What does spirituality mean to you?

[regine_phalange]

Do I believe in God? That is a tough question to answer because I have an open mind, but I find myself torn to come to a solid conclusion with my "faith". Theists believe there is a God, without the need of physical proof God exists. Atheist do not believe there is a God, with the physical proof God does not exist. The closest I can proselytize myself to is being an agnostic, but not completely. To me God exists, but doesn't exist at the same time. In addition, I also think there can be multiple deities if even one does exist. Also, what makes God or the gods divine? For their ambivalence toward mankind, they are truly arcane, incomprehensible to the human mind.

 

I am young and have gone through some phases of my life concerning religion and faith. I'm sure I will experience something in my future that will also change my perception from what I have now. That being said, I am spiritual because I exist. I can affect my surroundings, and I have emotions to represent my inner, intangible self. I am self-aware and often wonder if I was reincarnated from something/someone else or was I in a spiritual queue waiting for my turn to manifest physically. But ultimately I believe spirituality is tied to the physical self, because just like the wind, which cannot be seen directly, but can be felt and has an affect on the physical.

I totally loved this! It matches very much my own outlook.

 

Very interesting my dear Scorpio. My mother was never religious or spiritual when she was younger. She had a near-death experience when I was very young. She told me that all her pain was gone, and she felt peace and no pain. She said she has seen some of her deceased relatives, such as grandparents, uncles, and aunts at this spiritual juncture. Ever since then she's been very religious and spiritual. Often talks about the afterlife, how she is convinced there is more after this life. I'm happy for my mother that she has her faith and spirituality. Maybe she is onto something.

 

It's very unusual that your mum had such an experience. What did those relatives do when she saw them? Do you mean her almost-death normally brought her physical pain, but after a point, because she was near death the pain stopped?

[Frank2thepoint]

I totally loved this! It matches very much my own outlook.

 

Thank you my dear spiritual Scorpio. I'm glad we share the same outlook on the subject.

 

Now about that poem you stole from me...

 

 

It's very unusual that your mum had such an experience. What did those relatives do when she saw them? Do you mean her almost-death normally brought her physical pain, but after a point, because she was near death the pain stopped?

 

My mom told me the story years ago. I meant to say she was in pain during her near-death experience, but once she was approaching death, she felt at peace and no pain. I don't know what her relatives did, but since you mentioned it, it got me thinking that I should discuss this further with my mom.

[regine_phalange]

Thank you my dear spiritual Scorpio. I'm glad we share the same outlook on the subject.

 

Now about that poem you stole from me...

What poem?

 

 

 

My mom told me the story years ago. I meant to say she was in pain during her near-death experience, but once she was approaching death, she felt at peace and no pain. I don't know what her relatives did, but since you mentioned it, it got me thinking that I should discuss this further with my mom.

 

 

That's really comforting to hear! It made me feel nice. Oh, do ask her, please! Im very insterested.

[pureinheart]

Since the death of a dear friend, I have been thinking about my own journey with spirituality, how most of it is based on feelings and faith. I'm not religious but definitely a spiritual man who has a very pagan view on the energy of life and our interconnectedness. I was talking to my son last night who is serving in the Middle East, and he said he has seen so much death and destruction that it makes him question if there is any order to life. I explained some opinions based on chaos theorists and we talked about the role of nature vs. technology and conquest of the Information Age, etc.

 

I tried to not lead him but to just make comments and give him my views in the least intrusive way I could. It is interesting what he believes, much more traditional and even almost religious but not bound to one sect. He said he needs to believe in heaven and hell, so that justice is served in the hereafter because he doesn't feel it is served here on earth. I have always taught my kids to believe and search with an open mind towards what they need in order to be good people. It made me start thinking about why I believe in God and why I need that belief. I was wondering how many others have found a slighty unorthodox spiritual journey and what does spirituality mean to you?

Reflectively,

Grumps

 

(((((((hugs)))))) GBF, I am so sorry about your friend:( That is really hard:(

 

What does spirituality mean for me? It's a day by day experience. It's my submission to the will of God- less of me and more of Him. Casting all of my cares on Him because I am not in control, He is. In one word, submission.

 

I hope you're doing better…man my heart goes out to you concerning your loss...

[Grumpybutfun]

(((((((hugs)))))) GBF, I am so sorry about your friend:( That is really hard:(

 

What does spirituality mean for me? It's a day by day experience. It's my submission to the will of God- less of me and more of Him. Casting all of my cares on Him because I am not in control, He is. In one word, submission.

 

I hope you're doing better…man my heart goes out to you concerning your loss...

