Many people, they are confused that religion is spirituality.
And spirituality is religion. I want to make a big difference here that religion is not spirituality.
Neither spirituality is a religion. Religion simply is a way of life in the society.
Other special sects, they teach certain ways, certain paths, and they think that is the religion.
It can be Hindu religion, Jain, Buddhist. They all have different paths.
They all have different ways to teach the person.
Sometimes we think that religion means religion [etymology of the word], that you have to connect with the God.
Yes, people think that way in the religious teachings, that when a person is connecting with the God is following religion.
Or, they converse with the God is religion. Or they have certain code of dress is religion.
They wear turban or they wear cross or they wear on their neck Krishna's picture or Rama's picture.
They think this is religion. I have mentioned that so many religions in this world, and every religion is trying to bring peace in the world.
But their own way. And the more they try to bring the peace, instead of peace it is war.
Recent incident, in Sudan, a British teacher, she was teaching little children.
And children love teddy bears.
Maybe the children ask her, "Can I give this teddy bear name Krishna or Rama or Muhammad?"
Maybe she accepted, "Yes, you can give this teddy bear the name Muhammad."
And there is chaos in the world, because Muslim think you cannot give name Muhammad to any animal.
But there are many human, they all seem to be Muhammad.
So religion, instead of bringing peace, there are demonstrations everywhere and they want to hang this teacher.
Just give the name. Religion doesn't bring peace.
Even though religion has lot of good things.
I remember many years ago, somebody asked me, "What is religion to you?"
"All the religions, what do you think about?"
I answered very simply, "Religion is like a big garden. All the religions. And in the garden there are different kind of flowers..."
"Could be lotus flower, could be Chameli [Jasmine], could be Ketaki flower, could be roses, could be any other kind of beautiful flowers..."
And they have, all flowers, they have fragrance, except a few flowers they have fragrance.
So most of religions, they are very good to teach in the society.
But when they brainwashed to people, then they will fight for their religion until death.
And that is wrong. It means they need to make people just good, only.
Not to be religious. I think spirituality is the best way to follow.
Spirituality doesn't teach you religion, doesn't teach you the way.
Spirituality is the pathless path. Spirituality doesn't take you anywhere.
Spirituality takes you backwards to look at yourself.
If you look deep down into your being, it means you are spiritual.
You are not looking at, you are not looking at anyone else, what they are doing.
You are looking at yourself. And this is my very strongly knowing.
Not belief, knowing. That spirituality will lead you to the God.
Or to the higher power, whatever you put the name.
Religion cannot blossom you. But, spirituality can blossom you.
And spirituality brings peace in the world. It makes you peaceful.
That's what spirituality means. Spiritual. It comes from the spirit. Spirit means soul.
Soul means aatma. Aatma, also it is a different name in Sanskrit. It is called purusha.
Purusha means the light which is hidden inside of your body.
And when this light leaves this body, so this body is dead.
No matter it is animal's body or human body, or insect's body or bird's body, or tree's body.
It dies. Without that light it cannot survive. Look, when person is dead, why we declare the person is dead?
Because it has 5 senses, but 5 senses, they don't function.
Eyes cannot see. Ears cannot hear. Nose cannot smell. Mouth cannot taste. And your body cannot feel anything if it is warm or cold, or it is light or heavy.
So those things, they work only when soul is there.
So it is called spirit also. It is called, people call many spirit different way like lost spirit.
Ghost, or this and that. But in Sanskrit, it is purusha, it is aatma. And aatma becomes mahaatma, great soul.
And mahaatma becomes paramaatma. That is called paramaatma, God.
So if you follow spirituality, you have 100% chance that you become such a peaceful person by yourself that you will create peace among the world.
That nobody can stop it. That's why if you are peaceful, everybody's peaceful.
Don't try to change a person. Don't try to spread peace. Just be peaceful first.
So spirituality is the best principle to understand.
So I think it is better than religion. And I hope the people become more spiritual. The more spiritual this world be, it will be very peaceful.
And we can, we can also reach by understanding spiritual quality to the Moon or to the galaxies, to other galaxies.
Because soul doesn't need oxygen. Light doesn't need oxygen to go to any other planets.
But our body needs it. If we expand our own soul in such a way that it has to blossom, it has to bloom.
There is no one who can stop it.
So, if we understand that, we will be expanded one day.
And there will not be difference between you and whatever people call God.
God is peaceful. God is loving. God is compassionate.
And if you understand spirituality, you will be same. You will be compassionate, you will be loving, and you will expand yourself.
So follow spirituality. And spirituality doesn't brainwash us. Spirituality blossoms you.