Did you know there is a difference between being spiritual and religious? The line between these two is so thin that we often confuse them. Take this for example, I was born and raised Adventist, up to date, I am still Adventist. For the longest time I kept the faith because that was passed down to me, it is what I was told was right as a young child. It’s what is popularly known as indoctrination. It has happened to all of us, and it isn’t going to stop. We have been raised to belief in certain set of principles, when these become ingrained in our ‘genes’, we find it had to break away from them. We become rigid people, we throw sense and practicality out of the window. Pragmatism is a word that is never associated with us.
After being tossed and turned by life, I realized I need more than keeping the Sabbath; if anything, observing a day without obeying the initiator of it is somewhat senseless. I don’t want to be a Sabbath keeper, I want to have a meaningful relationship with the higher power I believe in. In my case, God. That said, I too have been on a journey of self discovery. I want to know get in touch with myself, I want to know who I really am without the labels the world uses, above all, I want to be self-aware. Unbeknownst to me, I have been shuttling between religion and spirituality; however, I would like to say that I have been a spiritual being within a religious organization.
I live my life in a particular way, I have a schedule I follow. I stick to my principles, I hardly bend them. This is me having a fixed mindset; don’t remind me of this because I am well aware. I am working towards having an open mindset; one that sees particular aspects of life from a pragmatic angle. A mindset that appreciates that we all have different opinions regarding particular things in life. A mindset that acknowledges that truths are objective. A mindset that will make me more compassionate, loving, kind, honest and caring. I want to be in touch with reality, and accept that life is a puzzle in itself.
Spirituality is a broad concept with room for many perspectives. In general, it includes a sense of connection to something bigger than ourselves, and it typically involves a search for meaning in life. As such, it is a universal human experience—something that touches us all. People may describe a spiritual experience as sacred or transcendent or simply a deep sense of aliveness and interconnectedness.
My spirituality is never going to be your spirituality. How you relate with the higher power in your life isn’t how I do. I have chosen my path and it works for me. Everyday, I make a point of catching up with my imaginary friend, God, and present myself. Our conversations are quite us, on a bad day I will shout/ speak in an angry tone; on a good day, I will laugh and be gentle; on the worst of days I will summon Him and really speak my mind. I don’t know how to lie, especially since I believe He knows how I feel already. My relationship with Him is very personal, intimate I may add. This helps me come out of any situation in life. I get extra strength to face life.
Therefore, I am on a journey to write my story as He directs. I don’t have all the answers to your questions regarding what it takes to be spiritual. However, I know that if you look inside of you, you will find the answers to your questions. My advice? Choose yourself. Take the road that you have been afraid to take, as long as it leads you where you find peace. No matter the circumstances, be true to yourself. If it isn’t right, you will know. Personally, I feel sane when I relate to God, I don’t know about you. It helps a lot to be spiritual more than religious by the way; by being spiritual, you acknowledge that you live for something bigger than you. As a dear friend says, being spiritual is being self-conscious, what is your spiritual?