The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Essentials of Spirituality, by Felix Adler

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Title: The Essentials of Spirituality

Author: Felix Adler

Release Date: June 30, 2007 [EBook #21981]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE ESSENTIALS OF SPIRITUALITY ***

Produced by David B. Alexander

THE ESSENTIALS OF SPIRITUALITY

by Felix Adler

The Essentials of Spirituality

The first essential is an awakening, a sense of the absence of
spirituality, the realized need of giving to our lives a new and
higher quality; first there must be the hunger before there can be
the satisfaction.

Similar effects are often produced by widely differing processes. In
the psychical world that quality which we call spirituality may be
associated with and evoked by Theism, or the belief in a Divine
Father; by Pantheism, as in the case of Spinoza, whose face at the
very first glance impresses you with its spiritual cast; or even by
the Buddhist belief in Nirvana. It may also be attained by following
the precepts and striving after the ideals of Ethical Culture. For
spirituality is not indissolubly associated with any one type of
religion or philosophy; it is a quality of soul manifesting itself in a
variety of activities and beliefs.

Before we proceed further, however, we must hazard a definition
of the word. In the region of mental activity which is called the
spiritual life vagueness is apt to prevail, the outlines of thought are
apt to be blurred, the feelings aroused are apt to be indistinct and
transitory. The word 'spiritual' becomes a synonym of muddy
thought and misty emotionalism. If there were another word in the
language to take its place, it would be well to use it. But there is
not. We must use the word 'spiritual,' despite its associations and
its abuse. We shall endeavor, however, to attach a distinct and
definite meaning to the word. Mere definition, however, is too
abstract and nakedly intellectual. Perhaps a description of some
types of character, combined with definition, will be the better
way.

Savonarola is surely one of the commanding figures in history. His
fiery earnestness, his passion fo