The word ‘Ruhani’ or ‘Roohani’ is derived from the Arabic word ‘Rooh’ or our inner self or soul or ‘Atma’ in Hindi.
Most of us are aware of our body, of the thoughts passing through our mind, and of the world around us. This is called body or physical consciousness. But human beings are more than the body and mind. Our true self is the soul, a conscious entity that inhabits the body.
The soul is the part that enlivens the human body. When the soul leaves the body at the time of death, the body dies. But the soul is immortal. The body exhausts itself whereas its spiritual aspects are always in the everlasting state. We continue to exist even after the demise of our mortal frame. Fortunately, we do not have to wait until our physical end to know our soul.
Spiritual consciousness means becoming aware of the soul and God within us. God is called by many names in various cultures, languages, and religions, but is one and the same and can be found within us. Its essence is eternal, all-consciousness, all love, all peace, and all bliss. Within the soul is wisdom, or self-enlightenment, a love more fulfilling than any in the outer world, a strength and power that can help us overcome any fear, and a connectedness and oneness that knits all life together.
Scientists try to reach truth by exploring materialistic realities, whereas spiritualists attain this truth by exploring spiritual existence. One who adopts this spiritual or inward journey to the cosmic world elevates himself/herself.
It is a path of positive mysticism in which we remain in the world, in our own society, culture, and family and, to the best of our abilities, fulfill our duties and responsibilities but keep developing spiritually.
This is done by attaining the state of spiritual knowledge and by imbibing ‘the spirit of self enlightenment’ through constant self-introspection or in other words by being ‘Ruhani’.
‘Ruhani’ thus means ‘The Spirit of Self-Enlightenment’. It is also associated to the following meanings: ‘True spirit’ / ‘Blissful Soul’ / ‘Spiritual Being’.