 

Thank you, pure in heart. You are so very kind. Very aptly named. Isn't it interesting how our mind turns to spiritual matters in times such as these? As I gave the eulogy (her partner was too overcome and so they asked me to step in) I kept thinking of what she would have wanted us to leave the church with...what would she have to wanted a gathering of people to know? It came to me that she would have wanted everyone to be present in their lives and to enjoy each moment. Give ourselves to our spiritual selves as a means to let go of earthly desires....believing in something higher helps us to let go of feeling so overwhelmed, so very alone and disconnected. God does that for many...makes people aware of our interconnectedness, of the joy of helping others and being kind.

The interesting thing that came from this was the way my children were after the burial...hanging onto me and my wife, my daughters were practically sitting right in top of me and keeping me in a perpetual hug. Out of character for my eldest daughter. My son kept asking me questions about God, cancer and our health. I could tell they were really making my wife more emotional. It got to the point where I finally had to take them aside at the reception and tell them their mother and I are fine, we both just had physicals and are relatively young as we adopted them when they were older except for the little peanut who was a newborn, and even if something happens they will be okay because their mother and I will always be in their hearts and in their character since we have been their guides.

My oldest daughter seemed reassured and logically compartmentalized it, my son seemed to think we are going to fall dead at any moment, and my youngest was like a leech to me the entire day. I understand as abandonment is a big issue for them due to their birth mothers actions and inactions over the years and when they were little. My wife had doubts about them going to her funeral but I believe that in order for young adults to understand life, they have to experience the end of life. Sadness and grieving are healthy and I don't want to shelter them too much from terrible things.

It seems as hard for me to understand the senselessness of her death as my children. Warm, vibrant, giving, joyful, funny people are in short supply and she will be missed.

Thanks for the kind words,

Grumps

[littleplanet]

Long story short:

I guess religion/spirituality always represented stubborn-ness/rebellion to me.

 

I was lucky. As a kid, I was left to my own devices to figure it out. There were various trips to religious institutions to check it out. Nothing stuck.

 

Except that when I was a kid, I had a red-letter version of the bible. I loved that version, because everything that JC said was.......written in red.

So that's what I read.

I decided he was one cool dude.

I pretty much ignored everything written in black.

And have, ever since.

 

I remember being about 11.......kinda wishing He'd written his own book, you know? Like an autobiography.

 

Fast-forward to my college days, and what kicked in was native cosmology. Respect and reverence for all living things.

But what I ultimately ended up with is humanism.

Which is something everyone on the planet shares. Whatever we are, or aren't, or believe or disbelieve, we're all human.

 

Sometimes I muse on the idea of modern translations:

- like overturning the money tables at Goldman Sachs (hyper-hacking the banking records?)

- or feeding a starving nation with 2 big macs and 5 large fries

- or watching a Buffet and a Gates trying to shove a camel through the eye of a needle.....

 

I guess I always liked the idea of spirituality making people better people.

I always hated the idea of it being used for 'justifiable cruelty.'

 

But my idea of heaven?

Whatever it is, it is somewhere else than here. It's where all the good people I miss the most hang out.

There's a small, select group of songs I sometimes sing to them.

And while the applause rolls around, I always pause on stage and look up, pointing.....

(sort of like that home run hitter at the plate, you know?)

It just feels right. Personal. Private.

While hell is just the human suffering right here on earth.

It's kind of simple.

Jesus wept, and so do we, when the spirit moves us.

 

But my favorite quote that sort of spells it out - comes from South African Township jive.....(hands reach out from Africa.)

"Just let your soul move your body

then your body moves your soul

'Cause when your soul moves your body

Then your body gonna move your soul"

(that's how it works.)

 

That's when the two dance together. Perfect harmony.

 

cheers, Grumps.

nice thread.

 

LP

[janedoe67]

For the first.......30 or so year of my life, I tended to always fall back into the rules/religion version of spirituality. Specifically conservative Bible Belt theology. I "got saved" - as we you-know-whats call it as a teenager, so that is really when I would say my journey into spirituality as I see it began. Because I see it, at its core, as a relationship. Head knowledge is fine. Legalism is not. But without a relationship, it's kind of pointless.

