Spirituality: The Story of Hermannus Contractus
Padmashri Rastogi, MD, Ethics Facilitator, UT Southwestern Medical Center
Spirituality is difficult to define and agree upon as we have different experiences which we attribute to our spirituality. However, qualities of a Spiritual person are common, he knows his inner self and is true to it. A spiritual caregiver does not play a role, he lives it. Spirituality can be a belief in transcendence, faith in God, supernatural power, or recognizing that there is someone or something which controls our lives. Hardly anyone is born spiritual. It comes to us sooner or later.
Most of our actions in life serve one purpose which is to make ourselves happy. When someone gives to charity or rescues an animal, it is because it gives them happiness. Even a person who steals, cheats or is corrupt, is trying to make himself happy. Why is there this inherent desire to be happy? No one is taught that they need to be happy. Spiritualty will answer this question which is the belief that we are part of a greater thing which is abode of happiness. In this way, spiritual person can gain inherent happiness and accomplish many things. When a child is born, first thing they do is to cry to tell “Suffering is life.”
The story of Hermannus Contractus is a reminder and great example of influence of spirituality on our lives. Hermannus was one of the fifteen children in a noble family from Lake Constance area of Germany. He was born on July 18, 1013. He was horribly deformed, and disabled. He could not sit even in special chair made for him. His speech was unclear, his fingers were weak and shaky. He had to be carried around. When he showed no sign of any function, at the age of seven, his parents gave him to a famous Benedictine monastery. There under the influence of monks, Hermanus started to change. He entered the Cloister School at Reichenau on September 13, 1020. He soon learned three languages: Greek, Latin and Arabic. He excelled in Mathematics, he made tables using only the Roman numerals and symbols making multiplicands, multipliers etc. handy for use. He became an accomplished composer of music and contributed to the fields of history and astronomy through his work.
In this paper, I want to accomplish two objectives:
1. To tell the story of Hermannus Contractus and the effects of Benedictine Monastery on his monumental achievements,
2. To explain what spirituality is, separate from belief in religion and use the story to explain positive influence of spirituality in life.
Spirituality is difficult to define and agree upon as we have different experiences which we attribute to our spirituality. However, qualities of a Spiritual person are common, he knows his inner self and is true to it. A spiritual caregiver does not play a role, he lives it. Spirituality can be a belief in transcendence, faith in God, supernatural power, or recognizing that there is someone or something which controls our lives. Hardly anyone is born spiritual. It comes to us sooner or later.
Most of our actions in life serve one purpose which is to make ourselves happy. When someone gives to charity or rescues an animal, it is because it gives them happiness. Even a person who steals, cheats or is corrupt, is trying to make himself happy. Why is there this inherent desire to be happy? No one is taught that they need to be happy. Spiritualty will answer this question which is the belief that we are part of a greater thing which is abode of happiness. In this way, spiritual person can gain inherent happiness and accomplish many things. When a child is born, first thing they do is to cry to tell “Suffering is life.”
The story of Hermannus Contractus is a reminder and great example of influence of spirituality on our lives. Hermannus was one of the fifteen children in a noble family from Lake Constance area of Germany. He was born on July 18, 1013. He was horribly deformed, and disabled. He could not sit even in special chair made for him. His speech was unclear, his fingers were weak and shaky. He had to be carried around. When he showed no sign of any function, at the age of seven, his parents gave him to a famous Benedictine monastery. There under the influence of monks, Hermanus started to change. He entered the Cloister School at Reichenau on September 13, 1020. He soon learned three languages: Greek, Latin and Arabic. He excelled in Mathematics, he made tables using only the Roman numerals and symbols making multiplicands, multipliers etc. handy for use. He became an accomplished composer of music and contributed to the fields of history and astronomy through his work.
In this paper, I want to accomplish two objectives:
1. To tell the story of Hermannus Contractus and the effects of Benedictine Monastery on his monumental achievements,
2. To explain what spirituality is, separate from belief in religion and use the story to explain positive influence of spirituality in life.