Dear Wiseguy

Q: What is the difference between Religion and Spirituality?
Signed:  Mr. I.M. Seeking, Nanaimo, B.C.

This age old question illustrates our ongoing struggle to understand where & how Religion and Spirituality fit into our lives.  Primarily, Religion is NOT Spirituality and Spirituality does not need Religion to validate it.  Fundamentally, we are Spiritual beings & in this light, Spirituality is closer to us than our own breath. Spirituality goes beyond beliefs and belief systems to an essential knowing which comprises a universal truth that is common to every one of us.  When we choose to live our lives in alignment with this truth, we are said to be living Spiritually.  You can witness Spirituality in action wherever you see a display of transpersonal states of being such as compassion, humility, acceptance, faith, integrity and unconditional love!

Religion on the other hand is a set of beliefs based on a Spiritual teaching or tradition. In some cases, religion has sought to ‘interpret’ spirituality and package it for mass consumption. It has in essence become the ‘middle man’ between you and your spirit, which I refer to as god of your heart.  As a tool for enhancing your connection to spirit, religion can be a powerful and helpful venue. It can provide an environment of fellowship & support which, through rituals, is conducive to you connecting with your Spiritual Truth.  However, when it is used to control, manipulate and use individuals for it’s own ends, it is a potent & highly damaging instrument. One sure indicator of such damage is when it uses fear, guilt and a myriad of other such emotions as ‘conditions’ to your emancipation.  As one colleague puts it, “Religion hijacks Spirit by putting itself ahead of God, Peace, Love & Compassion”!

 In my years of coaching & counseling, numerous clients have had ‘negative’ experiences with religion for it was ‘stuffed down their throats’.  This created an adverse reaction on their behalf and they rejected religion, escaping its clutches & vowing never to get trapped by it again. Unfortunately, they also mistakenly discounted their Spirituality along with the religion, and ended up “throwing the baby out with the bath water”. The ensuing feelings of emptiness, meaninglessness, and disconnection from life did not resolve until they realized that they had an inborn, ‘direct’ access to their own spirituality - a built in support system from which they could draw guidance & support when life became challenging & stuck! And this is true for all of us & if we forget this, remember the teaching of the many masters, saints and seers who have graced this earth with their message that god is the spirit within each of us. All we need to do is simply go within, connect & make our lives a living spirituality.

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