That's a great post, Zeek. Thanks! It's hard for me to argue with someone who got a B.A. in Psychology. Nevertheless, l'll try to put my two cents in.
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Originally Posted by zeek
We are souls (Gen. 2:7). So how would we do something "with" ourselves? Or, perhaps the question should be, would we do anything without ourselves? We cannot be other than what we are and what we are are souls. Therefore, the statement should more accurately be: As a soul, man engages in scientific or philosophical inquiry, analyzing the data of his sense-experience by means of the discursive reason.
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When you say we are souls, don't you neglect man's physical aspect? What about "the dust of the ground"? (Gen. 2:7) When the body is alive, it is a part of us, a part of our human nature on the earth.
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Originally Posted by zeek
That's confusing isn't it? A purely spiritual act would not involve the body would it? It's a contradiction of terms.
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I'd not say "confusing", I'd call it a paradox. (Or if you don't like paradoxes, we may call it another meaning of the word "spiritual"). When you read or preach Gospel, is it a part of your spiritual life or not? If yes, then it's a spiritual act. When it's your strive for God and you share your love and God's love with others, then it's definitely spiritual. Why? Because you are inspired and guided by the Holy Spirit and you are not concerned with material values or pursuits. However, you still use your physical body to open and read the Bible for others. And you still use your hands to help people in need. But if you help them for your sake -- to glorify your name, that's not spiritual. But if you do it to the glory of God, then it is. In other words, spiritual life is God/Christ - centered life, not man-centered life.
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Originally Posted by zeek
"…whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." (1 Corinthians 10:31)
That quote doesn't mention the spirit so how it is related is unclear to me.
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In my opinion, a quote doesn't need to have the word "spirit" to give a spiritual direction. To do all things in our sake, to glorify our own name, is not spiritual. Our acts must glorify God, His Spirit, not our own being.
As for spirituality in our daily life, I like this quote by St Thophan the Recluse:
We are all servants of our God. God has assigned to each his place and responsibilities, and He watches to see how each approaches his assignment. He is everywhere. And He watches over you. Keep this in mind and do each deed as if it were assigned to you directly by God, no matter what it is.
Do your housework in this manner: When someone comes to visit, keep in mind that God has sent you this visitor, and is watching. When you have to leave your house, keep in mind that God has sent you out on an errand, and is watching. Will you complete it as He wishes?
By orienting yourself to God at all times, your chores at home and responsibilities outside the house will not distract your attention from God, but, on the contrary, will keep you intent on completing all tasks in a God-pleasing manner. All will be performed with the fear of God, and this fear will keep your attention on God unswervingly.
To determine which duties inside and outside the family are God-pleasing, take the books in which these matters are discussed as your guides. Be careful to distinguish between concerns prompted by frivolity, passions, flattery and worldliness, from those that are correct, appropriate and honorable.
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Originally Posted by zeek
What happened to the human spirit? It seemed drop out of the account after the initial statement.
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I can be mistaken, but I don't see a contradiction. To me, spiritual life is when the human spirit is being guided by the Holy Spirit. With this guidance, we walk with God day and night, fulfilling His commandments, fighting our passions, and having a continual awareness of God's presence from communion with Him through constant prayer.
"The principal thing is to walk before God, or under God's eye aware that God is looking at you, searching your soul and your heart, seeing all that is there. This awareness is the most powerful lever in the mechanism of the inner spiritual life. (Theophan the Recluse)