The Ultimate Vampire Resource and Directory

Main Entry: spir·i·tu·al·i·ty
Pronunciation: "spir-i-ch&-'wa-l&-tE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
1 : something that in ecclesiastical law belongs to the church or to a cleric as such
2 : CLERGY
3 : sensitivity or attachment to religious values
4 : the quality or state of being spiritual

I have been thinking alot about this word as of late. That and loss:

loss
4 entries found for Loss.
To select an entry, click on it.
lossloss leaderloss ratioprofit and loss

Main Entry: loss
Pronunciation: 'los
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English los, probably back-formation from lost, past participle of losen to lose
1 : DESTRUCTION, RUIN
2 a : the act of losing possession : DEPRIVATION b : the harm or privation resulting from loss or separation c : an instance of losing
3 : a person or thing or an amount that is lost: as a plural : killed, wounded, or captured soldiers b : the power diminution of a circuit or circuit element corresponding to conversion of electrical energy into heat by resistance
4 a : failure to gain, win, obtain, or utilize b : an amount by which the cost of something exceeds its selling price
5 : decrease in amount, magnitude, or degree
6 : the amount of an insured's financial detriment by death or damage that the insurer is liable for
- at a loss
1 : uncertain as to how to proceed
2 : unable to produce what is needed
- for a loss : into a state of distress


Now this is not a post on loosing one's spirituality, I warn you of that now. Or rather it is, to an extent.

I have had a loss . It is quite humerous actually, that the defination of loss is 'destruction' or 'ruin' in part. I have been curious as of the past year, how loss affects ones spirituality. (forgive me, my thoughts are everywhere I know, but it will all come together in the end) Now, most religions look upon death as a blessing, as a time for reflection and celebration. My own spirituality calls for death as being part of the cycle, that death means new life, growth, rinse repeat. However, once you have experienced death, you have experienced loss. so how is it, I wonder, that death is loss, but loss is destruction? I work in a nursing home. I see loss every day when a resident dies. That light has gone out. I saw loss on November 22nd, when I lost my child. I see loss every day in the form of death.
Now onto spirituality. If spirituality is lost because of loss, is it destroyed in a person? Does their spirituality change? Do they go from not beleiving in (a christian) god to beleiving in (such a )god? Does one stick by their beliefs that there is no life after death, or that there is? To me, spirituality is what it is, a set of beliefs set forth in order for a person to have something to believe in. but what if that person does not believe in anything? Have they no spirituality? Even those who claim to believe in nothing... BELIEVE that they believe in nothinng. Therefore, do those who believe in nothing actually harbor silent spirituality? How does one failing health affect spirituality? One's alternate beliefs? I ask these things hoping you will really relfect on your spirituality, how it evolves around loss, and how strong you are in your beliefs. I would like to hear everyones opinions, because I only know my own, and the relationship between loss, life and spirituality interests me. I would like to compile the answers I get and see what kind of writing I cannot dwell upon regarding the two.

It would have been nice if you had prepared your question better. A little long winded, I think.

The Spirit of course pasts on. The only thing that it looses is the things that were connected to the physical body. However, the trauma that came from the hurts and pains does travel with the Spirit, as does all things experienced during the lifetime. They become part of the next learning cycle.
Therefore, your answer should follow the same line. The personal belief system would also follow. This has been said many things over, 'what you wish or believe to see in the afterlife, will be exactly that.'

oh and I forgot :P the definations I quoted from merriem webster (sorry, wanted to put the source on that)

Also, sorry for the long windedness... this is the first time I have ever posted anything that seemed this significant to me.. ever. :S

This reasoning is also mentioned in the Gita. Krishna plainly tells us that if we worship in the 'shining ones,' we will go to the shining ones/angels. If we worship Devas or Elementals, then we will go to them. If we worship, or strongly belive in Him, then that too is where we will end up.
Where ever you place your heart at, the most energy/ focus, that is where you will find yourself. And personally, I really do not belive that anyone can believe in nothing. To them, it is merely a very personal place.

