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Submitted To Prof. Vaishali

Mehta

Rahul Purshottam #42

Uddipana Bora #56

Abhishek Hekre #18

Prachiti Jadhav #20

Jigna Chouhan #09

Shailja Jha #50

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Acknowledgement

This dissertation would not have been possible without

Professor Vaishali Mehta, who challenged and

encouraged us throughout this semester for the subject

of Indian Management Thoughts and Practices. She and

our co-ordinator, Dr. Ms. Zuleika Homavazir , guided our

group, never accepting less than our best efforts.

Our group also thanks Wilson College BMS as a

department which has given us tremendous amounts of

opportunities to develop our skills in presentation and

research.

Last, but not the least, we thank our individual group

members to have contributed all that went into making

this project a completed entity.

*****

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Index

Introduction

pg. 3

History & Origin

pg. 5

Spiritual Path

pg. 7

Near Death Experiencepg. 9

Sacredness & personal Well Being

pg. 10

Spirituality vs Religion

pg. 11

Spiritual Leaders

pg. 13

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INTRODUCTION

Spirituality. the word conjures up visions of meditating hippies

chanting barefoot in a circle in unison or perhaps the soft-spoken

friar. Modern day spirituality takes the form for those that do not

have knowledge of it often as that of psychic readings, when

sitting on client side and talking to a spiritualist for advice and

direction in life.

So exactly what is spirituality? And how can we define spirituality?

Being aware of spirit is spirituality. Looking for direction from

spirit by looking within ones heart is spirituality. Looking

externally for guidance by a book or minister isnt. You can bestdefine it by those who know they are spirit. Being psychic is

simply being aware of your spirit and intuition and the vibration

that exists all around us, many lead a life of materialism whilst on

the mortal plain and have no idea of what spirituality is or how to

achieve it.

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Spirituality is the idea that we can look to be guided from within

our being by listening to our spirit, which is in tune with and part

of the whole of spirit. Those who are spiritual have no need for

another person to lead them, for their guide is the compass within

them that never allows them to go off course, and it is this magic

which if tapped into can make such a positive difference to ones

life.

Spirituality is, in the most basic sense, matters pertaining to the

spirit and is based on the idea that there exists something, be it a

state of mind, a being, or a place, that is outside the experience

of our five limited senses.

Spirituality is the personal relationship of the individual to this

state of mind, being or place and often emphasizes the notion of

a path. All of us are spirits energies connected with one another

and comprising the whole spirit. Everything that is, exists within

that entire energy, some may call it God, but you are part of it,

and your connection with the divine source can never be severed.

Psychic Mediums are highly aware of this & can connect to other

spirits, either deceased or those that have never walked the earthand exist those on the mortal plain.

Spirituality is never religion, for it never asks us to look outside

ourselves for answers. The spirit is ever close, never far and

always connected to us for it is us. We are divine beings having

physical experiences, and not just physical beings living a

temporary life. Those that choose to believe they are imperfect

and lacking are living life and looking outward, spirituality looks

inward and need nothing but to know the truth of who we are.

This path that few understand brings inner peace. Many are

drawn to those who practice as psychic readers as they are closer

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to spirituality than the querent. There are many different types of

spiritualist, some visit spiritualist churches, some sit in circles and

others hone and develop their intuitive skills to use within the

psychic readings arena.

Modern day spirituality can be seen in action via the very vast

and very credible metaphysical industry, where one can obtain

spiritual guidance through channels simply known as psychic or

psychic medium phone readings, what unfolds during a reading

can change ones life forever.

HISTORY AND ORIGIN

The word Spirituality derives from the Latin spiritualitas, an

abstract word related to spiritus and spiritus, which were used to

translate Pauls Pneuma and Pneumaticos. To be spiritual means

to know, and to live according to the knowledge, that God is

present to us in grace as the principle of personal, interpersonal,

social, and even cosmic transformation. The humans are not only

alive by the transcendental principle, but, in their own

personalities, consciously aware of, in touch with, and motivated

by, that principle of life. Since God is not present to Christians

alone, spirituality is not exclusively Christian. There are various

spiritualities. (e.g. Buddist, hindu).

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Indias emphasis on spirituality can be ascertained from the

productive constellations

reported in Kroebers (1944) work; it received the singular

distinction of being a culture that has the longest duration ofevolution of philosophy, from 100 to 500,and 600 to 1000 ad (see

p. 683). If we add the period of Buddha, Mahavira, and Samkhya

around 500 bc, and the period of medieval bhakti Movement from

1100 to 1800 (reported in the literature section in Kroebers work,

from Jayadeva to Lallu Ji Lal, see page 482483), we can see that

in India, more than in any other culture, spirituality has been

emphasized for almost 2,500 years of recorded history.

