What does spirituality mean to you?

YM:  Spirituality is difficult to explain so that everyone understands it. It is a word that has so many meanings and continues to expand. My own spirituality involves a greater being, God, who has control over my life and who is always present. Spirituality is also prayer and connection to those with whom I am not present at that very moment, like those who have passed or my family back at home. It's a spiritual connection.

How do you practice your spirituality on a daily basis?

YM: It is difficult for me to actually practice my spirituality on a daily basis and I would be lying if I told you that I did. Occasionally, when I find myself in a dark place, I go to find or build a sacred space separate from all the other places that stress me out. The most obvious place is the Mission Church, but other times, it is bus 22 when I am going to or coming back from work off campus. The time when I can just sit and think, is a valuable time for me. I really hope to make my faith and my spirituality a priority everyday, and not just when I am stressed or overwhelmed.

Have you learned anything about yourself through this/these practice(s)?

YM: I have learned more about myself than I wanted to. For one, I began to explore what my faith was through the influence of friends who seemed to be more aware of what their faith meant for them. I followed and experienced a lot of feelings of dependence on others. Once the time I spent with others decreased and I was being consumed by the business of clubs, work, and school, I recognized that I missed my friends and the person I was becoming with them. Since the time could not be adjusted as easily as I hoped it would be this new year, I had to learn to depend on myself to be that person I wanted to be and to grow in my spiritual journey. I guess in sum, I need to learn how to learn about my spirituality and faith for myself.

In what ways do you believe practicing spirituality connects us with something greater than ourselves?

YM: Believing that there is something out there that is greater than me, as an individual human, is just the first step. I think it takes a lot of practice, trial, and error to realize that we do not have control of our lives--that we are not the center of the universe. I think spirituality helps connect us with the world in a way that minimizes all materialistic things that only serve us for immediate pleasure, but that do not last.