It seems like everywhere you turn these days, extreme stress 
and high anxiety are the norm and joy of life is the exception.  
Sure, we have our “toys.” The only problem is that like anything 
that’s artificial, the effect of artificial joy produced by the 
pursuit of material things and from engaging in superficial 
activities that promote anti-social behavior, is as fleeting as 
it is cruel. With all of our hard earned material achievements 
and success, how come we are still left with a sense of 
emptiness, loneliness and a vague longing to something beyond 
the material world? 

This is what I call fatigue due to spiritual pollution.  That’s 
because we’ve been brainwashed and bombarded day after day with 
negative messages from the media and Hollywood alike in pursuit 
of The American Dream, which is based on materialistic values 
system and basically is an illusion.  In the absence of a strong 
spiritual foundation, which includes solid moral values, it’s 
easy to develop a false belief system about the self and the 
world, feel a sense of insecurity.
 
Is it any wonder that society is experiencing ills such as an 
increase in senseless violence, including our schools, chaos and 
the deterioration of the family unit?  In the absence of a sound 
foundation, any building, no matter how tall or beautiful, will 
eventually collapse.  Spiritual foundation is no different. “Why 
should I care about spirituality or moral values?” you might 
rightly ask.  For starters, spirituality is just a non-religious 
way of knowing God, that Infinite Intelligence and Love in the 
universe, the Source of all life.  It enables us to gain better 
understanding of ourselves, our place in the universe and the 
unity of life, which helps us develop sound moral values that 
serve our best interest in the long run. Sound moral values 
means (among other things) understanding the difference between 
right and wrong on a deep and fundamental level.  It means 
understanding and incorporating in one’s life the elements of 
compassion, sensitivity to human condition, kindness, and the 
honoring of all living things. These elements contribute to a 
peaceful and thriving society in a win-win climate. People who 
are highly aware and understand the unity of all living things, 
experience positive feelings towards themselves and others and 
therefore are not very likely to destroy themselves, others or 
the environment.  

Without spirituality life becomes an empty experience devoid of 
real meaning, purpose and true joy.  Spiritual living is the 
difference between living consciously and unconsciously.  It’s 
the same difference between moving around in a dark room and 
moving around in a well-lit room where you are less likely to 
go bumping into things and “see” where you have to go. You 
might say spirituality is your secret weapon to give you a 
winning edge regardless of your circumstances. That’s when 
riches of the heart will beat any material success (by the 
narrow definition of THE AMERICAN DREAM), and no one can take it 
from you either.  Increased awareness and spirituality naturally 
heal any fears you might have – from fear of failure (and even 
success) to fear of death.  And as a bonus, spirituality and 
high awareness help us gain clarity, inner peace in the face of 
adversity and uncertainty and the ability to better cope with 
any type of loss.  With such enormous power at your disposal 
(and best of all, it’s free of charge too), wouldn’t you like 
to at least give it a try and create your own sign rather than 
be a victim of signs of the times? You have everything to gain 
and absolutely nothing to lose.  I should know. I’m living 
proof. 

Copyright © 2004, Geela
Author of “The American Dream”
http://www.Geela.com 

Geela is an award winning singer/songwriter/composer, columnist, 
and author of the best-selling book “THE AMERICAN DREAM,” her 
true- life story of how she came to America as a young immigrant 
with nothing and overcame incredible obstacles to achieve 
mega-success. She founded ONE SPIRIT, ONE WORLD to help children 
and promote a culture of peace and harmony. Get a free sample of 
her music and her book at http://www.Geela.com