Emphasis on spirituality in India can also be seen in the list of

spiritual masters that was generated using various sources

(Bhattacharya, 1982; Lesser, 1992; Narasimha, 1987;

Sholapurkar, 1992; Singh, 1948). Most of the sources used are by

Indian scholars, and the list was further corroborated by Kroebers

(1944) work.The long list of spiritual masters over 2,500 years

does support the idea that India emphasizes spirituality (see

Table 2.1). A closer examination of the list shows that these

spiritual gurus came from all castes and were not limited to thecaste of Brahmin, the caste that had the privilege of being a

teacher or a guru. They also came from many religions, e.g.,

Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Islam, and Sufism. Also,

they were not limited to any particular part of India; they came

from east, west, south, and north. Therefore, it could be argued

that spirituality is an Indian cultural phenomenon.

An analysis of Kroebers (1944) compilation shows that in the

Indian sample 49% of the geniuses were spiritual geniuses

compared to 33% for literature, 10% for science, and 8% for

philology. If we combine the names in Table 2.1 to those in

Kroebers compilation, the percentage of spiritual geniuses jumps

to 65% compared to 23% for literature, 7% for science, and 5%

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for philology. Analyzing the list of thousands of geniuses in China

(Simonton, 1988) and Japan (Simonton, 1996), Simonton found

that the number of celebrities in each of the categories varied

tremendously. For example, of the two thousand plus Japanese

geniuses studied, 14% came from politics, 13% from painting,

10% from poetry, 8% from war,5% from each of economics and

religion, 4% from philosophy, and only 2% from each of sculpture,

ceramics, and medicine. The category spirituality did not even

appear and might have been merged with philosophy and

religion. In the Chinese sample there were only 44 recluses, who

could be considered spiritual, in the 3,000 years of the Chinese

history.

Simonton (1996) also suggested that one of the limitations of his

study was that the findings might not apply to a civilization that

has been dominated by a certain configuration throughout its

history. It could be argued that the Indian culture has been

dominated by spirituality, and, therefore, this domain-specific

configuration might dominate any systemic or cross-domain

configurations in that culture. Evidence of such a dominance can

be seen in the domain of music and dance where the control ofprANa (i.e., breath) and dhyAna (i.e., focus) is considered critical

to be accomplished in Indian music and dance.

SPIRITUAL PATHThe spiritual path is a journey of love, service and inner reflection.

It strengthens your connection to Source and helps you discover

your True Self. It is a journey toward enlightenment.

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When the spiritual path arrives, it has often followed a sense of

dissatisfaction with your current life, a realization that material

trinkets or romantic adventures don't provide the lasting

happiness you may have sought. There is often a sense of

emptiness before the higher path arrives, a yearning for

something more meaningful, a vague or sometimes pronounced

feeling that there has to be something "more" out there,

something with deeper meaning, satisfaction and joy - something

beyond yourself and your own personal needs and desires. As the

spiritual yearning grows, your own needs and desires tend to

seem increasingly petty and unimportant. A new desire emerges,

a higher desire to help others, to be of service beyond your

personal needs, to help make the world a healthier, happier place.

Some people want to be seen while walking a spiritual path. They

may yearn for attention or acknowledgment of their

achievements, generosity or spiritual abilities. The true spiritual

path, however, is marked by humility and selfless service. There

is no sense of "work" on the path, as everything is done in service

to a Higher Source. There is no show, no play for attention, no

games or drama. The true spiritual path is a relationship betweenyou and Source. Ultimately, there is no one else.

Floating through life in an ungrounded fog of imagined bliss is not

effective. The spiritual path requires disciplined and grounded

application of the Higher Teachings. In living the Higher Teachings

as consistently as possible, eventually and with Grace, the higher

consciousness of these teachings can become your true nature.

These Higher Teachings can be found in all genuine spiritual

lineages, and include wisdom such as, Hands that serve are holierthan lips that pray; Exercise compassionate detachment;

Understand that nothing is permanent; Perform acts of selfless

service; Release all expectations and judgments; Do not reach for

the fruits of your actions or give with strings attached; Give away

that which you need most; Release all desires; Speak and act only

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with love; All perception is projection, so see everything you

experience as a mirror of yourself and do not project onto others;

Forgiveness is good, forgetting is better.

Traveling the spiritual path is an ongoing process. There are manylevels of consciousness and signposts along the way. It is the

journey, not the destination, that brings the most valuable

treasures. The spiritual journey is demanding, but it is the highest

path and an honor to traverse.

In order to understand the spiritual practices outlined in this

section, it is useful to have an overview of the main processes or

"paths" (see One Goal, Different Paths). Some authorities list

three, others add a fourth. Many thinkers claim that all paths are

equally valid and effective and that the choice depends on

individual inclination. Others suggest that all four paths are

stepping stones along one spiritual path, each building

progressively on the previous, more elementary disciplines. Either

way, it is not that the different paths are tightly

compartmentalised each may contain elements of the others.

