Think Outside the Church

"We must stop confusing religion and spirituality. Religion is a set of rules, regulations, and rituals created by humans, which were supposed to help people to grow spiritually. Due to human imperfection religion has become corrupt, political, divisive, and a tool for power struggle. Spirituality is not theology or ideology. It is simply a way of life, pure and original as was given by the Most High of Creation. Spirituality is a network linking us to the Most High, the universe and each other. As the essence of our existence, it embodies our culture, true identity, nationhood, and destiny." - Haile Selassie

Until very recently, when people looked at a quaking aspen tree, they saw a single entity without understanding that they were actually looking at one of the largest single organisms in the world. In the Wasatch Mountains of Utah, is a stand of aspens that weighs over 6000 tons and is one giant root system spread over 107 acres of land with over 45,000 stems. The roots actively send up shoots to look for opportunities for growth. The individual “stems” support the entire organism by moving nutrients where needed throughout the stand. If one area is lacking water, it is moved through the roots from another area and the nutrients in a rich area are moved to less fertile grounds. Mankind could take a lesson from the aspen.

If we were to look at our fellow man as part of our own organism and made a conscious effort to open our minds to our similarities instead of allowing our slight differences to be magnified untilthey separate us, we might become more tolerant of those differences. Religion is one of the major ways in which we allow ourselves to become separated.

Unfortunately, churches tend to dwell more on how we are different than how we are the same. Inan effort to be the “true” faith, too many religions have taught their followers that those of differing beliefs are wrong, instead of focusing on how very similar the major faiths of the world really are.Most of the major religions have broken into many different denominations or sects espousingslightly differing beliefs. Often the split into a denomination is to accommodate the ways in which the faithful are different. Many houses of worship hold people of similar colours, nationalities or socio-economic levels.

For the majority of people in the world, the religion they are born into is the religion they will claim for the rest of their lives. Children will be introduced to the God of their birth by their parents and handed over to the leaders of their church, mosque, temple, synagogue to be indoctrinated even more deeply. The religion “fits” them because the people in that religion are familiar and comfortable. The teachings of most of the major religions preach that spiritual enlightenment is to be attained only through their path. If we ever are to live in harmony, we all must worship in the way that works for us but we must also accept and appreciate the way in which others express their faith.

We all know people with great belief in their God who don’t have belief in themselves. To put your faith in the hands of God without taking the responsibility to live a life that is open to all of the possibilities and joy it has to offer is to limit yourself in a way that shows great disrespect for the faith of your choice. There is the possibility of joy in every aspect of our lives and it is important to appreciate and seek out the simple pleasures and blessings that make up every day. It is equally important to be open to opportunities by banishing negative expectations to make space for the positive.

Nourishing our spiritual needs is separate from religion. It’s not enough to believe in a higher power, one must also believe in their own higher power. Happiness and fulfillment is a choice that we must make. A person who does not believe they deserve to be happy will not be happy. A person who does not believe they are worthy of emotional and spiritual fulfillment will not be fulfilled. A person who does not believe in the good in others will not find it.

Examining the blessings in your life and seeing the negative aspects in your life as learning and growing experiences is one step on the path to spirituality. Understanding that we each have a responsibility to our fellow man is another step. It’s not enough to take what we want from this life;we also have to appreciate what we take and we have to give back. Offering up a smile to others will bring a multitude of smiles your way. Being a good and valued friend will bring friendships that last a lifetime. Remembering to share your blessings with your greater community will make you a part of your community.

Every person we meet is an opportunity for learning, understanding and personal growth. Being aware that our own positive actions are what will bring us positive reactions moves us forward in our spiritual life. We must sew what we want to reap. It’s not surprising that this is an important recurring theme in every major religion. We must balance our wants with our needs. There should be nourishment for the body and the soul in all of our lives because our mental state influences and affects our physical well being. It’s not enough to eat all of the right foods and to exercise the body; the mind and spirit also has to be exercised. Setting aside time each day to reflect and regenerate, seeking out laughter and light and nurturing our own happiness and comfort makes each of us more ready to give happiness and comfort to others.

Just like the roots under the aspen trees, our spirituality is what links us to “the Most High, the universe and each other.”