mind: You suffer because you identify with things you are not including your body, your roles, and your thoughts.

Realize that you are separate from your psychological processes. 

Create distance: Instead of trying to stop thoughts, practice putting some space between "you" and your mind. 

When you stop judging thoughts as good or bad and simply observe them instead, they lose their power over you. 

Shift your focus: Instead of fighting against the mind, direct your attention to fundamental life processes—such as your breath or heartbeat—to ground yourself naturally. 

Strive for liberation, not control attempting to control the mind means setting rigid boundaries. Learn that one should strive to liberate one's mental faculties and break through these limits through mindfulness and meditation.