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NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE

A near-death experience (NDE) refers to a broad range of

personal experiences associated with impending death,

encompassing multiple possible sensations including detachment

from the body; feelings of levitation; total serenity, security, or

warmth; the experience of absolute dissolution; and the presence

of a light.

These phenomena are usually reported after an individual hasbeen pronounced clinically dead or otherwise very close to death,

hence the term near-death experience. Many NDE reports,

however, originate from events that are not life-threatening. With

recent developments in cardiac resuscitation techniques, the

number of reported NDEs has increased. The experiences have

been described in medical journals as having the characteristics

of hallucinations, while parapsychologists, religious believers and

some mainstream scientists have pointed to them as evidence of

an afterlife and mind-body dualism

Popular interest in near-death experiences was initially sparked

by Weiss's 1972 The Vestibule, followed by Raymond Moody's

1975 book Life After Life and the founding of the International

Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) in 1981.According to

a Gallup poll, approximately eight million Americans claim to have

had a near-death experience. Some commentators, such as

Simpson,

claim that the number of near-death experiencers maybe underestimated. People who have had a near-death

experience may not be comfortable discussing the experience

with others, especially when the NDE is understood as a

paranormal incident.

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NDEs are among the phenomena studied in the fields

of psychology,psychiatry, and hospital medicine.

SACREDNESS

Social scientists have defined spirituality as the

search for "the sacred," where "the sacred" is

broadly defined as that which is set apart from the

ordinary and worthy of veneration. Spirituality canbe sought not only through traditional organized

religions, but also through movements such as

the feminist theology and ecological spirituality.

Spirituality is associated with mental health,

managing substance

abuse, marital functioning, parenting, and coping.

It has been suggested that spirituality also leads to

finding purpose and meaning in life.

PERSONAL WELL BEING

In keeping with a general increase in interest inspirituality and complementary and alternativetreatments, prayer has garnered attention amongsome behavioral scientists. Masters and Spielmanshave conducted a meta-analysis of the effects of

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distant intercessory prayer, but detected nodiscernible effects.

Spirituality has played a central role in self-

help movements such as Alcoholics Anonymous:"...if an alcoholic failed to perfect and enlarge hisspiritual life through work and self-sacrifice forothers, he could not survive the certain trials andlow spots ahead...."

Spirituality v/s Religion

One principal problem with attempts to separate religion from

spirituality is that the former is saddled with everything negative

while the latter is exalted with everything positive.

It is important to note the fact that many of the negative things

which people attribute to religions are features of some forms of

some religions (usually Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), but not

of other religions (like Taoism or Buddhism).

Religion is spiritual and spirituality can also be considered

religious. One tends to be more personal and private while the

other tends to incorporate public rituals and organized doctrines.

The lines between one and the other may often not be clear or

distinct depending on the interpretation.

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Consider these definitions:

Religion is an institution established by man for various

reasons. Exert control, instill morality, stroke egos, or

whatever it does. Organized, structured religions all but

remove god from the equation. You confess your sins to a

clergy member, go to elaborate churches to worship, told

what to pray and when to pray it. All those factors remove

you from god.

Spirituality is born in a person and develops in the person. It

may be kick started by a religion, or it may be kick started

by a revelation. Spirituality extends to all facets of a persons

life. Spirituality is chosen while religion is often times forced.

Being spiritual to me is more important and better than

being religious.

True spirituality is something that is found deep within

oneself. It is your way of loving, accepting and relating to

the world and people around you. It cannot be found in a

church or by believing in a certain way.

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Spiritual Leaders

Famous as Spiritual Leader of Tibet

Born on 06 July 1935

Born in Tibet

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Works &

Achievements

His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of Tibet. Recognized as the

"Man Of Peace", Dalai Lama was awarded the Noble Prize in 1989 for adapting

peaceful methods to find a solution for the much debated Tibetan issues.

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Famous as Serving the poor and destitute

Born on 27 August 1910

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Famous as Religious Leader Who Led the Famous Iranian Revolution in 1979

Born on 24 September 1902

Born in Khomein, Iran

Died on 04 June 1989

Nationality Iran (islamic Republic Of)

Works &

Achievements

Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists & Establishment of an Islamic Government in

Iran

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Born in Skopje, Macedonia

Died on 05 September 1997

Nationality Albania

Works &

Achievements

A Noble Peace Prize laureate, Mother Teresa helped the poor and destitute

people living in the slums of Kolkata. The Roman Catholic Nun establishedcenter for AIDS patients in 1985 and founded Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta

in 1969. Her selfless service is recognized worldwide today.

Famous as Worked for civil rights of black people

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Born on 15 January 1929

Born in Atlanta, Georgia

Died on 04 April 1968

Nationality United States

Works &

Achievements

Organized American Civil Rights Movement to support the black people, Fought

for the civil rights of the underprivileged black people

THANK YOU

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