Easy Spirituality

One of the most "spiritual" interactions I've experienced came during a drive with my then four-year-old godchild, Chloe. I was complaining about the gloomy day, and I said to her, "Rain is so yucky, huh?" And she said, so wisely, "Yeah, but it's what makes the flowers grow."

Whoa! I never thought of it that way. She sure did make me look at the icky rain a bit differently. I can't help but smile every time I start to whine about the rain. Chloe had unknowingly enlightened me in such a huge way.

Many people define spirituality as some sort of transcendence, a divine intervention by a higher power. There is a certain mysticism to the whole concept—something that seems unobtainable. But history shows that enough attention paid to spirituality means you just might achieve a soulful way of living.

Spiritual teacher Andrew Cohen prefers a new definition of the meaning of spirituality. He says the way to spiritual enlightenment is, instead, achieved when people begin to interact with the modern world. It's an interesting concept, and one that Cohen practices on a daily basis. He is a musician, speaker, founder of the nonprofit EnlightenNext and the editor EnlightenNext magazine.

In an interview with Common Ground magazine, Cohen suggests people participate in the greater movement toward achieving spirituality—an ever-changing process—rather than focus on achieving simply peace of mind. For example, Cohen says that he encourages people to view their day-to-day interactions from a "higher perspective." This means that a simple situation, like a conversation with a child, may also be an opportunity for enlightenment.

I am curious: What recent everyday experience has helped you achieve a higher level of spirituality?

—Caroline Shannon