I would like to approach this topic by first of all dividing that which I consider religion from that which I consider spirituality. Spirituality is defined as an ultimate or immaterial reality, an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of their being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live. Spirituality for me is the basis of our beliefs, it is the guiding principle that is born with us that guides us and protects us, that is our true compass when it comes to dealing with issues of good and evil, positive and negative. A persons spirituality is built into them, and though it may grow and change with them. Spirituality is like a backpack that God fills up for you before you are born, a package that helps you get through the problems of life. These tools can be anything - from spirit guides to animal guides, to people who are here to help us, to prayer, and faith, and many other things.
Religion on the other hand - is spirituality that has been taken en masse by a culture and made into a codified and systematic form of interacting with the Godhead(s) as they have ascertained it to be by their cultural viewpoint.
Now for the good part.
Spirituality is individualistic - organic and personalized. Religion is dogmatic and rigid. They, to me at least, are the two separate yet joined sides of a coin.
Enough of that. Spiritual demands. As I said before, Spirituality is entitled to the person. Some of us may be blessed healers, whose hands can strike the infirmities from the sick with but some herbs and perfume. Some of us may be capable of calling up spirits and entities from other realms, bending and binding them to our rule. Yet some others may find their expressions of spirituality in the channeling of erotic energies, finding oneness with orgasmic energy.
To those of us who are spiritual, there are strata that must be determined. Those of us who are personally spiritual have only ourselves to account to, and must not and should not answer to any others. Our destiny is within ourselves and our fulfillment. Those of us, however, that commit our lives to helping others, must hold ourselves accountable not to ourselves, nor to the needs of others - but more so to the strictures that guide our morals. Thus a balance must be struck, however slim or large. There are some of us who can get up every day and work spiritually for others, and yet, there are some that only do so for themselves.
The basic precepts of good morals should be our guiding light. We should not steal; nor should we lie or rob. We should not use our gifts for harm that is unmerited (this is arguable, but hey, it's my morals:) ), and we should never turn away from the gifts that we have been blessed with.
Our responsibilities to our community are the same - we should help where we can and when we can, even if it means sometimes sacrificing our happiness and what we believe we deserve. We do not need to make martyrs of ourselves, but we should be willing to put in a little bit more than others.
Spiritualist will be hurt - humanity sometimes does that to those that help it. But it is our part, to not hold grudges, or bitterness - but instead, to stick to the doctrine of our spirits, and keep going forth.
I'm going to have to think about this one more.
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