It is dependent upon ones perception where they go after death, this of course does not matter when comared to the great truth. That truth however we know not. Gain and Loss affects ones beliefes the same that it would affect the person. If you gain something you thank God, god, source, etc if you lose something you question and perhaps turn away from.
The goal is to not lose faith, and to understand that whatever has happened the one(s) that controls the universe knows best and that we must suffer this life to rejoyce in the next whether thats heaven or being reborn on earth.

spirituality and loss are in every cycle of life...no matter what you beleive you will always have to have some sort of spirituality and some form of loss...like vampires for example....we follow a creed in a sense...there are things that we must do and things that we must not do but it is like our "bible" for the lack of a better word...we follow it and we cherish it so in that sense it is our spirituality...but loss is a huge part of being a vampire...although we do most of the taking it reflects loss...

Yes a loss as in a death of a love one does effect ones spirituality. How that loss effects the persons spirituality depends on what is lost, how it is lost, when it is lost and how strong the persons belief in that spirituality is. If the persons belief is very strong the loss will not effect that belief in much of a negative way and may even strengthen that belief. If the persons belief is not very strong it will depend more on what is lost, how and when it is lost.

For example if the loss is that of a great grandmother then that loss will not effect the persons belief because life and death cycles are part of living. If you live a long life it is expected you will die eventually and it is an acceptable death. If a person only experiences the loss of loved ones that die of old age that persons belief will probably be strengthened because of the losses. Since they will see their god most likely as a loving god that lets people live there lives to the fullest and complete the cycle of life as it is meant to be.

Now on the other hand if the loss the person experiences is the loss of a child or death of friends at a young age these losses may weaken their belief because they may see their god as an unjust god since he/she cut life short.

If the loss happens during a stressful time in ones life it can a negative effect on ones beliefs. Let say that a person has cancer and the main person that is supporting them at the times dies in an accident. If the persons beliefs are not strong they may turn away from their god because they can not understand how god could take away the support of the person they are depending on most if there are not others that step up to support the person.

Another thing that can effect how a loss effects ones beliefs is how much support from family and friends that person has during the time of loss. If the support is good and their belief system is the same then that can cause the persons beliefs to strengthen. Now if the support is not good or the supports belief system is not the same and they use the loss to try to change the persons beliefs then it can cause a weakening of the persons beliefs.

How many losses a person has in a short time period can also effect a persons beliefs. Thirteen years ago I lost 6 people in three weeks. Three of the people I lost, I was very close to, a good friend, my great grandmother, and a great uncle. The other three I was was not very close to but they were people that I had spent some time with or were related to me. Now each loss had they happen over a few years time period would probably not effected my beliefs much because most I barely knew or they had lived long lives. The only one that might have had an effect was my good friend since he was not much older than me at the time and we had talked about getting married at one time. They did effect my belief system some because of the time period the losses occurred but because I had a good support group at the time, that had the same beliefs as me they did not effect them as much as they could have.

So as you can see how a loss can effects someone's beliefs is very complex.

Being Native American, we believe that every lose is a sacrifice for the spirit to grow. I truly believe that, but does it make it easier deal with? NO.

I have had lost of many that I have to say could have effected my beliefs if I was a different person.

I am rarely going to speak this, as it is that personal and dear to me, but it is worth sharing here for you.

Don't worry it's short.

My father Aug 7, 2006 had decided to be taken off his breathing machine, chosing to join my mother on his own terms and with his dignity intact.

I was blessed with 3 days with my dad and during that time I helped him grasp what it is that makes us and what will happen to him after.

My only words "Whatever you want it to happen. If you want to go to your house where mom is probably having a cup of coffee, then go there and she will meet you. If you two had a secret place, that is where you should go also."

He left us in peace, and once again we grieve, BUT also I had a light heart, happy for him this time around compared to my mom. Yes it is the cycle of life, whether you are religious, spiritual, or agnostic, it all happens to everyone, as death does.

Just my 2 cents.

Thanks for the great thread

I believe that are time on this earth or plane of existence prepares us for the afterlife and what wil come next. I love what Billy The Just said about what we expect to see in the afterlife will be there. I hope that is the case.

