spirituality

Spirituality vs. Religion

I am at a point in my life where I am seriously abandoning religion and seeking spirituality. The things written on this page are my opinion, I don't purposly intend on ruffling the feathers of those out there who choose religion as their faith path.

I once heard a pastor say these words..."I hear people say that they are not religious but that they are very spiritual, I think that's just a cop-out!".....At the time, I wasn't really actively seeking spirituality, so it didn't anger me, but it really confused me. Because I'd just heard someone that I dearly respected saying those very words, that he was spiritual, but not religious. But that got the ball rolling on my path of finding my spirit-way. I now know that it's not those on a spiritual path that are cop outs, but it is infact many of those on the religious path (in my opinion) who are the cop outs. Why? Because in many, if not most religions one is not encouraged or maybe even allowed to venture out on their own spiritual path, to discover their own truths, to aks why. They are just told "This is what our church teaches" and they accept that. They are not told they need to go out and find what really speaks to their souls as truth, they are just given this nice little package of information wrapped up in a sermon.

Now this isn't a religion bashing page, though I could probably pretty easily spout off a good page of religion bashing items, (but I won't) This is a page about the differences between religion and spirituality. In my own spiritual path, I have taken the road of studying alot of different styles, things that catch my eye, different levels of spirituality, and I simply take what my spirit tells me is truth for me, and I discard the rest, or maybe not discard it, but tuck it away somewhere for later.. My husband pointed out to me not too long ago, that I jump from one thing to the next, virtually obcessing about one topic of research until I completely burn myself out on information, then move on to the next topic. I had to take a look at my research style and think about it for a moment. Then my spirit took over, and gave me the answer. I told my husband that I want to study and learn about all different types of things and absorb it all. In absorbing everything, I can take little peices of what makes sense to me, and leave the rest behind. Each peice is kind of like a jig-saw puzzle peice. Then at the end of my life, I will be able to look and find a completed puzzle with tiny peices from all over the world and from all my searching. That to me is what spirituality is. Searching, continuously, and faithfully. Not just accepting truth because someone or something told you so or because "that's what our church believes".. Not just because it's part of a sermon or dogma. Accepting only those things that make your soul sing and speak to you as truth.

In the powerful book "Beyond Religion, by David N. Elkins, Ph.D, he says a great line....."Why is it that reigion thinks it has a monopoly on spirituality? I am finding now that sometimes finding truth means stripping yourself completely of any religious ties to any one dogma or belief. To completely abandon any belief system and start from scratch, reading about all forms or religion and spirituality. So you can be a clean slate in order to find what means truth to you. I personally have chosen to commit to The Divine and not to a religion. A very wise person told me very recently, "Truth is truth. One person's truth may not be the same as anothers. And who am I to say that my truth is the right one and that you should choose it too? One must go out and find a truth of their own."

In completing this section, I am drawn to say that maybe one religion doesn't have it all wrapped up and is ultimately correct. Maybe we should take peices of each religion, studying them all, and make up our own belief system from bits and peices of all of them. I wish more churches and religious sects encouraged this practice. I think there would be alot more peace in the world.

I wish you faith and peace in your travels through spiritual development, even if that means adopting a main stream religious belief. If that is what resonates to your soul, then more power to ya! In all your travels, know that I say Namaste to you. Namaste is a hindu word that means I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides, and I honor the place in you of love, light & peace.

Namaste

One of Carl Jungs favorite stores:
The water of life, wishing to make itself known on the face of the Earth, bubbled up into an artesian well and flowed without effort or limit. People came to drink of the magic water and were nourished by it, since it was so clean and pure and invigorating. But humankind was not content to leave things in this Edenic state. Gradually they began to fence the well, charge admission, claim ownership of the property around it, make elaborate laws as to who could come to the well, put locks on the gates. Soon the well was the property of the powerful and the elite. The water was angry and offended; it stopped flowing and began to bubble up in another place. The people who owned the property around the first well were so engrossed in their power systems and ownership that they didn't notice that the water had vanished. They continued selling the nonexistent water, and few people noticed that the true power was gone. But some dissatisfied people searched with great courage and found the new artesian well. Soon that well was under the control of the property owners, and the same fate overtook it. The spring took itself to yet another place--and this has been going on throughout recorded history.