Posts Tagged ‘religion’
Ask the Religion Experts: How do you tell what parts of your religion should …
The Vedas, the most ancient texts of the Hindus (1500-1000 BCE) are a compilation of the revelations and spiritual insights of various sages. Thus they are called sruti (revealed). Metaphysical in nature, they reflect on the origins of the cosmos, …
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Victory of Light returns April 21 & 22
Cincinnati, OH — Established in 1992 by psychic medium Victor Paruta, the Victory of Light Expo is one of the largest and longest-running metaphysical conventions for the general public in the country. The 39th Victory of Light Expo takes place …
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Vaisakhi primer: How Hindu spirituality dovetails with Western philosophy
They are finding that key Hindu metaphysical concepts are compatible with Western ideas about evolutionary theory and European philosophical traditions emphasizing creativity and self-realization. With Vaisakhi festivals set to begin around the world, …
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New Healing Retreat with Australia's Leading Intuitive Healer Reveals the …
“In 1984, I was told by an aura reader that I had two choices … keep doing what I was doing – living a life without a plan, no spiritual guidance and poor relationship skills,” said Julie, “or take up a new life path exploring metaphysics …
Read more on WebWire (press release)
More and more people in the developed countries think themselves spiritual without fitting to a religion.
Bit some of the central world religions believe that there isn’t spiritual life out of their confines. Now, spend some time to discover the differences between spirituality and religion.
Both spirituality and religion, at a core level are about our relationship with God, the Divine, the Mystery or Absolute truth, by whatever name you give it. From my point of view the similarities end here.
Spirituality as I see it is an innate dimension to our existence and our relationship with the Mystery of life. Religions are manmade structures that seek to define and control our spiritual nature. Religion used to be a cultures one size fits all spirituality and in many parts of the world still are. Spirituality is personal, fluid and evolving. Religions are constructed with rigid and moralized belief systems.
Religion is based on faith and accepted beliefs which define the parameters of what is allowed to be believed. Ideas and beliefs beyond these boundaries are often considered heresy and usually punishable one way or another, even with death. Religion has strict codes of what is right and wrong and applicable punishments in both this life and beyond. This polarized moralizing of human behavior is a system of control based on fear. Neitzsche pointedly dispelled this cannon of religious dogma when he said “there are no moral phenomena only the moral interpretation of phenomena”.
What is amazing is that despite all of this there are people who are able to find authentic spirituality within the confines of their accepted religion.
Spirituality tends to be independent of religious doctrine and belief systems, although most people who consider themselves spiritual and not religious construct a belief system that they feel comfortable with. If this personal spiritual belief system becomes inflexible and rigid it can be as limiting to spiritual development as those of religion, though less likely to fill you with fear, guilt and shame.
The human mind creates systems of belief one way or another. The majority of these beliefs are received as conditioning from the culture that we grow up in. Spiritual development can be seen as a process of freeing ourselves from the conditioned state of the mind and therefore a limited experience of self. For it is beyond the conditioned state of mind that we experience the Mystery of the Divine. In the depths of this experience of Self beyond mind the boundaries of separation dissolve and the Self is experienced as One with the Divine. This process of spiritual evolution into awakening is the very nature of life itself.
Religion being manmade, being made in the consciousness of separation, places the divine outside of ourselves. This is true even when the source of the religion taught the spiritual truth of unity with God. Christianity is a great example. Jesus in his teaching clearly said that the kingdom of heaven is within all of us. How then did it become a place where God lives and we go where we go after we’re dead if we’ve been good and lived by the prescribed rules?
One answer is that spiritual teachers like Jesus spoke from a more evolved state of consciousness, and those who came after them and formulated religion in their name, were of a less evolved level of consciousness, and interpreted the teachings from this low level of consciousness thus distorting it.
Another interpretation is that religion was identified as a means of controlling an entire population of people, and its teachings were distorted to this end. Taking Christianity is an example again it seems quite apparent to me that both these interpretations are aspects of how Christianity became what it is today. Don’t think so? Well how is it that hundreds of years of war and countless atrocities have been committed in the name of religion, when pretty much all religions hold a core tenant of Thou shalt not kill, and Do onto others as you would have them do unto you, or the like?
Spirituality in its nature requires the questioning of beliefs, which tends to set it at odds with religion. Professing being spiritual doesn’t necessarily mean that we do question our beliefs, but freed from the confines of religious dogma, life will inevitably provide the circumstances for us to more readily do so. Accepting this opportunity to keep stepping beyond the boundaries of the identity that we hold, is the means of living spirituality. Spirituality then requires forging your own unique path of awakening to our true nature.
Religion requires conformity, discourages independent thought, self inquiry, it requires followers. That anyone finds spirituality in religion is amazing to me, that they do is testament to the power of truth to shine through. So is religion all bad? No, for clearly many thousands of people are inspired to be of service to their fellows by their religious beliefs. And when religion inspires seeing beyond the appearance of difference and is a vessel from which to expand ones beliefs and seek direct experience of the Mystery that manifest and animates life, then it still serves it’s spiritual purpose and spirituality and religion unite.
Ray Baskerville is a healer, meditation teacher, certified hypnotherapist, yogi and proud father. He has worked as a healer, taught meditation and yoga worldwide. Ray is also the creator and editor of lifedivine.net an online magazine for yoga, meditation, spirituality and personal development. Please visit for more free quality articles like this.
