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I think that statement is needlessly insulting and also incorrect. The topic is people who say they are spiritual but not religious, after all. So they are admitting they're not religious.
OK. You can think that. In my experience, I've seen differently. But to each their own.
I think that statement is needlessly insulting and also incorrect. The topic is people who say they are spiritual but not religious, after all. So they are admitting they're not religious.
Spiritual would be tuning into and communing directly with God (or whatever the higher power or force is). Other people, and formal rules / regulations don't apply. It's strictly a vertical connection between the person and the higher power. Direct thought goes to the person, without vertical filtering and tampering from other people.
Religion is of lower tier, following rules and guidelines of the particular religion. Written documents are involved, and group thought is usually chased after. No actual spiritual connection is necessary. It's mostly a horizontal matter involving various people. Lip-service is usually given to the vertical (between people and higher power), but the horizontal aspect typically overwhelms and taints any vertical aspect.
Thanks for sharing your perspective. I suppose you can understand how dogmatic believers would be profoundly uncomfortable with the lack of "guard rails" you have, given their belief in the utter depravity of man and related things. It would feel to them like "anything goes". They would look frantically around for validation that they're on the "right track" and not find it. To your statement that "higher powers choose you" they would ask, how do you know all of those higher powers are benevolent and not misleading you?
So my question is this: in your experience is this "higher realm" you engage with uniformly benevolent in motivation? If yes, then how do you know that is not just reflecting your own personal benevolence and good will? How do you know it is something completely "other" than yourself?
Well, there went the rest of my morning, because there are few things I like better than pondering interesting questions and talking about myself! Of course, all of this is IMO, IME, and YMMV–I am not making any claims that this path would ever be right for anyone else, and I acknowledge that there are many who find their true spiritual path within an organized religion.
I can certainly understand that my spirituality would seem downright dangerous, as well as arrogant, to some. Luckily, I have no wish to convince anyone that my path is right or true or divinely inspired, or anything.
I have personally connected with a being who embodies unconditional love, and that was a profound experience indeed, and made me see myself and the religion I was brought up with in a very different light, because prior to that, I could not understand the concept of a being who did not want praise or worship, who would not punish me for being born sinful or for my lack of perfect obedience, and who loved me simply because I existed.
As far as whether I am being misled, I have had a lot of training in mediumship and shamanic practice, both of which cover in extensive detail how to recognize low level entities and protect yourself from them. If you put some protection around yourself, learn to spot them, and don’t let them freak you out or draw you in with flattery or promises, they can’t fool you or take advantage of you. (They are actually ridiculously easy to recognize, as even if they start off acting benevolent and all-knowing, they can’t keep that facade up for long, and pretty soon the ominous threats and distressing false predictions start up. Oh, and they hate humor because they don't get it, so making jokes and laughing will out them pretty quickly.)
I feel I can tell when I’m on the right track because in general, things flow smoothly and I feel in sync with myself. And in my experience, yes, the higher realm is indeed uniformly benevolent in nature, although of course that does not mean that loss, illness, and death will not be a part of the journey on this plane.
I do feel that these benevolent entities must in some way reflect my own personal benevolence and good will, or perhaps it is the other way around, because we are all a part of the whole. We are living on a plane that is difficult and we get distracted and we aren’t always our best selves, but there is the spark of the Divine in each of us.
And if the revelations and expressions of love I have received from what I feel are higher powers are not from some “other,” but from my own inner self, that’s pretty cool. I believe we all have the potential to be awesome within ourselves. (Although I do not know how some of the guidance I receive could come 100% from just me, as I sometimes receive information that doesn’t make sense to me until I Google it.)
Being on a my own path brings a lot of challenges, especially in dealing with family and friends who don’t understand why I don’t go to church or celebrate holidays, but I have found it to be deeply rewarding.
In general, I think a religious person who believes in God and religion, automatically is spiritual.
But how does “being spiritual without believing in God and religion”, work?
I know there may be definitions varying from practitioner to practitioner, but can we have a few explanations or elaboration on this state of awareness?
Those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, do they believe in life after death?
And what EXACTLY does it mean to be “spiritual” when you don’t believe in the existence God or in any religion?
Do you believe in soul?
If yes, what happens to the soul after death?
I am spiritual, not religious. I don't buy into all the doctrine and dogma. I don't do rituals or perform "mumbo jumbo." I have a deep and abiding faith that God is, there is no place God isn't, and I am in constant awareness that I am in the presence of God. I try (often fail) to see others with the love that God sees us all. When I cannot, I go on faith that I am missing it, and rely on God to deal with them when I cannot. I pray for guidance throughout the day. Sometimes I get answers, sometimes not.
I think we are souls in earthen bodies. I think when our body gives it up, our soul reunites with the Consciousness that is God. There is no death.
I am spiritual, not religious. I don't buy into all the doctrine and dogma. I don't do rituals or perform "mumbo jumbo." I have a deep and abiding faith that God is, there is no place God isn't, and I am in constant awareness that I am in the presence of God. I try (often fail) to see others with the love that God sees us all. When I cannot, I go on faith that I am missing it, and rely on God to deal with them when I cannot. I pray for guidance throughout the day. Sometimes I get answers, sometimes not.
