People who are uprooted and moved to a completely different environment usually experience a negative internal sensation. This is felt internally as a spiritual sensation. We have all had such an experience, even if just moving to a new school or a new job. Once we stay in this new environment for any length of time we assimilate, we adapt, we change, we progress, etc. This growth can be defined as enlightenment.
Enlightenment is just shedding light on the new environment, becoming more comfortable over time. Time allows a person to expand beyond their initial sensation and to see themselves expanding, fitting in and adapting to the new environment.
We can control and grow our own spiritual perspective by recognizing and embracing this enlightenment process. One can make advancement without completely changing ones environment. How so? We can seek to explore situations that cause us to feel a bit uneasy, especially when dealing with people of different cultures, political or religious backgrounds.
We should understand that almost every person on this planet is seeking to find connection, to find peace, acceptance, etc. A person’s life experience and associations have molded them into the person they are; as your life experiences have brought you to where you are.
A spiritual approach when meeting a new person of a different faith, political or ethnic background would be one of openness, to try and understand and feel this fellow human. To go beyond our own “closed-minded” animalistic tendencies and try and be open to understand that person uniquely.
This person’s perception is unique and different from your own and so may naturally feel a bit uncomfortable at first. But by listening, learning, feeling sensing these new interactions with this person, both the stranger and you can grow spiritually through the open interaction.
Instinctively our human tendencies tend to reject different ideas, concepts, conclusions; this human tendency stifles our growth. A spiritual minded person need not fear being exposed to the new; rather one should embrace and welcome it as a way to grow. By making that spiritual personal connection, with someone “not like you”, you will begin to open that person too, enlarging their perspective. In no time at all you both will begin to effect each other.
Both experience learning and shedding light on each other toward growth in connection, understanding, acceptance; and this is Love. Some might call it God’s Love …. call it the science of spiritual growth. Regardless of your personal heritage or theirs your growth and theirs is based on the interaction and ones willingness to understand, regardless of the title or description one uses to explain the interaction.