Loss of a loved one is hard. Even when they are older. My father died at the age of ninety. He was in pain and it was better for his spirit to leave a body that was broken. It still hurt like hell but I know now he is not suffering. It affected my spiritually, because I had to look at what god I believe in for the strenght to get through it.

We are all here for a reason. Native's beleive that when you pass on your a spirit guide to your loved ones walking the earth still. Im sure every culture or religion has there own beleifs

The loss of a loved one especially unexpectedly or too young is very hard to accept no matter your belief system. There are steps we go through and the first is denial finally ending in acceptance. Part of it included questioning the justice of the loss to a higher power. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross wrote about it in On Death and Dying. It is a study on how we finally come to accept our losses and after the death of my father at a young age I came to understand how correct it was. As I have grown older I have seen grief make some peoples faith stronger while others lost theirs completely. I truly believe there is more after we pass from this plane and I hope it is as nice as Billythejust has written.

I Spirituality believe that I have lost my soul. Either that or its not doing its bloody job.

I know we all are here for a certain amount of time and we do not know for how long so to have loss is always painful yet being Native amer. I believe that our loss ones help the ones who remain onthis plane regardless if it hurts or not just my belief and it keeps me strong.

They both go hand-in-hand.
The only way to become spiritual and to be able to see the world as it truly is, you must lose something first.
Whether it be the comforts of this known dimension, or the loss of someone or something close & dear.
in my case it was the loss of true love, and my introduction to betrayl.
Harsh as it may sound, it opened my eyes to the truth i was to blind to see.

loss doesn't have to be bad. You can destroy your fears and destroy your ignorance. It is still destruction but not all destruction is a bad thing.

That is true.
because of what i went through, i became creative and eventually started up my band which is leading me somewhere great.
but, i still had to go through shit to get where im at.
but sometimes, u got to.

First, I wish to say I am sorry for all the posters who have lost someone. I too, lost a child, I was never a heavy Catholic, but was raised as one. Not only did I grieve for my child, I also grieved for "the loss of my god" as well. I began to question many things. Many years later I realize that all things must leave this earth, some leave sooner than others. I only hope that there is a better place we all go, eventually.

It is all a matter of perception. At least that is my 2 cents...

There is no book, no man and nothing that can tell you how to have or be spiritual. It is or should be an individual thing. Some find just being outside in the night air, a walk along the beach to be spiritual.
It's not a matter of loss or gain, it's who you are and how or what you wish to believe. Spirituality is from within.

Yeah, I just lost my aunt First of the week, viewing is today the funural is tomorrow. I don't know if its a spiritual connection, but I can write how I feel and what I think in the form a a poem. I wrote something to be put with her. If anyone cares to read it look in my journal under poems. You may email to comment.

A death is only a loss to this world.
... and a loss to those still in it.

Whichever the case, spirituality is kept in ones faith of a higher power, and true spirituality is thanking that power for your fortuntes, and at the same time, when loss is experienced, to pray to that power for healing and understanding. ... We all have too many impulses to want to 'push back' against the divine when fate takes a downfall. ...

I am told we are spiritual beings having a Human experience. The human side will always feel abject sorrow and personal pain during the passing of those whom we truly love. The older I get the more brief my own life seems. My parents both being gone is a passing of a personal era and the temporary closing of a door I had gone through many times. My spirituallity is in no way diminished by the passing of another. Some of the most loving, heartfelt times I have ever experienced revolved either directly or indirectly around the death of someone I was very close to. My own health is fairly poor. I have a lot of time to think about my own mortality. Spirituallity is carried day in day out. The beauty and trials of life surround us all. Some of the most enlightened people I have ever had the privaledge of knowing simply had a simple faith and an
open heart.

I belive that the two do go hand in hand. I know that when my brother died, my spirituality took a big hit. It was something that I had to work hard on to get where I am out now.

I've always thought that we grieved not for our lost loved one but for ourselves. They are in a better place, and we are left to carry on without them. That to me, is where the grief stems from.

i have lost more ppl in the last yr and a half then i currently know.. andit hurts i morn every day.. bu ti knw that they have to be in a better place then i so it helps lol..

having it be a matter of perception makes sense

I strongly believe spirituality is the essence of the soul, the empathy of compassion. It can relpace the inner darkness and emptiness.

