What is Spirit, Anyway?

Heather Stang | Posted on March 9, 2009 |

A few weeks ago I was invited to lovely Stuart, Florida to speak on the subject of Spirit. Now, I work with Spirit every day, but I have never gone so far as to define it. How do you define the ineffable? Being the good student, I started with the dictionary – a ubiquitous but time tested way to start a speech, eh? But it worked!

Spirit comes from the Latin word spiritus: breathing. It’s root, spirare, means simply to breathe.You may already know this etymology, however I failed one semester of high-school Latin and missed the memo. That being said, I am pleased to say that we all pass the spirit test each time we stop and notice our breath. We all have spirit, whether we pay attention or not.

Spirit speaks to us through our body. It lets us know through our heart, our stomach, and our muscle tension what is going on spiritually. In the Christian tradition, one definition of spirit is “god energy that imbues all living and non-living things.” In Buddhist terms it is known as the “living, animating core” of a being.

Whatever your spiritual belief, you are spirit. You are life force. You are already perfect!

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Heather Stang

Mindfulness Author & Trainer at Mindfulness & Grief

Heather Stang, M.A. is the author ofMindfulness & Grief and the Frederick Meditation Center founder. She holds a Masters degree in Thanatology (Death, Dying, and Bereavement) from Hood College in Maryland, and is a certified Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy practitioner. She has led mindfulness-based grief workshops for organizations such as the National Fallen Firefighters Association and Hospice of Frederick County, and is a member of the Association of Death Education and Counseling. Heather’s mission is to help people who are grieving to stay healthy and benefit from the transformative experience of grief, using mindfulness-based practices, relaxation, and expressive arts. She has an established practice offering Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy sessions, day-long retreats, and 8 Week Yoga for Grief groups. She is based in Maryland. You can find her on Google +.

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