I think we are souls in earthen bodies. I think when our body gives it up, our soul reunites with the Consciousness that is God. There is no death.
Quote:
Originally Posted by irootoo
When I say it about myself, I mean that I believe in a higher power, but I do not ascribe to any one set of beliefs or practices. When I connect with that higher power, I may address Spirit, the Universe, or any one of a number of ascended masters, gods, and/or angels. I connect with these energies on a daily basis, but I don't do pro forma rituals, professions of faith, or religion centered celebrations.
I understand that viewing my practices from the outside, some might say that I'm flakey, that I just mix and match, pick and choose willy-nilly, or whatever, but in actuality, I base my beliefs wholly on personal revelatory experiences, not on what anyone currently in human form tells me to believe. I did not choose the higher powers I connect with, they chose me, and it was a profound experience every time, just not something that could be put in the box of any one religion.
Thank you.
So what actionable items, if any, it results in your day to day life when you feel the connection (on daily basis) with this higher power?
Do you take any moral values from it? If yes, how? What's the mode of communication does this higher power use to send it's message to you?
Or connecting to this higher power does not effect in how do you spend your life?
And also, what's the general belief of a life after death, in your spiritual world?
Spiritual would be tuning into and communing directly with God (or whatever the higher power or force is). Other people, and formal rules / regulations don't apply. It's strictly a vertical connection between the person and the higher power. Direct thought goes to the person, without vertical filtering and tampering from other people.
Religion is of lower tier, following rules and guidelines of the particular religion. Written documents are involved, and group thought is usually chased after. No actual spiritual connection is necessary. It's mostly a horizontal matter involving various people. Lip-service is usually given to the vertical (between people and higher power), but the horizontal aspect typically overwhelms and taints any vertical aspect.
In general, I think a religious person who believes in God and religion, automatically is spiritual.
But how does “being spiritual without believing in God and religion”, work?
I know there may be definitions varying from practitioner to practitioner, but can we have a few explanations or elaboration on this state of awareness?
Those who consider themselves spiritual but not religious, do they believe in life after death?
And what EXACTLY does it mean to be “spiritual” when you don’t believe in the existence God or in any religion?
Do you believe in soul?
If yes, what happens to the soul after death?
It's very simple! A person has faith in God, but he doesn't go to church, he doesn't even observe religious traditions and celebrations. He prays with his own words from his heart, not as they are written in books. And his or her God definitely doesn't look like Jesus Christ or a human being at all.
Well, there went the rest of my morning, because there are few things I like better than pondering interesting questions and talking about myself! Of course, all of this is IMO, IME, and YMMV–I am not making any claims that this path would ever be right for anyone else, and I acknowledge that there are many who find their true spiritual path within an organized religion.
I can certainly understand that my spirituality would seem downright dangerous, as well as arrogant, to some. Luckily, I have no wish to convince anyone that my path is right or true or divinely inspired, or anything.
I have personally connected with a being who embodies unconditional love, and that was a profound experience indeed, and made me see myself and the religion I was brought up with in a very different light, because prior to that, I could not understand the concept of a being who did not want praise or worship, who would not punish me for being born sinful or for my lack of perfect obedience, and who loved me simply because I existed.
As far as whether I am being misled, I have had a lot of training in mediumship and shamanic practice, both of which cover in extensive detail how to recognize low level entities and protect yourself from them. If you put some protection around yourself, learn to spot them, and don’t let them freak you out or draw you in with flattery or promises, they can’t fool you or take advantage of you. (They are actually ridiculously easy to recognize, as even if they start off acting benevolent and all-knowing, they can’t keep that facade up for long, and pretty soon the ominous threats and distressing false predictions start up. Oh, and they hate humor because they don't get it, so making jokes and laughing will out them pretty quickly.)
I feel I can tell when I’m on the right track because in general, things flow smoothly and I feel in sync with myself. And in my experience, yes, the higher realm is indeed uniformly benevolent in nature, although of course that does not mean that loss, illness, and death will not be a part of the journey on this plane.
I do feel that these benevolent entities must in some way reflect my own personal benevolence and good will, or perhaps it is the other way around, because we are all a part of the whole. We are living on a plane that is difficult and we get distracted and we aren’t always our best selves, but there is the spark of the Divine in each of us.
And if the revelations and expressions of love I have received from what I feel are higher powers are not from some “other,” but from my own inner self, that’s pretty cool. I believe we all have the potential to be awesome within ourselves. (Although I do not know how some of the guidance I receive could come 100% from just me, as I sometimes receive information that doesn’t make sense to me until I Google it.)
Being on a my own path brings a lot of challenges, especially in dealing with family and friends who don’t understand why I don’t go to church or celebrate holidays, but I have found it to be deeply rewarding.
The indescribable love and acceptance of the Oneness is awesome! It is impossible to embrace the religious strictures and fear of God of the typical religions if you have encountered God (what you call the higher power). There IS only one, but is comprised of a multitude that is impossible to explain or describe - truly ineffable!
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