Where there is spirituality people who come face to face with tragedies seem to possess this inner peace the secret logic that gives birth to Spirituality.

It doesn't mean that those that have recognizes the spiritualty are any better or more loved by God. Just maybe that the environment that we choose to expose ourselves determines the amount of nurturing that our spirituality receives.

I think everyone has some sort of spirituality and we all suffer some sort of loss. I think when your in the grieving process of what we have lost we all question our spirituality and beliefs. It is human nature to question that to which we do not understand.

Everyone has to have something to believe in. That is what makes us individuals. No one religion is right or wrong. I believe it's a personal choice.

My personal opinion is this....
At some point in everyones life they experience spirituality, it can manifest itself in many different forms. And everyone at some point in time experiences loss. I do not believe that the two are linked, but that we bring the two together when we need something from one or the other.

I also see loss as growth in our spirituality, in order to truly believe in the miracles of life, we must suffer on some level, and be brought on our knees to seek comfort in our journey.

Loss is only that of temporary destruction. Whether it is self inflicted, or a coincidence, our faith in our walk in our spirituality is then tested. As a result of loss, we also gain the knowledge that is needed, in case of disruption of life's struggles should once again rise to the occasion.

~NFA

I know spirituality and loss effect each other, sometimes greater then others.

My grandmother used to be a gentle, kind woman, but after my grandfather died, she because sprict and was always trying to get my mom and my family to go to church with her every sunday.

It effected her greatly, and she chose her spiritualism to comfort that loss she had.

this is a difficult question. i applaud you asking it, it's always good to try to understand things that we are not used to wondering about. spirituality , to me, is nothing more than a system you believe in. it's what you do to further yourself in that belief that really shows how you will end up. for example, if you are a christian and you choose that path just b/c of your parents and you believe that there is actually nothing after death and if you don't try to discover a way to go anywhere, then you will be nothing. if you are a wicca and truly believe that you will go to a better place and strive to go there, then you probably will.
(please don't take offense by the way if anyone on here is one of those religions, i was just taking 2 random religions, i'm not trying to write between the lines or anything i promise)
so death is not a loss. or at least not JUST a loss. for some it is a pathway to something else (for better or worse), for some it is a peaceful end (they WANT to be nothing) for some it's a destructive end.
everything depends on how you see something, there is, in my oppinion, no set way, you create your own heaven or hell and your choices in life determine whether it is destructive or not.

and please forgive me if i'm rambling or anything, this too is the first thing i've put on the forum.

i feel we all are here for a certain amount of time and we do not know for how long so to have loss is always painful I believe that our lost. Help the ones who remain on regardless if it hurts or not just my belief but it has kept me going on hard times

I have my own belief system that sort of says that there is no loss when it comes to death, only a physical loss of a body that harbored a spirit, but the spirit lives on to host a new body. The loss of physical things should not change your belief on something in my opinion

my grandfather was native american indian and was a firm beliver in reincarnation.... when he passed it was hard for us all but the next year we had a bird that would show up and peck at the front room window of my grandmas house we always said he got his wish..... maybe it was just wishful thinking on our part but i dont think we really know.... i belive there is something after we pass just what i dont know ...... and i like billys saying ..... we can only hope that it is true .....
you have a posted a great thread..... and they are very good questions..... i just think no one will truely know till you pass....

sorry i left out the part about how my grandfather wanted to come back as a bird in his next life...... so my post didnt totally make since.... sorry about that....

I think loss and death are often hard to accept no matter what your spirituality is centered around. In my beliefs the spirit go on to take another form, so it's never truly lost. However, this doesn't make that loss any less destructive to my own soul. I think it's a sense of self centeredness almost or selfishness. A lot of times it's not the loss that affects us, it the notion that something was taken from us that shakes our spirituality.

you only lose some 1 if you forget them. as long as the memories are there, so are they!

thats very true..
my boys passed in april & i will never forget..i truly believe in angels..and theyre taking care of them..and they are all taking care of me & looking out..i feel it everyday..ive seen many signs..inc on the day of their burial..theyre around at all times..theyve brought me together with my soulmate jaye..everything happens for a reason..