 

Now the pronouncement of my spirituality as orthodox or unorthodox would probably depend on who looks at it. For some, I probably still look like some kind of "fundamentalist," though the definition of that word has morphed a lot. To the people who are more like the members of the church I grew up in, I probably seem like some backslidden, Harry-Potter reading, wine drinking liberal. I believe that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe He literally rose from the dead after dying to take my punishment. I believe in redemption - the kind HE talked about where our sin is separated as far as the east is from the west once its confessed. I believe my job to become more like Him is more important than how many signs I carry or how I vote. I believe it is my job to take care of the log in my eye instead of pontificating about the speck in someone else's. I believe that if you aren't following the second commandment with EVERYONE you meet (love your neighbor as yourself), then you probably aren't REALLY following the first (Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength). I believe that the sins I commit should matter to me more than the sins other people commit.

 

I think there are some people who are going to be surprised at all the "reprobates" that end up being with them in Heaven. And I think some of those self-righteous are going to be surprised when they DON'T end up there

[pie2]

I was lucky. As a kid, I was left to my own devices to figure it out. There were various trips to religious institutions to check it out. Nothing stuck.

 

Except that when I was a kid, I had a red-letter version of the bible. I loved that version, because everything that JC said was.......written in red.

So that's what I read.

I decided he was one cool dude.

I pretty much ignored everything written in black.

And have, ever since.

 

I remember being about 11.......kinda wishing He'd written his own book, you know? Like an autobiography.

 

 

I think one of the amazing things about the bible is how it's all related to Jesus. How everything is a foreshadowing, a comparison, a background to Jesus. There are some words that he spoke in the bible, but really the whole book is filled with God's (Jesus') words.

 

Actually, even the sky, the moon, the stars (and all of our surroundings) are words from God. The heavens speak to us about God's glory, just as Jesus did. We just have to learn to listen.

 

 

I guess religion/spirituality always represented stubborn-ness/rebellion to me.

 

How so?

[Grumpybutfun]

Long story short:

I guess religion/spirituality always represented stubborn-ness/rebellion to me.

 

I was lucky. As a kid, I was left to my own devices to figure it out. There were various trips to religious institutions to check it out. Nothing stuck.

 

Except that when I was a kid, I had a red-letter version of the bible. I loved that version, because everything that JC said was.......written in red.

So that's what I read.

I decided he was one cool dude.

I pretty much ignored everything written in black.

And have, ever since.

 

I remember being about 11.......kinda wishing He'd written his own book, you know? Like an autobiography.

 

Fast-forward to my college days, and what kicked in was native cosmology. Respect and reverence for all living things.

But what I ultimately ended up with is humanism.

Which is something everyone on the planet shares. Whatever we are, or aren't, or believe or disbelieve, we're all human.

 

Sometimes I muse on the idea of modern translations:

- like overturning the money tables at Goldman Sachs (hyper-hacking the banking records?)

- or feeding a starving nation with 2 big macs and 5 large fries

- or watching a Buffet and a Gates trying to shove a camel through the eye of a needle.....

 

I guess I always liked the idea of spirituality making people better people.

I always hated the idea of it being used for 'justifiable cruelty.'

 

But my idea of heaven?

Whatever it is, it is somewhere else than here. It's where all the good people I miss the most hang out.

There's a small, select group of songs I sometimes sing to them.

And while the applause rolls around, I always pause on stage and look up, pointing.....

(sort of like that home run hitter at the plate, you know?)

It just feels right. Personal. Private.

While hell is just the human suffering right here on earth.

It's kind of simple.

Jesus wept, and so do we, when the spirit moves us.

 

But my favorite quote that sort of spells it out - comes from South African Township jive.....(hands reach out from Africa.)

"Just let your soul move your body

then your body moves your soul

'Cause when your soul moves your body

Then your body gonna move your soul"

(that's how it works.)

 

That's when the two dance together. Perfect harmony.

 

cheers, Grumps.

nice thread.

 

LP

 

Loved this post...wonderful little soul that you are... i sometimes think spirituality is an amazing perspective of millions of ideas and feels.

Happily,

G

[littleplanet]

Loved this post...wonderful little soul that you are... i sometimes think spirituality is an amazing perspective of millions of ideas and feels.

Happily,

G

 

 

Just a small bit of spirit am I.

(I like to try to not forget that, when my britches get oversized.)

 

What a wonderful design our collection of senses are.

They bring us the story of life.

(And then it's up to us to retell it.)

 

 

And to pie2.........

 

How so?

I found a lot of stubborn rebellion in those red letters.

Rather than passive acceptance and submission -

active disagreement with established things that a free heart just knows are wrong.

That's how He inspired me as a kid, anyway.

 

That's a free heart. Not a pure one.

(If I had my choice - and I suppose I always have.....I know which one I'd choose.)

 

But hey - that was a big leap forward from Jiminy Cricket!