Leo Rutherford – Spirituality without Religion – Finding your Path With Heart One Sunday morning, at the Chapel Arts Centre in Bath, Leo Rutherford gave a talk on the joys and blessings of the Christian faith…… www.shamanism.co.uk www.arcconvention.org
Video Rating: 5 / 5
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Leo Rutherford is the author of “Thorsons Way of Shamanism”, “The View Through the Medicine Wheel”, “Shamanic Path Workbook” and the upcoming title “Spirituality without Religion – The God Who Hates Bodies, Women and Sex”. Leo joins us to talk about Shamanism, Religion, Christianity, the Christian Church, The Relationship to Sexuality and Religion as the Great Fraud of the Last 2000 Years. Topics Discussed: Introduction to Shamanism, Christianity, Billy Graham, Suppressing Emotions, Sexuality, Tools, Why is sexuality being suppressed in the Christian Church? War and Love, Roman Catholic Church, the Inquisition, Land, Property, Witch, Wise Woman, Gold, Assets, A Male Prerogative, Destroying of Knowledge, Hidden Knowledge, Vatican, Celibacy, The Church Loosing Power, Sun of God, Virgin Mare – Mary, Jesus Christ, Crucifixion, Death, Life, Sacrifice, Justin Martyr, Rome, Constantine, Rome and the UK, Envy, Women and Birth, Genesis, Creation, Adam & Eve, Serpent, God is a Liar, Serpent, With Knowledge Comes Pleasure and Pain, Self Awareness, Choice, Financial Trouble, Challenge, 2012, Adaptable People, Funny Money, Who is Responsible? Liabilities in the Future, Remote Viewing. In the second hour with Leo we focus on the the Four Steps of Shamanism and the process of becoming whole. We discuss the importance of letting go and how to regain your self esteem, to learn to face death, how to stop the world and stop the mind and how to finally master the Wheel of Life. We talk about …
bit incoherent *cough cough* which i apologize for. for the purposes of this video, as discussed herein, i use the term “spirituality” as it pertains to the distinctive characteristics of a being or entity. there’s more to my views on that, which if anyone’s interested i might expand on in a future video. suffice to say, i do NOT think spirituality *as a factor of human psychology* or as a human inclination, necessitates any belief in the supernatural, or a belief in an immortal soul or an afterlife. its more referring to the concept of Self and the assumption that there is something distinct to each individual, beyond mere appearance, which seems so prevalent in our species. obviously, here in this discussion i’ve not mentioned the phase of polytheism which dominated much of human history, but its not really germane to this discussion. early spiritual practices and rituals were centered around communicating with, placating, or trying to influence their god or gods. this inevitably lead to giving the people responsible for this, power and influence within the group. thus was born religion. just one instrument of many that human beings have devised to control or manipulate one another. it need not arise that way. other worlds will have other conditions, and the intelligent beings who evolve may do so from predatory carnivores, and therefore have less empathy for certain lifeforms, and hence they would develop differently. or they could be nocturnal, or aquatic, or any …
Leo Rutherford – Spirituality without Religion – Finding your Path With Heart One Sunday morning, at the Chapel Arts Centre in Bath, Leo Rutherford gave a talk on the joys and blessings of the Christian faith…… www.shamanism.co.uk www.arcconvention.org
Video Rating: 5 / 5
Newark, NJ (PRWEB) November 06, 2011
“My first memory is me as a child, running from the shadows,” says Cruz about growing up with a mother with schizophrenia. From this experience, Cruz took a different approach to self-help and new age religions. People create mental prisons for themselves, whether it is guilt, regret, or longing, everyone is tortured by the voices in their heads, says Cruz.
These voices are what Cruz calls the shadows, the suppressed memories, thoughts, and emotions. The only way to tame those voices is to bring them into the light. People can do this through awareness by understanding the truth about history.
‘When The Shadows Began To Dance’ is a book that rediscovers black history through the main character Nelly Reyes. She suffers from mental illness, a broken family, abuse, and neglect. She is able to piece back the parts of her soul by allowing herself to be guided by her ancestors and the Seven African Powers.
Nelly is then able to understand the religion of her ancestors, a religion that helped them to survive slavery in the New World. When The Shadows Began To Dance is now available on Amazon.com. for purchase.
Yamaya Cruz reveals the hidden secrets of the past. She incorporates ancient knowledge with African folklore to create a storyline that is powerful and haunting. She writes with fearless passion, keeping the reader engaged long after the story is told. She aspires to write books that are about spiritual healing, with emotional feeling, so peoples shadows can dance. She currently writes articles and blogs about shamanism, Orisha worship, chakra healing, and much more!
For more information about When The Shadows Began To Dance, please visit http://www.alternativevibrations.com or contact Oshun Love at 201-297-4773.
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Question by wendalore: Why is it that Atheists come to “Religion and Spirituality?”?
Since they do not believe in them? (another millionth question – I think I’ve seen this one.)
Is it to feel better than religious people by dint of their superiority?
Is it to spread the light of wisdom to what they see as the primitive “heathen”… as if they were like the missionaries in the olden days come to spread Christianity to the Pagans?
Is it because they are so much happier than Theists, and they want everyone to be happy like they are?
I got a LOT of answers to my question about Atheism being a kind of faith. The dedication of the Atheist, whom, day or night, can be found to tell Theists they are wrong does smack of the fervor of the Evangelical missionary. So I guess on an emotional level, it still seems like a kind of faith to me.
But I digress: Speaking as honestly as you can, looking deep inside, why do you, Atheist person, come here to R&S?
Best answer:
Answer by Sea squill Squill
Environmental factors determine one’s beliefs. This is why the Truth with a capital T is timeless. Note how ‘timeless’ doesn’t take a capital T… this is because our universe is one atom of another universe.
Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!
