"The greatest disease in the West today is not TB or leprosy; it is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. We can cure physical diseases with medicine, but the only cure for loneliness, despair, and hopelessness is love. There are many in the world who are dying for a piece of bread but there are many more dying for a little love. The poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty — it is not only a poverty of loneliness but also of spirituality. There’s a hunger for love, as there is a hunger for God." - Mother Teresa, Catholic Saint
Ever since the Age of Discovery, the West has been the leader in technological and material advancement. Through it, we have cured countless diseases, raised the standard of living for the average individual, and gifted society with an abundance of light-hearted leisure.
Unfortunately, at the cost of these technological innovations, we have seen more depression, anxiety, loneliness, murder, suicide, and genocide than ever before.
All you have to do is look at the news and you'll find headlines with the words "death" "depression" or "war". It seems as if there's always something negative and immoral going on.
It's as if we have lost something and are trying to do anything to fill in the void. We have collectively lost our connection with divinity; our spirituality. No wonder the average college student tries to get a one night stand instead of a long-term and wholesome relationship. No wonder there's a divorce in the United States approximately every 30 seconds. No wonder teen anxiety and depression is sky-rocketing from social media.
I'm convinced that not only are we going through a physical pandemic, but a spiritual pandemic as well.
When it's cooler to go cheat on your partner because of an argument instead of genuinely trying to solve the issue, when the average high school teacher assigns homework during break, and when the average individual in western society is unable to sit still for 5 minutes without checking their phone or else they'll have a tantrum all show that we're in a spiritual pandemic. Not to mention how someone can get famous for simply being provocative on various social media platforms, specifically TikTok.
Now, you're probably thinking "this article is depressing. The world is on fire". To be honest with you, the world really is on fire (in a metaphorical sense) and we've been stripped of our morality, but that doesn't mean there isn't positivity. That doesn't mean that we can't reverse the wrong we've done.
All spiritual traditions acknowledge human mortality, and the shortcomings in which it brings. Whether you be from a Christian background and believe in Christ's sacrifice for humanity, a Jewish background and believe in Elohim's mercy for the Children of Israel, a Buddhist and Hindu background and believe in reincarnation, karma, and the supremacy of Shiva, or an Islamic and Sufi background, and believe in Allah's 99 mercies, we are all united in wanting to attain mercy and salvation from a higher power. We all want spirituality.
In a sense, we (as a society) have lost our connection with a higher power. It can be anything you wish, but the fact of the matter is that most of us dwell on this earth with no purpose because we are not connected to a higher power. By higher power, I mean something which you believe in that gives you divine love, contentment, gratitude, unity, and purpose. For most, it's a Divine Being known as "God".
Again, it can be anything you wish it to be. I'm not here to tell you which spiritual path to follow. I'm here solely for the purpose of telling you to stick to something, anything at least. Because it's been far too long seeing your soul suffer from not truly knowing the source of your soul's power; your spirituality.
This topic is deep, but necessary. It is necessary for anyone trying to become better in any way, shape, or form. We must acknowledge this "elephant in the room".
But at the same time, that doesn't mean there can't be another elephant, cant it? Knowing that there's immorality and evil in this world is required, but positivity and morality are everywhere as well. All we need to do is know where to look, and how to look
When Pope Francis, leader of the Catholic World visits a Muslim Country such as Iraq, and is received with love, respect, and dignity, we know there's still morality. When we see stories on the news of how young teens are feeding our homeless during the Pandemic, we know there's still morality. And when you receive a smile from someone on the street, or someone lets you go in front of them in a line at the grocery store because they can see you're in a hurry, there's still morality. We know there's still a chance. Not to mention when Tiktok is now being overrun by new creators with positive, heart-warming, purposeful content. There are still people connecting with their spirituality.
The essence of spirituality is coming to a realization that there is a higher power out there controlling everything that is, and that we come directly from that higher power. There is always more than what meets the eye. There are always things that are happening without us knowing and are all part of a Divine Plan. When you realize this phenomena, the void inside you will be filled organically. It will be filled with love, contentment, gratitude, unity, and purpose. There will be no room for negativity in your soul.
So as you go out and roam the earth once again while countless immoralities are being committed, know that there is still goodness in people. Morality still exists.
Truly understand that the solution in our society is connecting with spirituality; with God, and that it first and foremost starts with you.
Are you in connection with your spirituality?
Are you spiritually void?