Many times when we talk about topics like personal development, we are actually thinking about what we can do to be more successful at work and family. Spiritual growth is different: it happens inside, it is not visible to the naked eye, but it has a big impact on the way we choose to live.
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Deepak Chopra, one of the best-known contemporary authors and promoter of alternative medicine, recently wrote on SFGate.com that spiritual development cannot be measured by external gestures or achievements. As the Bhagavad-Gita also says: “even an enlightened person cannot be known by external signs.” Spiritual growth is felt rather than seen.
Our mind is always full of thoughts, desires and dreams. Chopra explains that they don't block our spiritual growth, but they don't really define us either. “Both positive and negative thoughts play an important role in how we live our lives, but they do not affect the state of consciousness, which is the only thing you need to focus on if you want to grow spiritually” he writes.Spiritual growth begins when we learn to direct our attention to our own consciousness.
According to him, we can look for these five signs to know if we have begun to develop spiritually:
1. Consciousness, the foundation of all things
The first of these is the awareness that “Consciousness is the foundation of all things, the source of creation.” andregardless of the name given by the great traditions of the world, they all recognize that the “source” is conscious, and each of us is a part of it. Basically, growing spiritually means paying attention to your consciousness and exploring what's inside you, Chopra writes.
2. Overcoming thoughts
Another sign that you are developing spiritually is when you realize that you have managed to stop being a prisoner of your own thoughts. “To connect with source, it's not about thoughts or emotions, it's about simply being aware of the moment,” says Chopra. This means that it is ideal to have moments of inner peace, which you can reach through meditation. Or simply by taking a few minutes to center yourself, watch your breath and live in the here and now.
3. Connecting with your authentic self
The ability to notice experiences that bring you closer to your authentic self is another sign that you are developing spiritually. “Sparks of higher consciousness come to all people, but to create real spiritual growth, you must give them time and attention”writes Chopra. Moments of love, compassion, beauty or creativity are expressions of this higher consciousness, and when you recognize and live them carefully, you get closer to your true self, he believes.
4. Personal values
Another sign of spiritual growth is how your personal values influence you day to day. Chopra explains that they “either expand or contract consciousness”. When you stop to analyze what are the moments that matter to you, what brings you joy, inspiration, beauty, and live them carefully, you get closer to your true self. You need to give an inner space to these moments, to be able to enjoy them without hurry and without distractions.
5. The creative intelligence of the self
The final sign of spiritual growth is how we let the creative intelligence of our self, as Chopra calls it, guide our lives. When we follow our inner calling and when the daily activities we undertake bring us satisfaction and things work naturally, spiritual growth becomes a joyous and fulfilling experience.
Thus, spiritual growth is not measured by external achievements, but by the ability to observe, value and follow experiences that bring us closer to our authentic selves. It is a process that involves conscious attention, gratitude and attunement to one's own desires. Chopra's recommended practices, from meditation to mindful observation of moments of inspiration and joy, become tools to cultivate a more meaningful life and inner balance.
