Spirituality Posting

[wyn]

So. Yeah. zorman32 and arualanne inspired this one.

Besides, it's been a while.

Spirituality posting- for those of you what are small-minded, unwilling to discuss such topics in a calm, rational and mature way, or just plain stupid... well, you might not want to take part. Because really, I will get out my Clue By Four. And then I'll use it. Heh. Please don't make me get out my LiveJournal Etiquette Rules, mmmkay?

For my own part, I look at Spirituality and Religion as two entirely separate things.

Religion is a system of beliefs put in place by man to try and explain the Spiritual- a unique and individual path to be walked by each being which taps into the energy, life-force and beauty of God, The Creator, The Divine, Allah, or whomever you relate to in this regard.

Spirituality does not need Religion to exist as it is already an individual's Spirit Journey. Religion, on the other hand, is a structured base of rules and regulations which tries to define how Spirituality works. As such, it needs at the very least the idea of Spirituality so as to be able to exist.

That being said, I have known a handful of deeply Spiritual people who are not in any way Religious. I have also met several Religious people who have no clue what true Spirituality is.

Now, in a friend's posting, someone brought up the point that he believes it is not possible for one to be spiritual and have a human experience.

I tend to disagree.

For one, I believe that I am a spiritual being having a human experience. I believe that when I die, the meat sack otherwise known as my body will fall off and then act as food for Mother Earth after having received sustenance from her my entire life. As I told arualanne, I kinda like this idea as it makes me happy to realize that there will come a time I can give back even that little amount (granted, there's a ton of other ways to give back to Mother Earth, but I'm not getting into that here as it would just totally derail my train of thought- and we all know where that leads to, heh).

Anywho, in looking upon myself as a Spiritual Being first and foremost, I realize that when I die, my body will remain as my Soul goes on to it's next great adventure, test or lesson needing to be learned. As such, I believe that while I'm a Spiritual Being, I do realize that my body is human- ie, having a "human experience."

Zorman states that by their very nature, spirituality and physicality are in complete opposition to each other, existentially. Yet I have to disagree in that I believe that the more we learn in the physical, the better spirituality is proven. The more complexities we discover in the very foundation of life (cells, mitochondria, atoms, dark matter, etc.), the more it proves to me that life is not simply some big colossal accident that happened when a big pointy rock smashed off of another big pointy rock. Plus, honestly? The Big Bang Theory never made sense to me... because where'd the rocks come from in the first place? Oh, I believe in evolution, but to say that we're just a Cosmic Coincidence... it doesn't make sense to me.

Now I know I have a fairly eclectic group of friends here on my list. There are a couple of atheists/agnostics, a Christian or two and a far greater number who probably identify as pagan or such. More than likely there's one or two of you who identify as something else entirely.

This is open to all of you.

Thoughts, ideas, beliefs, discussions, etc. are all welcome here. I simply ask that you be polite in sharing your beliefs and understand that it might not be that of another. Respect their beliefs as you would ask for your own to be.

After that, feel free to add your two cents worth :)

Comments

[arualanne.livejournal.com]

seee what I meant with using Purgatory was not the exact traditional thought of it, but more the waiting room sort of thing, but not due to being bad, but more of a break room. I am here after finishing this job, but the whole isn't finished so I will take a break, sort out what just happened in that life before I move on to the next challenge or try again sort of thing. So not a waiting room, like punishment, but more or a take a breather, relax and try again or meet the new situation/life head on.

Thanks about the grammar thing. I admit I am not as bad as I could be, and I thank whatever is out there for spell check as I use it a lot. I know my grammar has definitely decreased though since beginging in school and not really having to care about it. Also it feels like the longer I am down here the dumber I get and I start using phrases such as ya'll, although I have never stated I ain't got no e-mail! when looking for a receptionist job. *Shakes head*

I have always found visuals easier, I just think that way for some reason.

Mmmmmm now I have to go home and make something horrible for me like brownies.

Also don't worry about disappearing on subjects. I would much rather have someone actually mull something over before they replied than just to reply and not really know what they think.

[shadows-wolf06.livejournal.com]

I think your view of Purgatory is more like my view of The Hall of Records. To me, that's the place one goes to after this life is finished. There you can find your own record in the Book, take a look at where you stand and figure out where you go from there. Purgatory, in my mind, is the state of fixing the things you've done wrong in the past; ie, this life as you try to make up for karmic debts in those past.

If that makes sense...

Sometimes I've found that my way of thinking is far different from those of the general masses. And even in the pagan community come to that.

Believe me, When I was on Witch's Home there was a manager who was sooooooo bad with his grammar that everyone gave him flack about it. It didn't help that he was dyslexic, but he refused to use a spell-checker.

Drove me absolutely bonkers, that one. Since then, he's figured out how to use spell-check it seems.

Normally, if I shelf a subject it's generally not permanently. It's simply for the moment until I can figure out a way to express it in the right words. Because nowadays? The right words are generally hard to find...

[arualanne.livejournal.com]

it does seem that your hall of records would be what I would call purgatory. A place in between and yet connected.

I don't know what I would call that introspective head space where you would got to figure out life and how to fix it all, I have never given that much thought. I see it I guess as a part of my inner voice.

I don't really have any other place that I go to think about or like any sort of deeper meditative place in my mind boxed off from the rest of my mind, a sanctuary in my head? Although I could see where some people might have that. I don't know my brain and inner monologue don't pause long enough to know. Think, think, think think, ooo look a kitty. That is sort of how my brain goes. I sense that I am something more than just this flesh and blood and the inner voice/thinking is something I associate with that. I feel like I am blocked from some sort of greater knowledge that is just on the tip of my mind frequently. I don't know how to reach it and I think maybe I am not supposed to as part of the challenge for me in this life is the limitation, but I don't know.

The hall of records/my purgatory is more or less the place where I would know all that I have been though and all that I can do and perhaps have a good idea of what I can do? I think of it as a place where these things are revealed although there are no books in mine, just knowledge that you already really have, but have limited access to in this existence. I feel like there my soul will feel whole and not constricted as it sometimes does in this existence.

Okay now I think I am babbling and just working though this as I talk. Perhaps I should do some mulling over of my own.