Noble Silence

Silence is an empty space, 

Space is the home of the awakened mind.

Word of the year: Austerity

austerity

noun

1. plainness, economy, simplicity, severity, starkness, spareness, Spartanism

abandoned buildings with a classical austerity

2. asceticism, economy, rigidity, abstinence, self-discipline, chastity, sobriety, continence, puritanism, solemnity, self-denial, strictness, abstemiousness,chasteness, exactingness, Spartanism 

the years of austerity which followed the war

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

In my high school days, when I first learnt about the word Austerity, I can remember its 2nd meaning: Strictness, but never the 1st: Simplicity. 

Back then, I can hardly see how Strictness is related to Simplicity.

As my spiritual life unfolds, I find this word popping up in spiritual literature frequently, and I take it for granted, especially in the context of spirituality, to mean strictness/self-dsicipline/ascetism, since this is the meaning I can only remember since high school days anyway.

However last month, while watching the documentary on the life of forest ascetics featuring Ajahn Chah, I caught this word ringing in my head again and found myself searching it online. 

Refreshing as the morning mist, the beauty of the word Austerity dawns upon me. The once diverse meanings "Strictness; Simplicity" of this word, now after yrs of spiritual practice, present themselves to me in one unity. 

Of course, when one is self-disciplined, abstained and strict (which is different from harsh), one lives a simple life, clutter-free, trouble-free, worry-free. 

The rules are meant to protect us, the righteous man stands unstained.

Morality, self-discipline and simplicity.

These qualities of spirituality encapsulated in one word - Austerity.

Austerity - the true essence of Spirituality!

What a beautiful word it is!

Austerity - the mantra for my spiritual practice 2012

Dear friends, your comments based on personal experience and insights of the word are welcomed. Pls post them below:

Spirituality defined

Spirituality is the wholeness, oneness beyond the physical and mundane. 

It is the break-through beyond self.

It is the connection between self and everything, every being in the universe, in all dimensions - physical, mental, emotional, etherical etc... 

Spirituality is not the same as religion. 

The difference: Spirituality emphasizes on direct experience while religion emphasizes on faith. 

The common area: morality is the foundation for both.

My spirituality channels - nature, healing, wellness, meditation, yoga, martial arts, travel, music (esp playing piano), aromatherapy, arts therapy, contemplative writing (e.g. this blog), environmentalism, education etc. 
Anything that can help me establish the connection and oneness, the spreading, involution and evolution of self. 

Being spiritual helps me to gain the most clarity in life. 

The real insight, simplicity and grounding.