Once soul leaves their is an imprint left behind and this improt is the actuall lost of the souls spirituality, that is why when some do go toi another life, they seek for their spiritualy, its logic and would be the most appropriate way to explain many of the reactiotns fo the humans seeking.

Well, first off I do not believe that relgion and spirituality necissarily go hand in hand. I am not a religious person, but I am spiritual. I have been to many churches, and I watch the people who attend. It is easy to peg those who are spiritually in tune with their religion and those who are not.

On to loss... it really works both ways. I've seen people lose hope in everything at the loss of a loved one. I, for one, lost a close friend to drunk driving this summer and could be losing my grandmother very soon. However, when that friend was lost, I found that I turned to my own spirituality when my parents let me sleep through his funeral to say goodbye to him. The same goes for my grandmother, I turn to my spirituality to hope her existence continues.

What I'm trying to say, and seemingly doing a poor job at it, is that loss often triggers spirituality.

As for loss, it is something that makes living both sweet and bitter at the same time. We know from a young age we shall die and our loved ones with us at some time or another. It is what is and what shall be. No matter how we fight it death knocks upon our door at sometime or another.
Turning to sprituality: Spirituality I feel is a journey we must mostly go on within ourselves. We can ask others for advice, wisdom and knowledge but they cannot take the journey with us. Only advise and listen when we get lost along the way.
I hope I'm not confusing you but sharing with you something that is helpful in your journey

Loss will reveal what you have within. Hopefully, it will ultimately prove cathartic and will help you to grow spiritually and otherwise.

As to Billy...I'm interested in your definition of "worship."

yes once u loss someone the spirituality comes about the loved ones or others come back to show u there around and watching you as a guide. If anything were to happen..

I believe when your soul leaves your body , you are greeted by your spirit guide , and loved ones to help you on the new journey you are about to take.

Okay so that question is a bit fuzzy for me, but I am going to take a stab at this....

I think that with loss spirituality can be lost depending on the persons mentality. I think that if the person chooses to change then they will, but that you do not have to lose your spirituality simply because of a loss.... A persons spirituality can be lost in so many ways, and is not bound to just one reason. I hope I answered that correctly.... :)

I have undergone that exact change. I was raised a christian and I think its not so much a loss of sprituality as much as being just plain fed up. Of course I still believe in the same God but that does not mean I am going to spend any more of my life walking down that path.

It is the rule of the universe, for something to be built something must be destoryed. For something to live, something must die. To obtain something, something of equal value must be lost. It is the way of the universe.

Pain from loss is an egocentricity. We place a portion of our personal value on something else, our personal self worth is wrapped up in it... and then we lose it. The more personal value you have invested in the item (usually due to low self esteam), the more it hurts to lose it.

Obviously Agape love is harder to achieve than to express and/or believe in.

I think it changes a lot after you lose something depending on how big it is... you can become depressed or even revengful... (kind of reminds me of Bam Stocker's Dracula... don't ask)

i don't know...i have buried many due to various things, cancer , aids , overdoses , ect. i can tell you what i hope, i hope there is an afterlife and that they are all partying and that when i pass, i will join the party..the cancer deaths have been bad enough that i dont believe the same as i once did...i believe in good energy and the earth...

if a man dont have faith or honor what is he.....my faith is pagan iam pagan and will forever remain pagan....for what is a angel but a ghost in drag

I will try to put into words on the subject

First I will say that in my short life that I have been invloved or have studied Judeieism, Christianity, the Coran (if anything is not spelled correct I am sorry) Budaism, I was a HariChristna at LAX. also the Laquota Souque. I have lost my Parents already and a Woman that I loved. I still believe that whatever you believe as long as you can truely say to me that you are truely a believer and do try to follow the Teachings of that way I have to say you are a Believer. That is what Spirituality is to me. Again there so many ways to deal with Loss. That is why there are so many Head Doctos and the prices they charge. Is this making any cents to you?

i lost my brother 9 years ago he was my best friend and i lost a part of my spirituality that day and for days after that and am still to this day SLOWLY trying to find it again